Page 55 of Finally Home

“Ooh, you are the best.” She reaches up and carefully takes the mug from me over her shoulder. She goes to turn back to her laptop, but I clear my throat.

Looking back over her shoulder, she finds me leaning down with my lips puckered. “Gotta pay the coffee tax.”

Hollie laughs. “Coffee tax?”

“Yeah, you didn’t think I’d make you this for free now, did you?” I tease. “Now, plant one on me, babe.” I double tap my puckered lips with my forefinger.

Hollie reaches forward and sets her mug on the coffee table before turning back and taking mine from my hands.

“I know you, Oliver Mosby, and you have a tendency to get caught in the moment, and I’m not looking to start my morning with a trip to the emergency room burn unit.”Good call. She has a very valid point.

She surprises me when she grabs my T-shirt and pulls me down to meet her lips.

“Mmm,” I hum in approval. “But I could definitely get used to starting my morning like this.”

“Me too,” she whispers against my lips.

With one last kiss to the tip of her nose, I hop over the back of the couch.

“Ollie,” she screeches.

And I just shrug.Old habits die hard.I reach forward and grab both of our coffee mugs. After handing her mug to her, I lean back on the couch with mine. I watch her as she takes a small sip and smile when she lets out a little moan.

“Whatcha working on this morning?” I ask after taking a sip.

“I wanted to get a head start on the edits on the prints that your brother purchased. He asked for a few of them in black and white.”

“Can I see them, or is it a big surprise?” I know some artists are kind of picky and prefer to keep it a secret until the final product.

“Absolutely.” I extend my arm along the back of the couch, and she scoots over, settling in to my nook with her legs bent, thighs resting on top of mine. “Hold on, let me go back to the beginning.”

I set my mug back on the table, not wanting an accident to happen, like spilling coffee on her laptop. I place my hand on her thigh, just feeling the urge to touch her in every way possible that’s not pulling her into my lap.

“Okay, if you need me to slow down scrolling, just let me know.” I nod.

She flips through the images on the screen. It feels like I’m taking a stroll around town. Hollie has images from the high school, the fairgrounds. Too bad it wasn’t the day of the farmer’s market.I love the shots from downtown, especially the panoramic shot of all the buildings surrounding Tilley’s. But it’s the images down by the water and at the park that have my breath halting. These are places that hold a special place in my heart. My dad used to take us down by the water for fishing, and I learned how to skip rocks. I hold my hand out to stop her onone image of Payton. She’s mid-laugh, walking in the water, on her toes. I imagine the water was a little chilly and the bottom of her dress drags along the shoreline.

“It’s beautiful.”

“Your sister made a great model. Maybe if the teaching thing doesn’t work out.”

I chuckle. “Oh Lord, don’t tell her that.”

“Can you make this one in black and white?”

“Sure.” With a few clicks, the image becomes hues of black and white. Wow, it transforms the mood of the image.

“Perfect. Can I purchase that one? I think Mom would love that.”

“You don’t need to purchase it.”

“Yes, I do.” Hollie opens her mouth to speak, but I place my finger over her lips. “And before you try to fight me on it, just remember how stubborn I am, and you know I won’t let it go.”

“Okay.”

I pull back in shock that it was that easy.

She rolls her eyes. “Hey, don’t look so surprised.”

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