Page 41 of The Overdue Kiss

Des rubs his thumbs over my knuckles, pleased they’re thawing. “I need to get you some gloves if you’re going to ride with me, especially with the cooler weather at night.”

“I’m sure I’ll be fine with just a helmet.”

“That’s not good enough for me. Safety first, remember? I have another jacket inside I can grab for you.” He takes a few steps toward the large sliding door and gestures with his chin for me to follow him inside.

As soon as I step over the threshold, I find myself in the middle of his living room, a few steps from his leather couch that looks creased mostly on one seat. The flat-screen TV is impressive, taking up a whole wall, with a fancy gas fireplace beneath it. Unlike Julia’s rustic cabin, his place has a more modern aesthetic. Open spaced, where this room easily flows into the small square kitchen to my right.

“Next thing you’re going to tell me is that you made this, aren’t you?” I laugh, but it trails off at his serious expression.

“Actually, I did. Holt and Tristen were a big help. The trailer I grew up in was falling apart, and it would have cost more to repair it than build a new house. Plus this way, I could customize it to my needs.” He runs his hands down the wall. “I think it turned out decent for my first try.”

“I think it’s more than decent. You just keep surprising me.”

“Yeah?” His eyes soften as he looks at me. “Want a tour?”

“I thought you’d never ask.”

It’s clean, way cleaner than my apartment in Golden. No pictures adorn the white walls or cozy knickknacks scattered on the shelves. Everything has a place and purpose. Even the PlayStation controller is neatly tucked away.

Full-size appliances eat up most of the space in the kitchen, so there isn’t room for a dining table. Instead, he has two bar stools and a fold-out breakfast bar should he need a place to dine. My eyebrows rise at the lone guitar, but he leads me into the next room before I have a chance to ask him about it.

The bedroom is an office combo, with the sleeping arrangement seeming more like an afterthought. Much more bare bones than the rest of the house. A single picture of Reese, Des, and an elderly woman sits on his nightstand. I pick it up as I walk by, admiring the three of them.

“That’s Granny,” he says from over my shoulder. “One of the few photos I have of her.”

“You all look so happy. You and Reese have her smile.”

“We were happy then. I just received my acceptance letter to Dartmouth College. My friend Tristen took this picture by the schoolhouse. I had no idea it was going to be the last picture of us together or I would have fixed my hair a little.”

He plucks the frame from my fingers and sets it back in position on the nightstand, his shoulders slumping.

I press into his side in silent support. “I kinda like your windblown style—and I bet your granny did too. It gives you a youthful appearance.”

He smiles and runs a hand through his hair. “Since she had straight hair, she loved my wavy curls. I bet she would have loved yours too.”

I warm at the thought.

“We should probably get going though. I don’t want your roommate to think I kidnapped you. I’ll grab my extra jacket before we head out.” He dips into his closet and returns with a leather jacket for me to slip on.

Before we head out the sliding door to leave, I spin back, realizing I missed something.

“Wait. Where are your books?”

“What books?” He stiffens, glancing around the living room.

“Exactly. It’s a crime.”

“This is a small home. I don’t have room for books.”

“Pfft. That’s nonsense. There’s always room.” Holding my arms out in front of me, I shape my fingers into an upright rectangle and rotate around until I find the perfect spot.

“Do I even want to know what you’re doing?”

“It will make sense in a second.” I stop at the spot where his guitar rests by the couch. “There.A bookcase will fit right there. Just hang your guitar on the wall.”

“I’m not going to...” He narrows his gaze at the spot I mentioned. “Well, it would look good there, but I don’t have any books to fill it.”

“That I can help you with. I have more than enough to share.”

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