Page 94 of Take This Heart
“I hatenothingabout you,” he says.
That makes me laugh.
His hand slides up my thigh and he squeezes. “You knew I liked you—I kissed you the night we met!”
My mouth drops. “I’m not so sure. You said I kissed like I had something to prove!”
He groans. “That wasn’t a bad thing.”
“You just like riling me up?”
He chuckles. “Well, yeah…I do love riling you up. But I wasn’t trying to upset you when I said that—I had no idea you’d take it the way you did. That kiss was the best of my fucking life…until this weekend.Damn.You have knocked me sideways with your mouth the past two nights.”
My face flushes and heat floods through my body. He grins when I shift in my seat.
“I’ll respect your decision,” he says. “But I have no reason to hide this.”
My heart stutters and something inside of me uncoils. “You don’t?”
“I don’t. Windy Harbor is small. People will eventually find out…if they don’t suspect already.”
I let out a nervous laugh. “You’re right. Erin and Juju will know as soon as they see me.”
He grins. “That freshly fucked look?”
I give him the side-eye. “Depends on whether we ever sleep together again.” I lift my shoulder nonchalantly.
He stares at me in alarm, and when I eventually start grinning, he rubs his chest.
“That hurt,” he says.
I laugh and he shakes his head.
“Who likes to rile who?” he says.
My laugh dies down and I trace circles over the top of his hand.
“Seriously, though…you don’t worry about the project? Our families?” I ask.
“I don’t know what will happen between our families, but you’re not something I want to hide from them or anyone else. As far as the project…we’ve managed to make things work there. We’re adult enough to continue with that, no matter what happens between us. But you should know, Goldie—you’re not just a weekend fling for me. I’ve wanted this and I still do. How about you?”
His thumb is rubbing across my thigh and my insides feel like warm liquid with the things he’s saying and the way he’s touching me.
“I want this too,” I admit quietly. “But I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t scared.”
“What can I do to ease your fears?”
I look down, thinking about it. “I don’t know,” I finally say. “What happened with Wes was so unexpected. I was so blindsided. I guess just be honest with me. About everything. That’s really all I ask.”
He lifts my hand to his lips and kisses my knuckles. “That I can do.”
When we’ve pulled into the lake house driveway, Milo puts his SUV in park and turns to face me.
“I’ll help you get your things inside, but…come here.” He leans closer and puts his hands on my cheeks, his lips meeting mine.
It’s slow and sweet. I sigh against his mouth, and he deepens the kiss, pulling me closer. My hands tug his hair—I’ve learned this weekend that sinking my fingers into his hair is one of my favorite things to do. I want to climb into his lap and get lost in him, but I end the kiss, my eyes dazed as I look at him.
“Thank you for coming home with me.” His thumb caresses my lower lip.
