Page 55 of Love Off-Limits
“I’m really sorry about that. I don’t know what led him to make an assumption about our relationship status. Not that a sex conversation with my dad would ever be justified.”
Tyler leaned his elbows onto the counter. “It wasn’t that bad. And honestly, I don’t even really care if they make assumptions. If it were up to me, they wouldn’t have to. They’d just know we were together.”
I closed my eyes and took a slow, steadying breath. He made it sound so easy.
“Sorry,” Tyler said.
I opened my eyes to find him looking at me.
“That...was probably breaking the rules.”
Rules.I knew I had them. Needed them, even. But the only rule I wanted in my life right now was the number of seconds Tyler had to kiss me before he was allowed to come up for breath.
“We, um...I.” I spun around, nearly knocking an entire tray of milk to the floor. “Goats!” I said as I steadied the tray. “Let’s talk about goats.”
Tyler’s smirk told me he knew exactly what game I was playing. Nothing killed sexual tension more than a rousing discussion aboutgoats.
“Okay,” he said. He was nothing if not a good sport. “What about them?”
“Have you noticed their poop doesn’t smell?”
Oh, geez. I just started a conversation about poop.“Unless the goats have gotten into something gross because, of course, they’ll eat anything. But sometimes that’s the only way you’ll know. Their poop will stink.”
Tyler pressed his lips together, clearly trying not to laugh.
I shook my head. “Don’t laugh at me.”
“I’m not laughingatyou. Your avoidance tactics are admirable.”
I held out the pump, finally starting to feel like I was a little more in control. “Here. You want to try?”
Tyler moved in beside me without question, his shoulder brushing against mine as he picked up the pump. “Like this?” He filled the next section of the tray. A shot of milk ricocheted off the side and splashed onto his hand.
“Almost.” I slid my hand over his, shifting his position just slightly. “Aim it to the side a little more so it’ll slide in instead of splashing off the bottom.”
His hand was warm under mine, his skin soft, and my heart hitched at the contact. Would that evernothappen with Tyler? That feeling that nothing in the world would ever seem nearly as important as staying close to him? My hand lingered a second or two longer, moving with his until he’d filled a few more segments without splashing any milk.
“Thanks,” he said as I pulled my hand away, his gaze lifting to mine. He was standing so close. Close enough for me to see the light ring of gold that circled his irises, to see the way his thick lashes curled around his eyes. My hand twitched with a sudden urge to lift it and rub my fingers along the stubble that lined his jaw. Tyler had been clean-shaven at the wedding, but he’d been sporting a little bit of stubble since arriving at Stonebrook, and Ivery muchliked it. I leaned forward just slightly, my eyes dropping to his lips. I knew those lips, knew...
Tyler cleared his throat and looked away. “Right. So, um, are we freezing all the milk?”
Oh, geez.I would have kissed him. Me. After explicitly telling him a relationship was completely off-limits. I took a giant step backward.
“Right. Yes. Milk. Frozen.”
Tyler quirked an eyebrow. “Was that...a complete sentence?”
My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I pulled it out while Tyler continued to fill the trays. “Oh, hey. We conjured one of my brothers just by talking about them,” I said before answering the call.
“Hey, Flint.”
Tyler’s hands paused for the briefest moment, but he didn’t react beyond that.
“Hey. Explain to me what Mom is texting me about,” Flint said.
“Okay. What did she say?”
“The first message saysMaking breakfast sandwiches for Olivia and her man friend. Cross your fingers for her.”
