Page 48 of Make You Mine

“I’m sorry.”

“You’re more important. I couldn’t leave you, standing in your driveway, nowhere to go but back into a potentially haunted house. What kind of man would I be if I did that? Good thing it was only raccoons.”

“Wait. Stop. I think I’ve figured you out. Your love language is acts of service. But that’s totally obvious to anyone who knows you. You say you’re grumpy, which is a contradiction. I don’t think you’re grumpy at all. I think your job forced you to see the worst in people, and you closed yourself off and hid behind a gruff exterior for protection. You’re like a classic eldest daughter stereotype, if she were to take the form of a buff, badass, almost silver fox, grumpy-on-the-outside divorce attorney. You take care of everyone you know, Ren. So, yeah, you’re amazing. I will accept no argument on that fact.” I ran my fingers over the gray hair at his temple, then touched the tip of his nose, grinning when the cute pink flush reappeared above his stubble.

“I don’t know what any of that means.” His laughter was deep and rich, a sound that could fill a room and make everyone within earshot smile. It was infectious. And I felt pretty special because I knew he didn’t let many people see this side of him.

It was like a pressure valve releasing, the tension melting away as we realized we were more alike than we thought. Silence hung between us for a moment, comfortable and warm as we each realized that we were absolutely going to become—friends. Just friends, damn it. I wasnotdating anyone for real. No matter how amazing and kind and good-looking and built and—gah!

Forget it.

No.

Bad, Piper.

“Well, I think you’re pretty awesome, Ren, and I’m glad you’re here.”

“Thank you. And I think the same about you. You’re one of the sweetest people I’ve ever met.” He grew serious. “I think about you more than I should.”

A flutter of emotions swirled in my chest, each one more confusing than the last. His words shimmered in the air, and I felt a magnetic pull toward him, like something was nudging us closer together, rewriting the lines between what was real and what was pretend. Or maybe I was just pretending this wasn’t real when deep down I knew that it could be.

“I do too. I mean, I think about you, too, Ren. Entirely too much for my own good.” I confessed, my voice barely above a whisper.

“What should we do about it?”

My pulse quickened at his words, and I took a deep breath to steady my racing heart. I didn’t want to lose whatever we had by not being honest.

We stood there, the silence wrapping around us like a cozy blanket. His eyes held a depth of sincerity that made my heart skip a beat. It was as if we were both acknowledging the delicate balance we were walking on, the fine line between friendship and something more.

Without breaking eye contact, I took a step closer, my breath catching slightly. “Show me.”

“What?”

“Show me what you think about when I’m on your mind.”

His gaze softened, and he reached out to gently tuck a stray lock of hair behind my ear.

The air between us shifted.

Uncertainty was replaced by possibility.

Pretense by chemistry.

His lips met mine in a tender kiss.

Chapter14

Piper

“More,” I whispered against his lips. “This is what I think about, too, and I need more.”

“Are you sure?”

I nodded, thinking to myself that I’d always want more from him.

For a moment, we stood there with our words hanging between us like a fragile thread. Then, we moved closer, breaths mingling in the small space that separated us.

He reached out a hand, hesitated, and then gently took mine. The warmth of his touch sent a shiver down my spine.

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