I laugh and call out, “I’ll take you out if you can get back over here in less than ten seconds!”
Her eyes light up, that playful challenge sparking something in her. She’s gone before I even finish my sentence, feet kicking up grass as she sprints toward me. I start the countdown, my voice ringing clear across the distance. “Ten…nine…eight…”
I keep my eyes fixed on her as she closes the gap, running faster than I expected. I barely have time to brace myself before she crashes into me, breathless and laughing.
“Seven seconds and a tackle.” I let out a low whistle. “Impressive.”
She takes a step back, hands on her hips as she catches her breath. That mischievous grin doesn’t leave her face. “I try.”
That flush on her cheeks? Damn near mesmerizing. Her eyes flicker with some perfect mix of trouble and sheer determination that makes it impossible to look away. And then there’s the way she’s breathing, short and uneven, her chest rising and falling in a rhythm that lodges itself in my brain and refuses to leave. It’s distracting as hell. Addicting.
The air, which was still moments before, shifts as a breeze picks up, tugging at my shirt and carrying the faint scent of the earth. Almost like a sign. A push.
Go on. Do something about it.
Without another thought, I pull her back into my arms, the warmth of her skin sinking into mine. Her breath catches as my eyes lock with hers. I hold her tighter to make sure she’s real, that I’m not imagining the way her body fits perfectly against mine.
We’re both standing on the edge, inches from falling, but I need to know. I search her face, looking for any sign, any flicker, that she feels the same pull betweenus. I know she does. I can feel it in the way her hands rest against me, the way her breath quickens, the way she doesn’t pull away.
She closes the distance. Her lips are soft, a whisper against mine, but the second they touch, everything else fades. My hands move to her face, cupping her jaw and pulling her closer. She responds with equal urgency, her fingers digging into my shoulders, her lips parting and inviting me in deeper.
Time stretches and compresses all at once. Every brush of her lips against mine is like discovering something I’ve been searching for my entire life without knowing it. When her fingers thread through my hair, my heart hammers against my ribs like it’s trying to break free. To offer itself up to her completely. I can’t tell where I end and she begins. There’s no past. No doubts.
She sighs against my mouth, a sound that wraps itself around my heart and pulls tight. I want to memorize it, hold it, and never let it slip away.
We don’t go farfor our early dinner, sticking to the bistro tucked in the heart of the village.
“It’s so cute and cozy in here,” Juliette says, slipping into one of the corner booths as she places her drink from the bar on the table.
I chuckle. “Aye, and they’ve got the best food.”
As I settle in, my phone buzzes in my pocket, snapping me back into the reality I was hoping to escape. My heart drops when I see Finn’s name flashing across the screen. The quiet and easy day we’ve had starts to unravel, and I’m yanked right back into the mess I’ve been trying to push away.
I glance at the message. It’s exactly what I expect. Themeeting with Hallie’s attorney. That damn knot tightens in my gut, the weight of everything unresolved pressing down. I should be used to this by now, but it never gets easier.
My muscles tense, the stress creeping in, but I push it back, burying it as deep as I can. I won’t let it touch her.
Juliette’s eyes are on me, and I see that subtle shift in her expression as she catches the change in my mood. “Is everything okay?”
I exhale, trying to shake the weight off. I don’t want to bring any of that shit into this space. Juliette deserves better than a guy who’s got his mind somewhere else, looking over his shoulder at a mess he can’t control.
I force a smile. “Aye. Everything’s fine.” The words come out too easily, like they’re rehearsed. I’m not fooling anyone, least of all myself.
She stares at me, those understanding eyes searching mine, and for a moment, I want to confess everything. The whole damn truth that’s eating me alive.
Instead, I reach across the table and brush my hand against hers, offering a silent reassurance.
She hesitates for a second, but she doesn’t press. Instead, she moves on. “All right then. What’s your order?”
I let out a slow breath, thankful for the shift in focus. “Rib-eye. No question. And you?”
She laughs, shaking her head. “I should have guessed that. I’m getting the fish and chips.”
She shoots me a frisky look, raising a brow. “And don’t even think about judging me for how many fries I eat or whatever you call them. I’ve got absolutely no self-control when it comes to them.”
I smirk, leaning back in my chair. “Oh, I don’t know, lass. Those chips might just be a deal-breaker.”
She narrows her eyes. “Speak now or forever hold yourpeace. I could never be with a man who doesn’t support my fry habit.”
