Page 75 of Love so Hot

"Did he not know how to skate?" I ask, sipping my wine.

He shakes his head. "No, he knew. But it wasn't just that. You could tell... he needed someone. Well, Roman could tell. He has that way about him. So, despite it all—the cold, the unfamiliarity—he reached out. And the four of us have been inseparable ever since."

"Sounds like you became his heroes that day."

"More like his personal clowns," Larry counters with a grin. "But yeah, they basically became family after that. Roman was the one to say that every misfit needs a crew."

"Sounds like something he'd say." I laugh.

"Definitely his philosophy." Larry raises his glass in a toast, and I join him, clinking my glass against his gently.

"Cheers to misfits finding their crews," he says and we both drink.

I lean back into the plush cushions of the couch, trying to ease the knot of tension that's been growing in my stomach. Larry has been sharing his past, each word a brick laid bare, constructing the foundation of who he is. He's open, raw even, and it makes me feel exposed by comparison.

"Your turn," he says with a gentle nudge, his hazel eyes searching mine for signs of reluctance.

"Me?" I manage, stalling.

"Your passion for the environment," he clarifies, setting his wine glass on the low table with a soft clink. "What sparked it?"

"Oh." I exhale the breath I've been holding, grateful he didn't pry into the family saga I'm not ready to unpack. "Well, it's a bit of a long story."

"I've got time," he says, and there's something so damn earnest in his gaze that I start talking.

"Growing up, I spent every summer at my grandpa's cabin here in Greenwood Hollow." I watch his expression, wondering if he'll judge, but he just nods for me to go on. "I was thiswild child, always knee-deep in creeks, chasing butterflies. One summer, I stumbled upon a developer's plan to bulldoze part of the forest for condos. It gutted me."

"Condos in Greenwood Hollow? Pipelines, sure, but condos? Nah." He's giving me a look that says "please laugh," and it tickles a smile onto my lips.

"Exactly! So, at ten years old, I'm writing petitions, rallying the town. And we saved it." Pride swells in my chest at the memory. "That was it for me. The seed was planted."

"From petitions to protests, huh?" He leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees, intrigued.

"Yep. College for environmental science, then straight to Earth Defenders." There's a fierce kind of joy recounting the campaigns, the victories... and the losses. "We're a scrappy bunch, fighting the good fight."

"Scrappy suits you," he teases, and I can't help but laugh.

"Guess it does. But enough about me. You surprised me today, at the gardens. Didn't peg you as the type to care about green spaces."

"Hey, I might be all business, but I appreciate a good leaf or two," he jokes, and I roll my eyes, playfully, at him.

"Sure you do, Larry," I say. "But honestly, thank you for today. It meant a lot."

"Anytime, Wildflower," he replies, the nickname sending a new warmth through me that has nothing to do with the wine.

"Wildflower, huh? What happened to Weeping Willow? It's only fair, since I still call you Larry." I tease back, feeling lighter than I have all evening.

"I guess I don't mind when you call me Larry," he says.

My eyes widen in shock. "Well, that's a plot twist."

"Life's all about unexpected plot twists," Larry says with a grin, his eyes dancing in the low light. I can't help but chuckle, shaking my head at his attempt to keep things light.

"There you go again, surprising me." It's nice, this easy banter, like we're not just two people stuck in a complicated ruse but something more... genuine.

"Guess you'll have to stick around to see what other secrets I've got hidden up my sleeve," he quips, and there's a challenge in his smile that sends a spark through me. We hold each other's gaze for a beat too long, and I feel my cheeks starting to burn.

"Is it hot in here or is it just me?" I suddenly blurt out, fanning myself with a hand. The warmth isn't just from the summer heat; it's radiating off Larry too, setting the air on fire.

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