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“I don’t want to hurt Wren. God, it’s the last thing I want.” I shove my hands into my front pockets. “But like you said, I can’t control what’s going to happen as much as I wish I could. What if…”
“What if she gets hurt?” He closes the box. “I don’t want her hurt. Never. But so long as it isn’t by your direct doing, we’re good.” His hand curls around the back of my neck and he hauls me closer to him. “Oliver, you’re like a son to me.”
Both of his big, capable hands now grip the nape of my neck and he closes the gap until our foreheads are almost touching. “Welcome home, son.”
His arm slides around my back, and I willingly fall into his embrace. I have finally come home, and the sensation causes tears of joy and relief to swell in my chest. It takes everything in me not to let them fall.
The sound of a car door slamming pulls us apart. I half turn to wipe at my eyes, and Pop clears his throat and runs the back of his hand across his face.
“You stay put. Finish putting this away and I’ll go see.”
I watch his broad, muscled back as he traipses across the lawn. The sun’s beginning to set, the sky now warm shades of muted orange, pink, and mauve.
It doesn’t take me more than a few seconds to gather the remaining tools and place them in the box. When I look up again, Pop stops short of breaching the front of his house. His back straightens and I start closing the gap, jogging toward him, not sure of who or what he sees, but not liking his demeanor.
I still have several feet to go when his brusque voice slices through the descending twilight. “There’s no need for you to be here.”
Chapter10
Wren
My father saunters from the side of the yard, a surly expression painting his usually placid face. “There’s no need for you to be here.”
My jaw tightens at his rude response to seeing me. “You didn’t kill him, did you? Please tell me Oliver’s still breathing.” It’s meant as a joke though lined with an ounce of truth and concern.
Pop tilts his head back and laughs. He slaps a hand against his jean-clad thigh, and that’s when I get a better look at him. Grass stains and splotches of mud splatter his jeans, and his face has a light sheen of sweat to it.
Before he can respond, Oliver clears the house, looking much like Pop, and smiles at me. “Wren. Everything okay?”
Suddenly, I feel silly for coming over here. From the looks of things, they were working on something and all seems fine.
“Um, it’s just when I didn’t hear from you and a few hours had passed…”
“You thought you’d come looking for him.” Pop gently elbows Oliver, his manner teasing. “Rescue your man from your mean ol’ Pop?”
I scoff and wave off the image. “You’re not mean and I wasn’t worried. Well, not really.”
“Well, I know you didn’t come here to see me.” Pop turns toward the house. “I’ll leave you two to talk.” He claps Oliver on the back and gives me a quick kiss on the cheek before he’s gone.
Oliver rubs his hands along his thighs and grimaces. “I’m a mess. We were working on the treehouse.”
“Good. Pop’s been meaning to fix it for a while now.” I suck on my lower lip, now more nervous and a little uncertain of why I came here. Of what we need to talk about. “Uh, I know we didn’t settle things before, and I didn’t want to leave things like that either.”
He strolls closer to me. “Me neither. We still need to settle how we’re going to handle things.”
With him so near, I toss my doubts and insecurities to the wind and pull on the lapels of his jacket, bringing us close. “I love you. The thought of giving up before we’ve even begun or hitting pause…” I bend my head, shaking it in utter refusal before I stare up at him again.
His warm hazel eyes smolder, the flecks of copper appearing almost golden, and I take all of him in as he studies my face.
“Oliver, I can’t. I won’t give up on us, no matter the challenge. And while I’m not wild about sneaking around, if it means I get to spend time with you, then I’m okay with it.”
“Ah, fuck, Wren. Thank you.” His lips land on me, and every knot of tension melts from my body as our lips taste and tongues tangle. His mouth puffs out warm air as he breaks our hungry kiss. “I’m so sorry that I even had to ask this of you. I want nothing more than to shout from the rooftops how fucking in love with you I am. Hiding is the last thing I want. Instead, I want everyone in Winslow Grove and beyond to know we’re together.”
I laugh at the purpose and promise of his words. “I want all of that too, and we’ll get there. I know it.”
His hand cups the back of my neck, fingers sliding through my hair as he bends his head once more. His tongue slips into my mouth and I’m dizzy, intoxicated by his kiss. A soft groan from deep in his throat hits me in my core as his hand tilts my head to the side and back to deepen the kiss. I press my body against his without any thought for where we are or that my father is nearby and slip my arm around his back. Our tongues duel and lips suck.
Oliver is the only one with the sense to pause.
