Page 74 of Cherry on Top

“Oh, yeah,” Enzo said. He leaned in and his lips brushed Will’s again. “That’s what I wanted to do this morning. Why do you think I ran away so fast? I wanted it so goddamn bad I thought I’d give in for sure.”

“I wanted you to,” Will confessed. “But then I thought . . .”

Enzo nodded solemnly. “Yeah, I know. This isn’t . . .it’s not a hot hookup, not like Kate said. I mean, I hope it’s also that. If I have to think about you jerking off in the bathroom alone one more time, I’m going to go insane.”

“It’s been less than twenty-four hours since I did that,” Will pointed out.

“Still,” Enzo said, grinning. “But it’s not that for me. Not just that. I know I don’t live here, and I don’t know if I’ll ever want to live here. But if you’re here, I know I’m going to be spending a lot more time here.”

Will was floored. “Are you serious?”

Enzo nodded. “I realized, I’ve never come home and spent so much time here and not wanted to ditch this town already. That’s because of you.”

“But I don’t want you to . . .stay here because of me.”

Enzo reached up and cupped his cheek. Much as he’d done right before he’d laid that hot-as-hell kiss on him earlier. “I’m definitely not staying staying. I still work. I’m still gonna do that. I wish I could tell how it’s gonna work but I do know this. I’ll never regret spending more time here in Indigo Bay if it means spending more time with you.”

It wasn’t a perfect speech. It wasn’t out of a movie, or designed to pull at every one of Will’s heartstrings and convince him that the white picket fence was in their joint future—but it was real. And that was the most important thing.

What else was Will supposed to do after a speech like that, with Enzo staring earnestly up at him, but kiss him again?

“I wish we’d done this last night instead,” Will murmured as he dipped his head low, capturing Enzo’s mouth. They kissed for a moment, for probably a whole minute, before he reluctantly stepped back. “I wish we didn’t have to work today.”

Enzo tried to reel him back in with a foot tucked around his thigh.

“Well, I can play hooky,” Enzo teased. “I’m actually ahead of where I’m supposed to be. I don’t think I’ve ever been so dedicated. I was kinda obsessed with hanging around here. Can’t imagine why . . .”

Will laughed. “Nope. No clue.”

“What are you doing after work?” Enzo asked, hope lighting up his face.

Will’s pulse accelerated as he leaned in. Enzo didn’t have to do anything to cause it other than merely exist. “I don’t know,” he said, intoxicated by the look of pure desire in Enzo’s dark eyes. “I was kinda hoping I’d be doing you.”

“Oh, I like you,” Enzo breathed out, and there was fire in his gaze now. Searing Will all over.

“Yeah? You wanna show me later just how much?”

Enzo nodded. “It’s a date.”

“Without a date?”

“I think we’ve been on enough dates without any of the benefits,” Enzo pointed out wryly.

“Exactly,” Will said. He took a step away and another. Before the thought of those benefits tempted him into kissing Enzo again. “Sadly, I actually do have to work.”

“And I should too.” Enzo sounded as reluctant as Will felt.

Will tried to look anywhere but at Enzo, flush high on his cheekbones, erection still visible in those worn shorts riding high on his muscular thighs.

Because if he didn’t, he wasn’t going to be able to walk away. He definitely wasn’t going to be able to walk away without his own matching erection.

“You good?” Enzo asked, his voice teasing. He slid off the desk. The only problem was even though he was on solid ground now, Will was always going to picture him like that, an irresistible vision.

“I’m not good, but I’ll manage,” Will said honestly.

Enzo laughed again, and he was rapidly returning to that nearly irresistible temptation as he straightened his clothes and fixed his hair.

Hair Will knew he’d been the one to mess up.

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