Page 44 of Homesick

His smile seems to fade slightly when I use the word secret. However, it’s quickly replaced once I stop talking. “We didn’t do a good job at following your rules.”

“Yeah, you’re right. Maybe we need new rules then,” I respond bluntly.

My mind is racing. Somehow, I feel like if I can convince myself this attraction is purely physical, I can get through the rest of this summer unscathed. It’s naïve, but after last night, I don’t trust myself not to cross that line again.

“Okay,” he says, running his hand over his beard. “Let’s meet at my place. My mom is staying at her boyfriend’s house tonight, so she won’t be home.”

“Sheila has a boyfriend? Good for her!”

“Yup. First guy she’s dated since Dad. Seems to be going well.”

Blake’s dad died when he was younger. Sheila moved to Honey Grove right after it happened, but that’s about as much as I knew. It’s odd that such a sad moment in his life led to such a happy time in mine.

“Okay, sounds good.”

“Oh, and Wren, don’t get any ideas. We’re just talking,” he says jokingly before walking over to Colt.

Damn, he looks good from behind.

* * *

When I pull up to the Fisher residence, I think back to my last visit and how much things have changed in such a short amount of time. I grip the wheel and take a deep breath before putting the car in park. It’s been ages since I’ve been in Blake’s house. It’s going to be like taking a trip down memory lane that I didn’t ask for.

The porch creaks under my boots when I approach the front door. I lift my hand to knock, but I pause for a second and think about the times when I would just barge in like I lived here. I push the memories away and proceed to hit the scabbed wood of their old door.

I hear uneven footsteps and soon Blake’s large build fills the frame of the door. “You know you don’t have to knock, right?”

“I was being polite. Ever heard of it?”

He laughs at my answer and steps back so I can walk in. The old house hasn’t changed a bit since we were kids. It even has the same smell of dust and cinnamon that’s been baked into every wall in this place. I breath in the familiar smell and my pulse quickens from all of the happy memories I had here as a kid.

I follow Blake into the kitchen, and he motions for me to sit down at the table while he puts the kettle on for some tea. I look around some more and my eyes land on a very old picture of Blake, Chris, and I that’s hanging on the wall.

I was thirteen in the picture and I’m wearing my favorite pair of blue jean overalls. I had finally hit puberty, which was a godsend because I loved the way I could hold Blake’s stare for longer than usually. He stopped looking at me as just a friend that summer.

I get out of my chair and take the picture in my hands. As I look closer, Blake is looking at me with a huge smile on his face and I swear my heart skips a beat.

“I miss those overalls,” he says as he walks up behind me. “Whatever happened to them?”

“Remember Rachel Brown? She made fun of me the one day and I never wore them again. She has a botched boob job now, so look who’s laughing.”

“Well, I loved them,” he says casually. “I especially loved them in the summer when all you would wear underneath was your bikini.”

My pulse quickens when I feel his breath feather the back of my neck. I gently place the picture back on the wall and turn to face him. He’s closer than I realized so I attempt to take a step back, but accidentally hit the wall.

Blake smiles at my clumsiness and steps closer. He places both of his hands on each side of me, trapping my body against the wall. I take my hands and brace them against his hard chest, restraining myself from exploring more. Focus, Wren, I tell myself before clearing my throat. “Umm, I think we should talk before we do anything else.”

I bite my lip in anticipation of his answer, which causes his eyes to drift lower. “I think it’s a little late for that,” Blake says before leaning in. I close my eyes and prepare for the connection, but it’s sadly interrupted by the loud squealing of the tea kettle.

“Saved by the bell,” he says jokingly before pushing himself off the wall.

I take a moment to regain my composure before joining him at the table. It’s so hard to focus on anything being alone with him. I feel like a teenager again, trying to take every opportunity to push things a little farther.

I clear my throat before sitting down across from Blake. “So, last night was fun, but I want to be clear that it doesn’t mean I want to get back together.”

“What do you want then?” Blake asks from across the table. “If you didn’t want that to happen again then you obviously wouldn’t be here.”

“Right,” I say, taking a deep breath. “What if we just keep things casual?”

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