Page 69 of Love so Hot

I make my way to her and sit on the edge of the bed, watching her sleep for a tad too long.

"Willow," I finally whisper, nudging her shoulder gently. "Hey."

"Mmm," she hums, not quite ready to leave the comfort of dreams.

"Morning," I say as she blinks open those eyes—greener than any forest I've walked through.

"Morning," Willow echoes, her voice husky with sleep. She stretches like a cat, all languid and unguarded. It's a side of her I'm only just getting used to.

"Got plans today?" I ask, already knowing the answer.

"Nothing set in stone," she replies, rubbing her eyes.

"Good." My mind races with possibilities. "Because I was thinking... how about we do something different?"

Willow sits up, curiosity lighting up her face. "Like what?"

"Surprise," I grin, watching her for a reaction.

"Ooh, mysterious." She smirks, but I catch the flicker of excitement behind her calm facade.

"Trust me," I say, reaching out to tuck a strand of her dyed hair behind her ear. "You'll love it."

"Fine, I'm in," Willow agrees, the edges of her mouth tilting up.

"Great. Let's get ready then," I announce, my thoughts already wandering toward where I'm going to take her, anticipating the look on her face when she sees it all.

We both dress quickly and make our way downstairs for breakfast. The silence between us, for the first time ever, isn't uncomfortable. Willow makes some toast, while I make us some coffee, and we both sit down at the table.

"Pass the jam, will you?" Willow's voice pulls me back from my thoughts. The sunlight streams through the window, casting a golden sheen over her.

"Here you go," I say, sliding the jar across to her. "And don't forget, after this, we've got somewhere to be." I find that I rather enjoy teasing her.

She looks up, spoon mid-air, eyes alight with curiosity. "You're really not going to give me a hint?"

"Absolutely not," I chuckle, taking a sip of my coffee. "It's a surprise, remember?"

"Fine," she relents, but I can tell from her grin that the intrigue is half the fun for her. "But if you're kidnapping me to some corporate seminar, prepare to face my wrath."

"I'm scared," I tease, raising an eyebrow.

"You should be," she deadpans, the corners of her mouth twitching.

I laugh and we finish our breakfast in silence. When we're both done, I push back from the table and stand up. "Let's hit the road then. You'll need your energy for where we're going."

She gives me a look, but doesn't say anything. We step out into the crisp morning air, the promise of a beautiful day evident in the clear sky above. The gentle breeze carries the scent of pine and wildflowers, a refreshing change from the usual humidity that often blankets this town. Willow seems invigorated by the weather, a spark of vitality in her eyes as she walks towards my car.

I unlock the doors, and she slides into the passenger seat, immediately rolling down the window with a bright smile. I watch her lean out, her long hair catching in the wind as we start our journey. Normally, I would insist on keeping the windows up to preserve the pristine interior of my car, but today, something about the way she revels in the moment makes me hesitate.

The sunlight dances across her features, highlighting the freckles dusted lightly over her nose and cheeks. I'd never noticed them before and I wonder to myself how I missed them.

As we pull into our destination's parking lot, my hands are tight on the steering wheel—not from nerves, but from anticipation. This feels like more than just a day out; it's a step towards something undefined but palpably real between us.

"Here we are," I announce as I kill the engine and turn to look at Willow.

She gives me a confused look as she steps out of the car. "Are you sure you know where we are?" she asks.

I chuckle. "Yes, I very much do."

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