Page 48 of Again, In Autumn

“Yes.” He nodded emphatically, playing with my fingers in his.

I thought about the last time I read a book that I really, truly loved. I had stopped reading for pleasure when my mom died. She used to take me to the bookstore, read to us before bed, and curl up with a new book from the lake house library that she would devour in days before going in for another.

I told Adam, “Okay. So, sometimes my mom would have to cover a Saturday shift for her manager, Jamie, at the bakery. She would have to bring us with her. She’d give us a book and challenge us to read the whole thing before the day was over. If we did, we got a cupcake. Whoever finished their book first got to pick the movie for the night.”

“Cupcake flavor?” he asked.

“Lemon Blueberry.”

He made the face of respectful surprise. He followed his fingers as they slid between strands of my hair. “And the movie?”

“The Parent Trap.”

“Well, obviously,” he joked.

“I, mean come on, is there any other choice?”

Adam smiled. “So, what’s the book?”

“Beezus and Ramona,” I recalled. “I must have read that ten times.”

“And you’ve never read again. So, is that, like, the only book you’ve ever read?” he frowned. “Do I need to start speaking slowly and using shorter words?”

I shoved him and he fell backward, laughing.

“Shh!” I ordered. “You’re going to wake Heddy!”

“You’re the one making all the noise!” he whispered back. Adam tucked one leg in and bent the other around me, cocooning my body into his. One hand on my knee and the other raking through my hair.

I bit my lip, swallowing. “What are we doing?” I murmured.

Adam’s hand cupped the back of my neck. “Being neighborly. Getting to know each other. Sampling each other’s sugar.”

My ears tipped red as I mouthed, “Adam.”

“Sorry,” he said, but he didn’t look sorry. “I’ll try to be a little less attracted to you. I can pretend that you gross me out instead.” He squinted his face into disgust. “Ugh, what hideously soft, wavy hair. I can’t believe I’m touching this. It smells like lake water. You should burn it all off.”

I pressed my lips together to smother a smile.

He dropped his chin, trying to force my eyes into his. “And you call these knees?” He gagged, rubbing his hands in circles around them. His grip moved higher. “And these thighs…” He swallowed, faltering.

“Disgusting, huh?” I whispered.

He nodded, returning to the act. “I’m offended you walk around in your shorts, with these things out on display. David’s sisters come around. They’re children. Their eyes don’t need to be exposed to such soft, toned legs. Cover them up, please.” He rolled his eyes, dramatically.

His wide hands slid around my backside, and I stiffened, my spine straightening. Adam’s eyes hot on my face, he quickly moved his grip to my hips. I relaxed when he placed them in a more neutral zone. He knew I was uncomfortable; his fingers dug into my sides.

“Shh!” he scolded when I broke into giggles and started squirming. “People are sleeping!”

“Stop tickling me!” I gasped.

His mouth broke into a grin. He zoned in on my mouth.

“And these lips,” he muttered, dragging a thumb across them. He bent to gently kiss me, my eyes wide open. He squinted his nose. “No. Far too soft. I don’t think that’s going to work for me.”

We met eyes.

He cupped underneath my chin and pulled me to him, catching my bottom lip. “I can’t put my finger on it, but I don’t think I like this at all.” His other hand came to my neck, and I was held between his strong, gentle hands.

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