“You doubted I was human?”
“I doubted you knew how to bring a human impulse into this baby-making business. Which was wrong of me because you’re obviously very passionate about it.”
My breath caught. We were still close, our breaths mingling, our bodies brushing, neither of us willing to back down, as if this level of closeness was no big deal.
When it was everything.
“I really want it.”
His green eyes flashed. Such an unusual shade, like spring leaves or Leucobryum glaucum, the pincushion moss my snails loved.
“I can see you do,” he murmured.
A baby. That’s what I was talking about, but this conversation had veered perilously off track.
“The name I called you? Twenty-something years ago.”
I swallowed. It sounded ridiculous. “Slug Girl.”
“On behalf of my idiot, barely pubescent self, I apologize. I was a little dick, and I was probably jealous that you were close to Sean. It was a rough time for me.”
Because of his parents’ separation. I had suspected that, but I preferred to ignore it. Not give him any latitude. “It’s silly to hold onto it. I should have known better, especially as I was older.”
“Yeah, the older woman. I had a bit of a thing for you.”
My heart hammered hard. “You did?”
“When I was a kid and just discovering girls. I was twelve or so when we first met and you were?—”
“Fourteen.”
He laughed, the sound graveled and warm. “Your glasses were always off kilter.” He reached out and infinitesimally adjusted my frames, though the only thing off kilter right now was me. “Just something I remember.”
What was happening here? This had to be the longest conversation we had ever had, and we seemed to be airing all the grievances and revealing all our secrets.
It was intoxicating.
“The things that stick with us, huh?” He smiled, producing a dimple in his cheek. My heart fluttered. I had never noticed that before.
Because he has never smiled at you.
“So, Francesca, am I back in your good graces?”
“Uh, you were never there. But I’ll probably be less likely to go into full beast mode the next time I see you.”
That amused him, and it didn’t feel mocking. I could tell the difference now.
“Just tiny beast mode,” I said. And that amused me, so much so that a church giggle erupted from my throat. Like I was that silly teen who should have laughed off a stupid insult instead of holding it inside her heart for far too long.
“J! You down there?” That sounded like Conor, Jason’s nephew.
Jason’s gaze remained locked on mine as he returned the query. “Yeah, I’ll be up in a second.”
“Dad’s having a conniption about the buns, dude.”
“On my way.”
The interruption broke the spell. I cleared my throat of the lump of emotion lodged there. “I should head back up.”
