‘Why are you so sure he would be noble? Surely, he was more likely to be foolish? He got himself lured into a trap after all,’ Lucas reasoned. ‘I still think Goldie is more suitable.’
‘He was hopeful, that’s all, following the bait and thinking there was more.’ Her eyes fixed on his. ‘In the end, isn’t it the hope that keeps us going?’
‘Nah – it’s the hope that kills us or traps us. As poor Phil proved.’ He looked away. He couldn’t maintain eye contact with her for too long. Those old feelings, the ones he had fought so hard to beat back, were returning. He could feel them burning deep in his chest, like a fire that refused to be put out.
‘Hope traps us? That’s an interesting point of view,’ Willow mused. ‘I like to think I see it differently than that.’
‘Well, maybe you and I have had different experiences.’
Willow looked at him intently. She smiled. ‘Maybe,’ she said. ‘But all that I remember was how happy I used to be with you. How I felt completely like myself …’
‘You did?’ Lucas felt like he was choking out the words.
‘Yeah, always.’ Her gaze was on his lips. Heat rippled through his body and then intensified. Without thinking any more about it, because thoughts were lost now, he leaned forward. His mouth grazed hers. He expected her to pull back. But she didn’t.
Instead, she groaned softly under the pressure.
He pressed against her further, his lips teasing hers. His hand sweeping through her hair and tugging it gently. He felt her tongue against his, exploring and probing. He could feel himself hardening. He groaned also, longing for more.
Willow. The moment he had dreamed of for so long. And now she was here in his arms.
He pulled away briefly, anxiety suddenly seeping over him.
‘Are you sure this is what you want?’
Her honey eyes seemed to tease him. ‘Do I look like I’m complaining?’
She tugged on his top, pulling him back towards her. Their mouths locked again, harder this time. He could feel her teeth graze against his lip and a shiver raced through his entire being. He ran his hands down her body, feeling the shape of her – her breasts, her stomach. He felt her tremble under his touch.
‘Luc …’ she whispered.
He was about to respond, when he was interrupted by another sound. It was something moving through the trees towards them. He quickly pulled away.
‘Hey guys! I’ve been looking all over! Why are you hiding out there?’
Mia was walking in their direction, waving. Lucas had never been so disappointed to see his sister. He blinked at her, not knowing what to say. Meanwhile, Willow hopped off the branch, shaking her hair into place like nothing had happened.
‘Come on,’ she said. ‘It’s going to rain any minute. We should head back.’
‘But what about our place?’ Lucas said, trying to sound casual. ‘I thought we were going to stay here and eat.’
‘Yeah, well, I don’t feel like getting wet and cold.’ Willow laughed, heading towards his sister, so that he could reroute too. ‘We can eat as we walk back.’
So, Lucas pulled himself up and followed the women reluctantly. His thoughts were once again a jumbled mess.
Had Willow wanted that to happen, or was she immediately regretting it? Was he being treated like an idiot?
Because he didn’t want to get hurt again. No siree. Not again.
Chapter 21
Willow
Willow was trying to stay positive; after all, that was part of her new self-care mantra – look after herself, not focus on the negatives and take each day at a time. But it was much harder to maintain when business was this slow. And it was even harder to maintain when it was clearly obvious that Lucas had been avoiding her since their trip to the Falls last weekend. Four days had passed – sometimes she swore he ran into the backroom as soon as she walked into The Diner, just so that Mia or Janice would have to serve her.
It was weird. And annoying.
Maybe that kiss had been a mistake. After all, he had been so quiet afterwards, barely talking to her after it happened. Willow had tried so hard to act casual and upbeat when Mia had appeared, because she knew Lucas liked to be private about things. But now, she had a horrible feeling he regretted that it happened. And that was a shame because the kiss had been so good.
