Page 14 of October

She looks so… easy.

I think that’s the moment I knew I could easily love this girl.

Chapter 8

Wren

I’ve replayed last nightin my head over and over and over again since the moment I woke up this morning. Even now, as I’m traversing the grocery store, looking for something to make us for dinner, it’s on my mind.

The drive home was quick with the weather having calmed down, the floodwaters receded, but in those short hours, he touched me a lot, like he wanted to make sure I was really there. I don’t know what any of it means, really. All I know is I don’t want it to stop.

Even leaving him to head to the store made my stomach twist. What if he changes his mind about me now that I’m not right there in front of him?

Change his mind about what though? Because we never even made a decision about anything, just that nothing will change.

I’m overthinking.

Stop it.

One day at a time. Focus on what’s in front of you, and right now, that’s the pork chops he requested.

I make my way through the store, picking up each ingredient, and a few extras to make a batch of brownies for him as well.

Thirty minutes later, I’m pulling back into his driveway. It’s not long before he comes out the front door and down the walkway to help with the bags. He’s changed into a pair of sweatpants and T-shirt that is sporting the logo of a college football team… and that damn hat is still backward.

“Hey there,” he says with a smile when I climb out of my car.

“Hi.” I smile back. “Sorry it took a little longer. There was some traffic.”

“That’s all right,” he replies and places his hand on the small of my back and guides me to the trunk. He, naturally, gathers all the bags himself and carries them in for me.

He tends to the pool, giving it a clean and treating it with chemicals since it stormed overnight here too, leaving it pretty gross, while I make dinner in the kitchen.

I try, mostly in vain, to not gawk at him through the window while I cook, but it’s right there… in the middle of the kitchen like it’s perfectly placed overlooking the pool, beckoning my eyes every chance they get.

It’s honestly shocking I am actually able to plate up this meal without burning it, because I swear I spent ninety percent of my time watching the way his arms flexed when he’d lift something from the water. I’d get especially distracted when he’d pull off his ball cap and run his hands through his hair before sliding it back on.

“Wren?” I hear him say before snapping back to reality after disappearing into my own head, where he and I have sex in the pool.

“Hmm? Yes. Hi,” I say quickly before grabbing silverware for us.

“A little distracted?”

“Yeah. Something like that.”

He closes the distance between us and places a kiss to the top of my head. It’s almost enough to make me weak in the knees.

“It smells delicious. Can I help with anything?”

I shake my head. “Unless you want to grab us something to drink? I’ll take these plates to the table.”

“I can do that.” He salutes then pauses for a moment. “Feel like carpet picnic? Take the plates to the coffee table in the living room.”

“Actually, that sounds perfect.”

A few minutes later, we are sitting next to one another, on the floor, sharing a simple dinner together. We’ve eaten together many times before, but this feels different and more intimate. Kind of like a date.

“Can I talk to you about something?”

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