Page 77 of Time To Live Again

“Such a tragedy,” he mocks. “I could stop if you want.”

“You’d better not!”

“Listen, beautiful. I’m cold and hungry. Let me go shower and eat before you tell me more about your mom. We should have dinner with her when I’m there.”

He pulls his sweatshirt off.Perfection. I lick my lips and ogle him with uncontrollable desire.

“Um, hey Olive.”

I snap out of my fantasy world. “Yeah?”

“You might want to wipe the drool off your chin.” He snickers.

“What?” I giggle, but wipe my chin surreptitiously anyway…just in case. “Go take your shower before I beg you to take the phone in there with you.”

“Ooh. That’s kinda kinky. I like it.”

“Shut up and go before this conversation gets out of hand.”

“Fine,” he says, bending over. The phone doesn’t go lower than his stomach, but he grins wolfishly at me as he stands back up. Something wings past the camera. “Oops,” he says. “My sweats are gone. Gotta go. Pick a movie for us to watch together.” He winks, then disconnects the phone.

He’s evil, and I love it. Friday can’t come fast enough.

33

LEO

This damn ferry better speed up, or I’ll swim to the fucking docks myself. I can see Olive in the distance, bouncing on her toes. My stomach flips with excitement and my smile takes over my face.

I’m the first passenger off the boat. As soon as my feet touch the ground, I sprint toward her. Ignoring the chance of my stuff being stolen, I set my suitcase and computer bag to the side as she gets closer. With pure elation, she leaps into my outstretched arms where she belongs.

There’s no time to speak. My mouth has more important things to do, like kiss her senseless. Her lips are petal-soft and taste like mint with a hint of coffee. I hold the back of her neck and deepen the kiss, disregarding the people passing by. Her body melts into mine, as if yearning to become part of me.

Someone clears their throat loudly as they pass us, and Olive releases my tingling lips. I chase her for one more peck.

We separate slowly, eyes locked on each other. “Hi,” we say at the same time.

She gives me another quick hug. “I can’t believe you’re here.”

“Well, believe it.” I caress her cheek, then suck in a breath. “Shit, my luggage.” I turn around, but my bags are right where I dropped them. I retrieve them, then extend my hand for her to hold.

She grabs it and pulls me toward the parking lot. “Let’s get out of here. I need to be alone with you,” she says. I toss my stuff into the trunk without even noticing what she drives.

Once we’re inside, we kiss until we’re breathless and the windows fog. “I don’t want to stop kissing you, but this isn’t the best place to be doing this,” I say, panting as I adjust my increasingly tight jeans.

“You’re right. Let’s go home and resume there.” We fasten our seatbelts.

Home.I love hearing that.

As we drive to her place, she points out different landmarks, cafés, or restaurants she likes. We pass by her old high school, and I try to imagine her at seventeen years old. “I want to see pictures of you when you were younger. You’ve seen some of mine.”

“Sure.”

She places her hand palm up on my leg, and I lace my fingers with hers. I sigh in relief. This is what makes sense.Wemake sense. I bring our clasped hands to my lips and kiss the back of hers. “This weekend is about having fun. At least tonight, anyway.”

Olive glances at me from the corner of her eye. “It is. I’ve invited another person for dinner tomorrow night. I hope that’s okay with you.”

I twist in my seat to see her better. “Your brother?”

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