“You were?”
Willow unfolds her legs and moves closer to me. “Yes. And do you know what I thought before you did that incredibly brave thing with the flashlight?”
“What?”
“Well, first I prayed that you’d be okay. But I also promised myself that I’d take a chance on you.”
“Take a chance on me? Are you worried I’ll hurt you?”
“No. Never. I guess… before, there was always a reason to keep things platonic. Not good reasons, I’m realizing. But they were safe ones. Ones that protected me from being disappointed if things didn’t work out. Or feeling rejected if you weren’t interested?—”
“Not interested?” My voice rises. “I’m interested.Trustme.”
Framing her face with one hand, I continue, “I’m very interested, Willow. I have been. But I kept clinging to those same excuses. The safe ones. But.”
“But?”
Hope lights her expression.
I lean closer.
Close enough to smell the cinnamon and vanilla on her breath.
Close enough to see the flecks of gold and copper and emerald in her eyes.
“But I don’t care about those excuses anymore. I care about spending time with you. Seeing where things go. And maybe… hopefully… having a future with you.”
“Ryan.”
“Would that be okay?” I ask. “All of those things?”
Willow puts her hand on my thigh as she leans towards me.
Her gaze heats. The green in her eyes is almost swallowed up by black. “Is there anything else you want?”
“Anything else?”
“Yes. All the things you said about seeing where things go and a future, my answer is yes. But what about other things? Like…”
She doesn’t need to say it when it’s all in her eyes.
“I want to kiss you,” I reply. “Very badly.”
Willow’s lips are just a whisper away. “Then I think you should.”
So I lower my mouth to hers.
The instant we touch, my body sparks to life.
Her lips are soft. Welcoming. Sweet.
Her hair falls forward, brushing my skin.
A soft breath escapes as she parts her lips, inviting me in.
As our kiss deepens, our tongues stroking and exploring, my hand moves from her cheek to the back of her neck.
My fingers tunnel through her hair, and I distractedly note that yes, her hairisjust as soft as I imagined.
