I think for a moment, searching for a word that would be easy to remember.
“Treehouse,” I say finally. “If either of us says ‘treehouse,’ we both know it means it’s time to take a step back.”
A shadow passes over his face before he nods. “Treehouse it is.”
“Third,” I continue, ticking off on my fingers, “this is temporary. When it’s over, it’s over. No trying to extend or renegotiate.”
A look I don’t recognize flashes in his eyes before it’s gone. “Agreed,” he says.
“And finally...” I take a deep breath, knowing this is the most important boundary of all. “No falling in love. Either of us. This is business, not pleasure.”
Rowan stares at me for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then he reaches across the table, offering me his hand.
“Deal.” His voice is steady despite the storm I can see brewing behind his eyes.
I hesitate for just a second before placing my hand in his. His palm is warm and rough against mine, fingers curling around my hand with gentle pressure. An electric current shoots up my arm, and I have to force myself not to yank my hand away.
“Deal,” I echo, trying to ignore the way my heart is pounding.
“You sure you don’t want to discuss an amendment?”
The warmth of his hand, along with the look in his eye, sets my blood on fire. “What sort of amendment?”
His hand tightens a fraction. Almost as if he knows what he’s going to say next will probably cause me to bolt.
“Six months to a year is a long time to go without.”
“Without what?” I have a feeling I know exactly what we’ll both bewithout.
My heart rate kicks up a notch when he cocks his head at me. “Don’t play dumb, Iz. You know exactly what.”
He holds my hand a beat longer than necessary before letting go, and I immediately miss the warmth of his touch.
Getting into dangerous territory, Lizzy.
“We talkin’ sex here, Hollywood?”
His lips quirk into a smirk that sends heat straight to my core, and I nearly choke on my beer. “Are you seriously suggesting we add benefits into the mix?”
“Why not?” His voice drops an octave, sending shivers down my spine. “We’ve got chemistry, Lizzy. Always have. And last night proved it’s still there.”
“Last night was...” I struggle to find the right words. “A momentary lapse in judgment.”
“Was it, though?” Rowan leans in, lowering his voice. “Because it felt pretty damn real to me.”
My heart hammers against my ribs. I can’t deny the pull between us—it’s like gravity, an invisible force that’s always drawn me to him no matter how hard I’ve tried to resist for as long as I can remember.
“Rowan, I?—”
“Look, I’m not saying we have to decide anything right now,” he cuts in. “It’s just something to consider. Because pretending to be together while fighting what we both clearly want? That’s going to get painful real quick.”
I take a deep breath and glance out the window. A speedboat is quickly making its way across the lake, causing a couple of sailboats to rock in the waves it leaves in its wake. “Let me think about it.”
“Fair enough.” He signals for the check. “No pressure. But for what it’s worth, I’ve really missed you, Izzy.”
twenty-eight
“Yeah,well. I’ve made it my life’s mission not to miss you.”
