Page 117 of Small Town, Big Storm

“I—” But the words don’t come.Mostly because I don’t know what to say, don’t know how to make him feel better, don’t know where to go after yesterday.

His expression softens.“It’s okay, Poppyseed.Promise.”He nods down the hall.“I’ll just go pack Holly’s lunch.”

I blink.

Because I forgot about her needing a lunch.

Another brush of his knuckles, this time trailing down my throat.

Then he’s stepping by me?—

“You won’t wake up alone again,” I blurt.

It’s what I wanted to say.

Kind of.

Because as I process the words that just slid off my tongue—and what he might think I’m insinuating—my cheeks go red-hot.

“I, uh, I—” A shake of my head.“I mean, if you— Ifwe— If I?—”

God, I beg you.Please kill me now.

I risk a glance up, see that Storm is looking positively gleeful now.

Then he bends and brushes his lips over mine.

“Noted, Poppyseed.”

Thirty-One

Storm

“What do you think?”Rain asks a few days later as he leads us across the porch and into the house.

Holly, who’d been skipping behind him, red-faced and sweaty (her braids completely unraveled) from her busy day at camp, skids comically to a stop, her mouth dropping open.

I chuckle then glance over at Poppy.

She’s a little more guarded about her surprise, but it’s still there in her green eyes.“You two have been busy,” she says.

Rain snorts.

“What?”she asks.

“My lovely”—I glare at him—“brother is trying to insinuate that I’m not pulling my weight.”

He smirks.“I’m just saying that your help has been few and far between.”

“Ihelpedknock down the wall, thank you very much,” I say dryly.

“I want to knock down a wall!”Holly declares.Her nose wrinkles as she swipes her foot across the floor.“Even if itisdusty and dirty.”

My lips twitch, but I just ruffle her hair.“How about you inspect the back yard and help Rain and I choose where we should put the pool?”

“A pool?”she exclaims.

“Yup,” I tell her.“It’s an important part of my training regimen,” I add in an aside to the adults.