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“You’re really getting into this fantasy.”
“Well, I don’t want you guys thinking I can’t pull my weight,” he pointed out. “I’m most useful in the construction of the shelter.”
“I see that.”
“Yeah. It could be a nice little two-bedroom tree hut. Maybe I could even put a deck out front for grilling.”
“I can picture it.”
“I can try to learn to fish. We can build a fire. Rex can gather berries from the trees. And since he’s the smart one of the three of us, he’s the most likely to know if they’re poisonous.”
“Very true.”
“It could be a pretty nice life on the island,” he mused, his tone something warm and sentimental. “You, me, Rex…”
“And our combined DVD collection.”
“Those too. I’m just saying…”
“Yeah,” I told him. I took his hand. “I know what you’re saying.”
Twenty-Nine
Carter
I helped Zoe put away the wine glasses and the dishes before heading into the living room. She sat on the sofa.
I went for my jacket.
“You’re leaving? Already?” she wondered.
I nodded.
“Is it because all we talked about was tree huts?” she asked. “I mean, I’m sorry. I know that’s not usually how your dates go. You’re probably used to something more—”
“You’re right, Zoe. This isn’t how my dates normally go. And that’s a good thing.”
“Is it?”
“Yeah,” I told her. “Most of my dates… aren’t really dates.” I didn’t want to be so classless as to tell her that most of my dates were just hookups that usually come home with me after a night at the bar.
“I see.” She sighed. She bit her bottom lip.
“Don’t do that.”
“Do what?”
“That thing with your lip,” I told her. “It’s taking everything I have not to touch you right now.”
She got up from the sofa and walked up to me, so close that I could smell her perfume again.
“You could, you know,” she said. She smiled coyly and touched my arm.
“I know.” I swallowed hard. I knew I should remove her hand, but I wasn’t that strong of a man. “But I want things to be different with you. I’m serious about you, Zoe. I want… I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I want to take it slow.”
“I get it. I want that too.”
“So…”
