Page 100 of Once Smitten, Twice Shy

I frown. “Why?”

“Because,” Will says, starting to pluck at the strings, bending his head to listen for its pitch. He’s tuning it. “You won’t be singing unaccompanied.” He peers up and gives me one of those adorable, delightful double-blink winks. “You’ll have me.”

—

Dusk hangs heavy in the sky, lilac streaks against the deep orange dying light. I stand on tiptoe on the sidewalk outside my apartment, my arms wrapped around Will as we kiss. “I had thebesttime.”

Will sighs against my mouth. “Me, too. You have such a beautiful voice, Jules.”

“Ah.” I wrinkle my nose. “It’s fine.”

“It’sbeautiful,” he says softly. “You had the whole place wrapped around your finger.”

“The Scottish Society did seem pretty happy,” I admit.

“As did Mari,” he says. “Jules, between her and the Scottish Society, we sold so much damn whiskey.” A laugh rumbles in his chest. “Fest is going to go cross-eyed when he sees those orders.”

I rest my hands on his chest. “You did that, Will.”

“Nah.” He shakes his head. “Wedid.” He smiles down at me, cupping my face. “Maybe we make a good team, you and me.”

I smile up at him, my hand resting over his heart. “Maybe we do.”

He bends for a kiss, but I stop him right before he can. Will frowns. “Why won’t you let me kiss you?”

“Because you need to know I am furious with you!” I kiss him hard, to ease his disappointment, to reassure him I’m only being playful. “You were holding out on me. The incredible guitar skills, all that fancy talk about whiskey when you were charming the Scottish Society! What other secrets does Will Orsino hold?”

He grins and steals a swift, soft kiss. “Suppose you’ll just have to wait and see, won’t you, lass?”

It’s like a thunderbolt rattling through me, the impact of his words. Because he didn’t just say them; he said them with a soft, burring Scottish accent.

My mouth drops open. “You were dressed like a Highlander last night and you didn’t talk to me like that? Notonce?!”

His smile deepens, and he nuzzles my nose with his. “Had to make sure you liked me for my charming personality, first, Juliet. Couldn’t risk you falling only for my dashing Highlander persona.”

A laugh jumps out of me. “Though your capacity to fulfill the Highlander fantasy is definitely a perk, I’ve fallen for every part of you.”

Will stares down at me, his gaze intense and heated. “I’ve fallen for every part of you, too, Jules.”

Those butterflies race through me, and my heart skips. It feels so wonderful, so good, and for a moment, fear whips through me, a vicious wind scattering those happy butterflies.

What if all of this istoogood to be true?

Trust it, that quiet voice inside me whispers.Be brave, Juliet.

“It’s late,” Will says quietly. “I should get on the road.”

I nod, pushing away the fear, reaching for my courage. “You should.”

Will’s hands drift, low on my back, then lower, curving affectionately over my ass. He tucks me close, kisses me hard again, then pulls away, dropping his forehead to mine. “I’m gonna miss you so much.”

My eyes slip shut, my fingers scraping softly through his hair. “I’m going to miss you, too.”

Will leans back enough to stare down at me, his eyes searching mine. He tucks my hair behind my ear, his thumb softly sweeping my bottom lip. “I’ll figure out a way to come down on Friday. Iknow it’ll only be a day earlier, but it’s better than nothing. I don’t think I can last five days without you.”

I draw his thumb into my mouth and suck. He groans, scowling playfully down at me. “Juliet, behave yourself.”

“You said I shouldn’t behavetoomuch,” I whisper, holding his eyes as I flick the tip of his thumb with my tongue.

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