Page 57 of Chasing After You
MATTI
Lunch goes by in a blur of perfection. The food is amazing. The conversation stimulating, and the best part of it all, is the woman at my side through all of it.
After our meal, and the communal effort of doing the dishes, Jason and Cass split off. Jason made good on his threat to organize the perfect romantic outing for them.
Meanwhile, Kenly and Knox seem least invested in taking advantage of the horse-themed accommodations.
“I think we’re going to go back into town,” he says, hand curving around her thigh as he talks, like he can’t help but be touching her in some shape or form. I get it. My fingers are curled in Nessa’s hair even now, standing at the kitchen counter across from them. “We saw some spots advertising live music this afternoon and evening when we were out earlier and thought we’d check them out. You two wanna come?”
“My family signed up for the luau outing the ranch is hosting at the beach tonight,” Ness says, leaning against me, head resting on my shoulder. “I think I might need a nap before then.” She lets out a long yawn to prove it. “See what I mean?”
“I could go for a nap and luau.” I turn to place a kiss on the top of her head. “We’ll catch up with you two later.”
“Sounds good,” Knox smirks, like he’s giving his own interpretive spin on what our nap might entail.
I respond with a subtle shake of my head, just because it’s none of his damn business. Then I move my arm to reach around Ness’s waist, and together, we say our goodbyes and head for the door.
It’s not until we reach her cabin, and she stops short of opening the door, that she remembers, “I’m sharing a room with Oliver.”
“Okay.” Not ideal.
“A room with one bed,” she elaborates.
“Well, that might be a bit uncomfortable then.” I start to fall back a few steps. “Damn, your sisters went all out. Should I be more bothered by this? You sharing a bed with another dude?”
“Shouldyou?” she laughs. “No.Couldyou? Sure. But given our history and your lifestyle, it would be a little weird if you were.”
“True.” I grin. “So, maybe my place is better after all?”
“You said your room has bunkbeds,” she reminds me.
“I did say that.” I shrug. “Wouldn’t be the first time we curled up in one of those.”
“Is anyone else staying in the top bunk?”
“Jason.” I’m kidding. “If he fucks up his date today.”
She looks like she’s about to agree but before her mouth can say as much, her eyes light up with a new idea. “They have hammocks,” she announces. “Over by the pool. I saw them on our tour.”
“I could nap in a hammock.”
She smiles. “I could nap in a hammock too.”
“It’s the same hammock, right?” I clarify. “We’re talking about one hammock we’re both napping in.”
She laughs, wrapping her arms around me and molding herself to my side. “Obviously.”
“Good.”
She sighs. It’s light, and sweet with a lingering sense of relief still tracing through. I wonder how long it’ll be before that passes for both of us.
Before this just feels normal again. Not like a barely dodged bullet we thought for sure would take us out for a second there.
We wander in silence, making our way to the hammocks. Once we find them, chatter between us remains quiet. There’s comfort in the silence. In the sound of her breathing. The feel of her heart against mine. The warmth of her skin. The soft way her hair tickles my neck when she moves. A million things transpire between us and not a single one of them requires words.
Even when we rest, the exchange continues. Both of us anchoring into each other for sleep more soundly than I’ve had in a long, long time.
It’s almost dinnertime when we wake up, and with our things still split between two places, we decide to get ready separately and meet up again outside of the main building where the ranch’s private bus will be taking us to the beach for our luau.
