Page 55 of When I Fall In Love

“Yes.” She glances at me. “You’ve always liked simpler things. And May and Bill had one of these from your parents, didn’t they?”

Mom and Dad’s old LP record player was something Dad got as a birthday present as a kid. He always played music on it when he was home, and his record collection came with me when I moved out of May and Bill’s place years ago. “The LP player is still here.” I pull out a bespoke drawer that holds the old player. “And it still works.”

She smiles. “It’s nice that it came to you.”

“Raiden and I tossed a coin for it. Ethan and Liam were too young to remember.”

“Yes.” Her gaze falters and she flips through the records again, and for a moment I can only study her profile in the soft flickering light of the fire and the lights I’ve dimmed. So many things I don’t need to say or explain to her. It makes it so easy to be around her, as she just knows me.

“Ah! I can’t believe this. You actually have this on vinyl.”

“Yep.” I take the record from her and slip it out of the cover and its sleeve. “Some of them are collectors’ items.”

“I bet.”

I place the record on Dad’s old turntable and put the turn-arm in place. The record crackles through the speaker system installed in the living areas of the house and then the music starts playing. I take her hand and lead her to the space between the living room and the kitchen and make her twirl, then gather her in my arms for a slow dance.

She bites her lip and blushes as I stare deeply into her eyes. “This used to be my favorite song to dance to.”

“Mine too.” Her body is flush against my chest and her thighs brush against mine. Her one hand rests on my shoulder as I trap the other against my chest, holding her close with a splayed hand on her lower back. “I’ve always loved dancing with you.”

“And I haven’t danced like this since… since the last Ashleigh Lake fair the year we left.”

The silence between us stretches. That was mere days before they were forced to leave. I don’t want to go there; I need to go forward. “What do you want to do this weekend?”

“Other than have a ridiculous amount of sex and avoid Brenda at all costs?”

I chuckle. “I’m with you on both. That’s number one and two on the list. What else?”

“Isn’t that enough? I’m on vacation.”

With a soft caress to her butt I make her spin out and pull her back to me, holding her even closer.

“Don’t make me work, Hunter. I can feel your head churning.”

“You can?” I peer into her eyes. “How?”

“I know you—you’re a planner. You’re thinking hiking or zip lining through the fall foliage and probably some cheese tasting and a maple syrup tour.” She presses a kiss to my chin and grazes her way with nips and pecks down my jaw. “And that’s only for starters.”

“Sounds too touristy to me.” I nibble at her ear and press a soft kiss just below her earlobe. “I think you should head back out on the lake.”

“Oh God, no.”

“Come on. It’s a bit like horse riding. You need to get back on when you fall off, otherwise your confidence will be shot.”

She lets go of my hand to wrap her arms around my neck and looks up at me. “There is nothing wrong with my confidence.”

I settle my hands on her lower back and slide them lower to squeeze her butt. “No. Except maybe when it comes to paddleboarding.”

“You don’t have a paddleboard. It’s MIA.”

I chuckle. “Good thing too, given the weather. Canoeing then? I promise to keep you warm and dry.”

She snuggles her head underneath my chin and sighs in complete and utter bliss. And it goes like this the whole weekend. A sweet push-pull between us with both of us caving in to what the other wants or needs. I get her on the lake—twice no less—with a cap and a warmer jacket than the one she brought. We have a ridiculous amount of sex, and between naps we listen to music and read. We eat food I have in the fridge, but eventually I fetch her groceries from the cottage with the rest of her things because she’s in bed, naked, and craving chips.

On Sunday morning I drag her out for a hike and lunch at the next touristy town towards the Green Mountains.

“I see what you’re trying to do here, Hunny,” she murmurs, staring at me over her coffee cup.

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