Page 35 of Dreams and Reptiles

He came willingly, licking his lips.

“I don’t think I’ll be able to fool anyone that you’re just my neighbor.”

“Oh,” he said, lifting on his toes and brushing his lips against mine. “I didn’t want to assume, but you’re right. When I’m with you, I’m like⁠—”

“Don’t say a moth to a flame.”

He laughed against my mouth, and I took the opportunity to tangle tongues with him. I’d wanted his mouth, his tongue, all damn night.

“So no fire similes or metaphors?” He lifted his leg again, hooking his heel around my calf, rubbing the arch of his foot along my leg.

“God, Francis⁠—”

He cried out as I gripped his hips tight and pulled him snug against me, my hands along for the ride as he ground his erection against my hip. We kissed hard, breathed harder, and we couldn’t get close enough to each other. As much as I wanted this and so much more, I held him a few inches away from my lower half, and buried my face in his neck, taking deep breaths to calm myself down.

“My goshness, I nearly climbed you like a… oh! Like the pole in a firehouse!”

I groaned as we both fell into convulsive laughter, holding each other while we gasped for breath.

“As much as I was enjoying being… climbed… I want to respect our agreement. Believe me, every minute I spend with you is beyond my wildest dreams. I’m loving it all, and I’m loving the pace. Okay? You get what I mean?”

He nodded and ran a hand down my chest. “I appreciate that. I’m doing a terrible job of keeping myself in check because I know when I finally get you horizontal, it’s going to be…”

“Yeah.”

What passed between us on his porch that night was stronger than our agreement. It was as if we were both determined to get as close as we possibly could before we got as close as we could possibly get. We wanted to know each other. We wanted to honor and respect each other. It was unlike any relationship I’d ever witnessed, much less experienced. So much more than dating.

It blew me away that at this point in my life, at nearly forty-eight years old, I would find someone who was my complete opposite, but exactly what I wanted. Needed, even.

“And Kendall? I know things are busy for you, and they’re about to get busier for me, but these stolen moments? The texts, the fence-line deliveries… I hope we keep them up. I think I’m going to need them.” He exhaled and gave me a brave smile. I had to remember that he wasn’t always as brave as he seemed.

“We will. I want them too. My job is mostly great, but it can be intense, and taking care of my reptiles is sometimes more than I anticipated it would be. Having these moments to look forward to makes it all better.”

We shared a few more kisses before Francis finally pushed me out the door with a laugh and closed it on me.

“I deserved that,” I called out. “Good night, gorgeous.”

He opened it up a crack.

“Good night, yourself, Fire Boy.”

I turned and jogged to my truck, too worried the lust would overcome me and I’d kick the door down. Not really, but man…

Francis Liang had a hold on me, and I kinda loved it.

CHAPTER

NINE

Francis

The next week was busy with preparations for the inaugural Maison De Reve event, the first dance social, followed two days later by the writers’ retreat. Crews were completing work inside and outside of the house. I worked my ass off painting and decorating the guest rooms, and though I was more physically tired than I’d been in forever, I woke every day thrilled that this was my life. In addition, a few important things occurred:

Mom and Auntie Judy came back from Colusa and decided that, yes, they wanted to stay for a while in the cottage. That meant bringing in a cleaning service again. This time, instead of using the company Derek referred me to, I contacted a local woman who ran a well-reviewed housekeeping business, and we agreed to work together on a regular basis. Her name was Francine, and we thought it kismet that we’d met. She was Filipina, only a few years older than me, and originally from the Bay Area, so we had fun getting to know each other. I felt safe with her employees, and they did a spectacular job.

Then Kendall referred me to a local handyman, who happened to be the son of Foggy Basin Fire Chief Eladio “Lalo” Ortiz. Miguel Ortiz agreed to be on retainer for Maison De Reve. That was a huge load off. I breathed a sigh of relief when he fixed the damn toilet. I wasn’t sure I’d get over that nightmare of rushing water anytime soon.

Max and Derek agreed to help the moms pack up what they’d need for the next month. I was excited to have my family on this adventure with me. The two women cracked me up with their plans to hit the casino weekly and to cook for my events. I’d had a guy I was looking to line up for some regular cooking classes, but Auntie Judy wanted to watch his YouTube channel first. The two sisters roasted him the whole time.