Page 42 of Present Tense

I hug him tighter. Please don’t backpedal my happiness. “I’m adamant we over discuss everything.”

“Jillien. We’ve started in the middle. This is the farthest thing from casual ‘get to know you’ dating.”

I brace myself for the ‘but’ as I step back to look at his face.

“Let’s figure it out.”

I squeal, “Thank you. For believing. I woke up a little sad.”

He moves my hair out of my face. “Bella. Sad because you miss your boy?”

I shake my head. “Sad I was only going to have you for two weeks, then go back to being just Mom.”

His lips tug at the corners into a sweet smile. “A MILF.”

I know his hesitation. I feel it in his body. He continues, “I look at all the angles first. It’s the nature of my career, and I guess my life.”

He looks resolute. Finally, he relents and takes me back into his arms. “This is too easy. I don’t think I’d survive if we tried and failed.”

My stomach plunges. He’s right. It wouldn’t be a casual breakup. It would rock the core of who we are as people.

“Then let’s not fail.”

He holds me tighter as I quiver a little bit. “Are you shaking?” he asks.

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because I was so scared,” I blurt out.

“So, the most confident woman I’ve ever known has some cracks. Isn’t that refreshing?” Staying cuddled and curled into him, I give him a slight slap. His voice rumbles in his chest. “Let me tell you something, for the first time since you walked in that door, I’m not scared. And that’s what I told them.”

“And they accepted that?”

“Not at all. It’s what took so long. Lisa had lots to say. I don’t know what she’s after, but I’m trying to appreciate her concern.”

“And are you concerned?”

“Not at all. Now, I have a very smooth face that remains remarkably not sat on.”

I raise my hand. “Ohh. Mr. Fletcher, can I help you out with that?”

“I do have an opening.” I smash my lips to his. “Also, these pants might be my all-time favorite pants in the world. They’re the reason I stood here for, like, ten minutes watching you dance and do something with sugar and butter. Just watching your ass.”

Magic pants! “You do know I need to take them off?”

“Yes.” His voice is low and sexy. Almost a growl that makes me instantly slick.

His giant arms envelop me, and I feel his substantial hands on my back. He feels like security. Or what I imagine security feels like. He whisks me into his arms and moves the flour off the island and onto the counter with one hand while holding me in the other.

“Too far.” And for the second time in two days, I’m the meal in the kitchen.

27

LIAM

When I wake up and wrap my arms around her, she scoots a bit into me. I have no idea what time it is, but I know it’s a new day. I slowly lean forward and pepper kisses on her jawline and up her neck to her ear. I nip and suck when I get there. We’re going to try…fuck. We’re going to try and stay together. I get to have her like this in my arms indefinitely. This is real. Or we’re delusional fools. Time will tell.