“Love you,sweetie.”
“Love you more.”I grinned and hung up, pouring kernels into the bowl, then sliding it into themicrowave.
Huck walked backin and locked up behind him, cocking his head. “Everything okay?”
“Yes.” I smiled.“I have beer in the fridge if you want one. Help yourself.”
“Sure, thanks.”He pulled open the fridge and chuckled. “You’re well stocked.”
“A dad andbrothers who visit often. Not to mention a gaggle of ‘uncles’ and club brotherswho bring a case or a six-pack every time they come. There’s more in thepantry.”
“How often dothese ‘club brothers’ visit?”
I pulled thepopcorn out of the microwave and divided it up before pouring butter oil andsalt over it. I glanced up at him and smiled. “All the time, why?”
“Justwondering.”
“Are youjealous, Mr. Wilton?”
“Do I have areason to be?”
“Not even alittle bit,” I said. “I like you, Huck, and I’m not really a serial dater. I’dlike to see where this goes, and I don’t really share, so hopefully, you don’teither.”
Oh my god, Icannot believe that just came out of my mouth. I’d never had the guts to talkto anyone like that but with Huck I felt both comfortable and emboldened and Idid not want anyone else’s mouth on his but mine.
He smiled slowly,closing the distance between us, and getting nose-to-nose with me. “I’m not aserial dater, either. I also don’t share. Now that I’ve tasted that pretty littlemouth of yours, I’m confident I’m gonna like the rest of you even more. We’regonna wait a little while and get to know each other and explore more, whichI’m looking forward to doing, but I’m glad to hear we’re on the same page.”
I nodded with aswallow.
“Gotta admit,it’s gonna be hard.”
“Yes. Um, yes,it really will be,” I agreed, lifting my chin for another kiss.
It was slow, itwas deep, and it was almost feral.
“What do youwant to watch?” I asked.
“Anything. I’mnot picky.”
That turned outto be a damn lie, and it took fifteen minutes for us to finally agree on amovie. I wanted romance, he wanted either action-slash-adventure or some kindof sports movie (shudder), which I was not in the mood for, so we compromised.And that compromise was,The Cutting Edge.
* * *
Huck
We’d barely madeit an hour into the movie when Daisy fell asleep against me. I could havenudged her awake. I also could have carried her to bed and left her to sleep. Idid neither. I pulled the blanket from the back of her sofa and laid it overher, wrapping an arm around her shoulders while I changed the channel to an oldNHL game.
She didn’t makea peep.
Jesus, she wascute even in sleep.
I slid a strayhair away from her face, her skin soft under my finger, and smiled. I didn’tknow what it was about this woman. All Ididknow for sure was she wasmine.
At about foura.m., her phone started buzzing and there was a knock on her door.
“Daisy?” Iwhispered, shaking her gently.
“Mmm?”
