"You were. Deal?"
"Not a bargain, but yeah. Deal." He lowered his mouth to mine and kissed me lightly.
We were rough and wild when it came to sex, but he had never kissed me like that. When he had my mouth, he was soft and sweet, making me melt against him.
I was sure he knew he was doing it, because I was always putty in his hands after he pulled away.
"You're mine, and I'm yours," Niall said against my lips. "That's what we are."
I was dazed enough that it took me a few moments to process the words. By the time I did, he had already kissed the battery on my neck and left the closet.
I figured he would go back to his studio, so I packed a bag of clothes. I'd text him later to let him know I was staying at the orchard for a few days so I could make some kind of a dent in the work I had to do. He would probably drive out to stay the nights with me because of his jealousy, but that was fine.
I didn't want to be around Jonah and Gwen anyway. Definitely not while I was on my own.
After my bag was ready, I headed out to my car.
eighteen
NIALL
Liv had graduatedfrom searching the inside of her Lamborghini for her keys and was officially on the ground, looking under the vehicle, when I made it out to the garage. I had two of her massive fabric grocery bags in my hands. Both were full of snacks, filled water bottles, and electrolyte packets.
Her water bottle collection came in handy frequently.
"Have you seen my keys?" she called out to me, without glancing up. "I swear I left them in the car. I don't really remember coming home, but I never bring them inside, so—" I clicked the unlock button, just so the car would make a noise for her.
She finally looked up at me, and saw them dangling from my fingers.
Her eyes narrowed.
"I'm driving," I said, opening the car's trunk with a button on my way over to it.
"You stole my keys?"
"You were at least half asleep when you got here. We can adddriving after wiping yourself out in the orchardto the list of things you aren't allowed to do, afterswimming alone."
"I wasn't planning on driving home tonight."
I wasn't convinced—until I saw the duffel bag she'd already put in the trunk. "You were going to stay there? With Jonah?"
"I was going to crash in one of the villa's many spare rooms,alone." She dusted herself off after climbing to her feet, and took the driver's seat despite my announcement. "I don't want Jonah. He doesn't want me. None of this has anything to do with him, and I still smell like your cum. Don't make me say it again. The caveman thing is getting old."
She hit the button to lock the door as I grabbed the handle. Before I could unlock it with the keys I still possessed, she rolled the window down.
"What's in the bags?" she asked, tipping her head so she could see me better.
I leaned over the window. It was a long way down. "Snacks," I said. "And water."
"For..."
"For our day in the orchard."
Her forehead creased. "What are you planning?"
"To spend the day watching you exhaust yourself for the sake of fruit trees. I'll try to one-up Gwen by feeding you before you get close to passing out."
"You don't need to take care of me."
