It hadn’t taken him long to convince her that figuring out the future could wait a few more months, and soon they were packing their bags. But now that the day had come to get on the plane, Noa had a few last-minute doubts.

“Hey.” Asher grabbed her hand and led her to the couch. “You’re not worried about us, are you?”

“Us?” Of all the worries that had popped into her head, not once had she worried about her and Asher. Not even for one second.

“Are you worried we might not travel well together?”

She couldn’t help but laugh. “Not even a little bit.” It was the truth. “I might be worried about sleeping in dingy hotels or eating food that I’m not totally certain about. I might even be worried about travel complications, or getting motion sickness on a train in some country I haven’t even heard of yet. But the one thing I am completely certain about isus.”

Noa crawled up and over him on the couch so she straddled his lap. She held his face between her hands and kissed him.

“Um…” His hands came up to her hips and held her in place. “I like that.”

“Me too.” She kissed him again, feeling the heat between them rise.

They were so wrapped up in each other, they didn’t hear the knock on the door, or the creak of the hinges as it opened. “Knock knock, team. It’s time to— Oh come on! Are you two always making out?”

* * *

Not even his little sister’s voice could deter Asher from kissing the woman he loved, and he would have happily made out with her all day right there in the living room if Noa hadn’t pulled away with a laugh. And if they didn’t have a flight to catch.

“Kat. You’re?—”

“Right on time.”

Asher looked over in time to see Kat roll her eyes.

“Do you think the two of you can keep your hands off each other long enough for me to drive you to the city and put you on an airplane?”

With his expression as serious as he could make it, Asher pretended to consider the request before shaking his head. “No promises.”

“Ugh.” Kat threw up her hands and turned away while Noa laughed.

“We’re ready to go,” she said. “We just need to lock up.”

“Thanks for agreeing to help out with the cabin while we’re gone.” Asher reluctantly got up from the couch. There’d be plenty of time to make out with Noa on their trip. “Now that we actually know about it, I don’t like the idea of leaving it empty and unattended the entire time we’re gone.”

“No problem.” Kat walked slowly into the kitchen, running one hand over the surfaces. “I think I’ll be able to put this place to good use.”

Asher groaned and put his hands over his ears. “Don’t tell me?—”

“Okay, I won’t.” She spun around and winked at him. “But I was talking about a quiet retreat with a girlfriend or two.” She tossed a kitchen towel at him. “I can’t believe your mind went there.”

Not that Asher’s mind wanted to go anywherenearthere when it came to his sister. But Kat was an attractive woman, and everyone was continually surprised when she failed to bring someone special home. Or even mentioned dating at all.

“I have to admit,” Noa picked up the towel and returned it to the kitchen, “I kind of thought there might be something between you and Ryan after the New Year’s party.”

It was true that even after Kat had insisted that a big city lawyer wasn’t her type, she had spent most of the rest of the night dancing with him, and rumor had it that the two of them even shared a kiss at midnight.

“He’s nice.” Kat shrugged. “And very cute.”

Noa nodded, and Asher pretended not to notice as he headed into the back bedroom to do one more sweep of anything they might have left behind. He wasn’t jealous. She could have married him if she wanted to, but she hadn’t. Noa had chosen Asher. And he was completely confident in that.

“But…if I’m being totally honest.” Kat lowered her voice, which made Asher’s ears perk up from the other room. “Can I tell you something?”

He shouldn’t be eavesdropping, but Asher justified it with the fact that Kat knew he was right there. If whatever she was about to share was any kind of serious secret, she wouldn’t be saying anything while he was in the next room.

“I’m kind of sort of seeing someone,” he heard Kat say. “But we’re not…well…we can’t really be together.”