She purses her lips but drops it, “Sure.”
I say my goodbyes to them both and rush out before they can question me anymore, heading towards the diner. I’m almost there when I see him.
Kolten stands across the street at the hiking store with his brother, Everett. Everett is looking at something in the window, but Kolten spotted me at the same time I did him. We’d never seen each other in the day, and it strikes me dumb just how gorgeous he actually is. My eyes widen and cheeks heat so hot, I know I’m glowing red.
Memories swarm back in from the night before, the video playing on repeat, and I can’t take it.
I duck into the diner, practically running away from him and as I hear the door click closed behind me, I swear I hear his deep rumble of a chuckle follow me inside.
By four, I’ve talked myself out and back into this evening at least ten times. It was too soon, I kept telling myself, we couldn’t do this, I repeated over and over, we are both leaving and will never see each other again, but it’s that last point that just keeps bringing me back.
Whycouldn’twe do this?
The point was that we weren’t going to see each other again. This wasn’t serious. It was just fun. We were friends that just had…fun.
Imogen arrives at the diner to relieve me of my shift a few minutes after four and while I know she has more questions, I don’t stick around for her to ask them.
The air is warm but humid, sticky, causing a sweat to break out across my brow as I walk through town towards my house. It barely takes any time but by the time I’m home, I’m sweating from the humidity.
I grab a shower and change into a blue linen dress and grab my cardigan from the closet before I slip my feet into my sandals. Then I start to pack up a picnic basket, wondering as I stuff items inside, if it’s too much.
What if it feels like a date?
Shaking my head, I laugh at myself. If overthinking could have a picture, I would be it right now.
It’s dark by the time I make it out of the house, the streets quiet as I walk until I reach the diner which is lively. It’s alwayslike that through the spring and summer months, thanks to the tourists. The warmer seasons were the reason this town kept running through fall and winter. It came alive with water sports and hiking.
My footsteps thump on the wooden planks of the dock and to my surprise, I find Kolt already waiting for me at the end.
The moon reflects off the calm water of the bay, the night air warm as stars twinkle brightly above us.
“Hi,” I breathe.
“Hello trouble,” his voice rumbles through me, stirring butterflies deep in my stomach.
His eyes drop to the picnic basket, “I brought us food,” I tell him, “Unless you’ve eaten,” I go in a ramble, “Which you probably have but that’s okay. There’s wine too and beer. And some cookies…”
“Ness,” He takes the basket gently, “Are you okay?”
“Yes?” I squeak in more question than answer.
He chuckles and places the basket at his feet, stepping closer which freezes me in my place. Something feels different, and it isn’t abaddifferent, butdifferentall the same. My heart gallops like a thousand horses inside my chest, my cheeks heating as he towers over me, looking down until I have to tilt my face up to keep my eyes on his.
He curls a finger under my chin, “It’s cute seeing you all flustered, trouble, this pretty blush is making me hard.”
I open my mouth to argue that I am, in fact, not blushing, but words die on my tongue. His eyes search my face, “Having second thoughts, Ness?”
I shake my head, no.
“Was the video too much for you?”
“No.” I breathe.
“Do you still want to watch?”
My thighs press together, “Yes.”
“Right here?” He grins, “Where anyone could see?”
