Page 24 of Make Your Move

“How was work today?” Nash asks me as he grabs a beer from the fridge and walks over to sit at the island.

“It was good,” I tell him as I roll my head to the side, attempting to work some of the kinks from my neck. “They’re almost finished with the new planetarium, so I was working on some of the informational banners that will be outside of it.”

“I can’t wait to see what it looks like when it’s done,” Nash tells me before Posey steals his attention. “What’s up, little one?” he asks her as she practically scales his leg. Nash scoops her up and sets her on his lap, but she starts pointing out to the living room.

“Where Teddy?”

Nash shrugs and gets up from his chair, holding Poe in his arms. “I haven’t seen him all day. Let’s go see if we can find him.”

Lincoln stands upright and walks across the kitchen as Nash leaves the room. It suddenly feels like the oxygen is drained from the space surrounding us. The tension is palpable, it feels like I could reach out and wrap my hand around it. He’s becoming quite the contradiction to me.

I have always felt safe with Lincoln, but he has a habit of making the walls feel like they’re closing in. Not in an anxiety-inducing way, but more like I’m hyper-aware of everything going on around me and inside of me whenever he’s nearby.

“What was wrong with the old one?”

The sound of his voice has a calming effect on my soul, and I turn to face him. I was lost in my thoughts for a second and forgot what the hell I was even talking about. “What?”

“The planetarium,” he says, the corners of his mouth twitching.

Oh, duh.

I resist the urge to smack my palm against my forehead. A warmth floods my body, slowly creeping across my cheeks. “It was too small,” I explain to him as he stares at me like he’s hanging on every word that tumbles from my mouth. “They wanted to put in seats that fully reclined, so you’re lying beneath the stars. They needed more space for that, and they also updated the technology for the screen.”

I don’t miss the way his gaze drops to my lips, watching them as they move before slowly drifting back to my eyes. “That sounds amazing,” he says softly as he continues to watch me. “When does it officially open? I’d love to come see it.”

My heart beats harder in my chest.

“The tentative plan is for it to open this winter, but I will let you know for sure.”

“Thank you.” Lincoln smiles as he finally opens the fridge and begins to peer inside. “What do you want for dinner?”

I tilt my head to the side, planting one hand on the counter and the other falling to my hip. “I told Nash I would cook.”

Lincoln glances at me from around the door of the refrigerator and shakes his head. “Not today. You’ve had a long day. Go do whatever you need to do to unwind, and I’ll handle it.”

“I like to cook,” I argue, pushing off the counter as I now put both of my hands on my hips. “I can do it, Lincoln. It’s no big deal.”

He laughs softly, still shaking his head. “Tell you what,” he starts as he steps away from the fridge and closes the doors. Heturns in my direction and starts walking toward me. I lift my chin, looking up at him as he stops directly in front of me. “I’ll make you a deal.”

My eyebrows pull together. “What kind of a deal?”

“If you promise me you’ll do something for you, then I’ll let you help.”

“What?” I start, my nose scrunching as I stare at him with annoyance. “That’s not even a real?—”

He cuts me off as he lifts his finger and presses it against my lips. “That’s the deal, Nova. Whether you like it or not, I’m cooking tonight, so you can either help me, or you can stay out of the kitchen until I’m done.”

My heart is going wild in my chest, and the damn butterflies in my stomach show no signs of stopping. I don’t let it show on my face, and instead, I let out a huff, narrowing my eyes at him. Reaching up, I grab his wrist and pull his finger away from my mouth. I can feel his heartbeat beneath my fingers, and it’s strong and steady, just like him.

“Fine, but you’re helping me cook, not the other way around.”

“You brat.” He laughs softly, blowing a breath through his nose.

“You love it, though.”

As soon as the words leave my lips, I want to take them back. My chest constricts, and my heart hammers harder. A blush dances across my cheeks, and Lincoln stares at me. There’s an intensity burning in his eyes, and his lips part slightly. My hand is still wrapped around his wrist, and I’m acutely aware of his warmth beneath my palm.

Abruptly releasing him, I take a step away and shift my weight on my feet. Lincoln doesn’t say a word, and I see the mischief dancing within his irises. “I’m going to go get changed.”

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