“Reece?” I reach for his hand.
“Mmm?”
“I’m glad you came back to Gomillion.”
“Yeah, me too,” he says, giving my hand a squeeze.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Reece
“And this one.” Holden hands me another box of yarn to restock, and I bend down to fit it into the wooden shelving. I enjoy helping Holden in the store. In the mornings I catch up with emails and work and then in the afternoon I come and help until closing time. Today is Saturday and there isn’t long left until the store shuts, so it’s currently empty.
I straighten up and turn around, and he’s resting his elbows on the counter with his head resting in his cupped hands and a dreamy smirk on his face.
“Did you ask me to restock those just so you could gawk at my ass?”
His smile widens and I saunter over to the counter.
“Did you?” I ask, lowering the pitch of my voice so it’s dark and gravelly. I see his eyes swirl with emerald lights.
“Can you blame me?” he asks, and I lean across the counter and claim his mouth, pulling his bottom lip into mine, tasting him until I hear him sigh with lust. I break contact.
“Now, where else would you like me to restock so you can ogle my ass?” I ask, looking into his eyes.
“Oh per-lease, can you two get a room?” Clara’s voice cuts across the store. I didn’t hear the door open, so I don’t know how long she’s been there. She may even have seen us kissing. She must have finished her shift at the hotel and come over. I think I remember Holden mentioning it.
“We have one,” I retort, my eyes never leaving Holden’s face. His mouth quirks but I like how he doesn’t break contact or act embarrassed.
“Then you can go and use it and spare my eyes.” She makes her way over to the counter and leans her back against it. I straighten up slowly, but Holden just grins at her, and she rolls her eyes at him and turns back to me.
“Look at what you’ve done to my friend. You’ve made him all sappy.”
“I like him like that,” I say, which is the truth.
“But look at him, all gooey-eyed and with a goofy grin.”
“Yeah, he’s gorgeous.” I’m not lying, but I can see the game she’s playing.
“I’m standing right here you know.” Holden pipes up.
”And do you have anything to add?” Clara asks and he shakes his head.
“No, not really,” he laughs and she groans.
”Urgh, you’re both as bad as each other. I hope I’m not so silly when I fall in love.”
I snap my eyes to Holden and see he’s looking at me, my own expression mirrored on his face, eyes wide and mouth slightly parted. She said the L word. I haven’t... we haven’t. Oh, god.
If she notices that we look like deer caught in each other’s headlights, she doesn’t say anything, she just pushes off from the counter and heads toward the back room.
“I guess I’ll have to make my own coffee, then.” She disappears out of sight and Holden starts chewing on his bottom lip. I fixate on it, my head whirling, neither of us breaking the silence.
It’s not that I don’t feel it, I love Holden with every fiber of my being, but saying it is a different thing entirely, and I have plans to . . . soon.
She pokes her head back through the door.
“You haven’t forgotten it’s movie night tonight, have you?” she asks before disappearing again.
