Running my hand along the bottom of the shelf and tracing the wood grain, I take slow measured steps as I scan the bottles of syrup lined up along the wall. I pick one up, the glass cold against my fingers as the memory flashes in my mind.
Willow’s hand wrapped around me as she lowered herself onto her knees. The way her cheeks were flushed and her gaze hooded as she stared up at me through her lashes, taking my cock deep inside her mouth.
The way I hauled her to her feet, my lips eagerly seeking hers.
“I think we’ve both been waiting for that to happen.”
Fuck.
I should have told her the way I was feeling that night. I so desperately wanted to keep things physical between us, but I was lying to myself, even then. There was never any chance for things to stay that superficial with us, not when we were both already running deep in each other’s bones.
Willow Alder has been situated in my heart since we were teenagers, I just didn’t realize it until it was too late.
And all I can do now is hope it’s not too late.
Glancing over my shoulder, I can’t help myself as I search for the woman I owe an apology to. I expect her to be standing behind the counter, ringing up customers. Instead, I see Finn standing there with a bright smile on his face as he helps the man and woman across from him.
I slowly scan the store, starting along the back wall, past the packed area near the register and making my way toward the front of the store. As I turn my body, my arm and shoulder bump into a soft and warm body.
The bottle of syrup falls from my hand, clattering onto the wood floor by my feet.
“Oh shoot, I’m so sorry,” I say in a rush, the words tumbling from my lips as I immediately bend down to pick it up. A delicate hand darts out, reaching for it at the same time.
Our fingers brush, lingering on the bottle of syrup and as I lift my eyes, my heart stutters inside my chest. My breath catches as I find those baby blues staring back at me. “Willow.”
Her name dies on my tongue and time is momentarily suspended as we’re both crouched down, gazes locked.
“Jace,” she whispers, my name catching in her throat. “Hi.”
My heart seizes.
“Hi.”
A ghost of a smile dances across her lips. “It’s a good thing this one didn’t break,” she says, her voice so quiet that if weweren’t crouched so close together, I may not have heard the words.
“The last time, things got a bit… sticky.”
Pink creeps across her cheeks and she drags her teeth across her bottom lip before immediately releasing it. “It was quite the mess.”
She grabs the bottle and we both bounce back up, standing upright as we face one another. She turns around, lifting her arm as she sets the syrup back on the shelf. My eyes rake down the length of her body.
Her long blonde hair falls down her back in a cascade of soft curls with a few pieces framing the sides of her face. Her eyes are lined with a subtle black liner and her lashes are long and curled. The plaid dress she’s wearing is fitted around her torso, flaring out around her hips.
She’s breathtaking.
“You did it, Will,” I murmur, my words barely audible with the commotion around the store. She turns back to face me and I truly smile at her. “The entire place looks amazing.”
“Thanks,” she says quietly, her eyes scanning my face, pink tinting her cheeks as she smiles sheepishly. “What are you doing here?”
“It’s the Harvest Fest,” I shrug my shoulders. “What kind of a friend would I be if I didn’t stop by to show my support?”
As soon as the word falls from my lips, I want to take it back. I don’t miss the way her smile falters at ‘friend’. What other word would I use in place of it? I don’t even know if she feels the same way I do.
“Well, thank you,” she says softly, bobbing her head as she glances around the room. “I appreciate that.”
“I don’t want to just be your friend anymore, Willow.”
Her eyes widen and snap back to mine. “What?”
