Page 49 of Just This Once

I wait until she eats a few bites to point to the bottom corner. “I also fixed that baseboard. It was sticking out, and I didn’t want anybody to hurt themselves.”

She pauses mid-chew, staring at me in wonder again. She swallows her food, her voice barely above a whisper when she says, “I kept meaning to fix that.”

I wave her off. “Took me less than fiveminutes.”

“Yeah.” She puts her plate down with a thump. “You have to stop doing all these things for me.”

“Why?”

“Because.”

“It’s really not that big of a deal.”

“It is, though,” she whines, facing me with a frown. “Don’t you get it?”

I mean…kinda. It took me no time at all to change a few lightbulbs and fix a baseboard when it might’ve been on her list for a long time, and maybe she’s mad at me for taking away her independence. But also, maybe she’s happy for the help because she could use a little bit of it, whether she wants to admit it or not. And for all of her previous experience she disclosed to me today, it’s clear she never had someone helping her with all this day-to-day stuff.

“Can I show you one more thing?” I ask with a playful wince, and she heaves a sigh, rolling her head back on her shoulders.

“I guess.”

I take her hand and lead her outside to the shed. “I finished it.”

“Great. How are you going to get it out of here?”

“It’s not going anywhere.”

She tips her head to me. “What do you mean?”

I open the door so she can see inside. “It’s yours.”

She gasps, covering her mouth with her hand as she steps inside, turning in a slow circle. It’s not very big. I couldn’t make it as large as I would’ve liked with the size of her backyard, but it fits snugly in the corner, and I painted it a robin’s-egg blue at Maddie’s suggestion. I hung the twinkle lights at Jake’s insistence since he thought she might want to come out at night and work.

Taryn’s eyes fill with tears as she takes inthe wooden shelves with her pottery supplies, the space for her wheel, clay, and containers of glazes and paints, as well as the kiln in the corner so she doesn’t have to transport her pieces in her car to and from the studio. She can do everything right here.

She touches the hooks on the back wall for aprons and towels then tilts her head back to the skylight that’ll be perfect for sunny days. Hopefully inspiring whatever art she wants to create.

Finally, she meets my gaze, wiping the back of her hand over her cheek. “Dante, I…I don’t know what to say. I can’t believe you did all this for me.”

I let out a huff. As if this isn’t the least I can do for her. “You deserve it. Whatever you want. A place to work. Help with the kids. The moon, the stars. Just tell me, and that’s what you’ll get.”

She parts her lips, blinking the wetness from her eyes until there is nothing left in them but fire. And I can’t breathe. Barely have time to do anything except brace myself when she launches at me, arms around my neck, legs around my waist, lips on mine.

“You,” she whispers. “I want you.”

Chapter 16

Taryn

This is all too much.

Dante Moretti is all too much.

And yet there is nothing I want more than to gobble down every bite he offers me.

I am greedy.

Gluttonous.

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