Page 84 of One Night With You

“I’m not scared of you. Or even of us. I just didn’t realize I could feel like this. I spent so long trying not to feel everything because I was so scared and I didn’t realize that I could have this.”

I reached down and handed her the scrap of panties, and she rolled her eyes before throwing them back in the washer. “Yes, laundry on the floor, us in sweats, and you doing my housework even though I asked you not to.”

“I even cleaned your gutters.”

“You were on a ladder without me? Kingston.”

“There were no dogs around to push me off the ladder. I was fine.”

“Well at least you’re getting over that fear. I feel like maybe I should have told you a long time ago that I liked you. But we’re not in high school, and I wasn’tgoing to wait for you to see me. I just hid in myself. And how silly was that?”

I clucked my tongue, and then ran my fingers down her arms before grasping her hands in mine. “I’m just annoyed that a bear literally walked past us, and while my cousin and Phoebe were safe in the car, I didn’t realize that the woman of my dreams was hiding in that bathroom.”

“Oh yes, in a state park bathroom, so sexy.”

“You are fucking sexy.”

“To be honest, I’m glad that we became friends. And that I didn’t have to stress myself out for too long over if you would see me or not.”

“I should have seen you.”

“We weren’t ready yet. And hey, now we don’t have to think about it because you’re stuck with me. I am very sorry.”

“I’m not sorry at all.”

“Did you really clean the gutters?”

“Yep. That’s one less thing on your to-do list. I was looking for paintbrushes to work on touching up the trim.”

“You’re ridiculous.” I wrapped my arms around her, as she snuggled into my chest. She smelled so damn good, and I couldn’t help but let my hands wander, cupping her ass. Even though it was almost New Year’s, snow all around, she was wearing tiny little shortsunder one of my sweatshirts. And as I probed underneath the shorts just to see, I grinned. “You’re not wearing any underwear either.”

“Kingston Montgomery. We have to do work before we head out to your parents’ house for dinner. Though this does seem like it’s an awfully big event.”

I squeezed her ass, and she laughed.

“I’m pretty sure that nearly dying and then coming together in the hospital room is the Montgomery rite of passage to become family. So you’re stuck with me. And your family’s coming over for dinner too.”

“Just Hudson and the kids. My parents are off on their cruise.”

“Well, Hudson and the kids are already part of the Montgomery way of life, so they’re going to get doubly so.”

“This doesn’t feel real.”

I brushed my lips against hers again, and she sighed into me.

“Oh, I’m pretty sure it’s real. But let’s check.” And so without giving her any warning, I gripped her by the hips, and lifted her so she sat on the dryer. When she let out a squeak, I pressed a few buttons, and the dryer began to tumble.

Her eyes widened, and I slid in between her legs.

“Kingston. I wasn’t done. There’s still wet laundry in the washer.”

“We’ll deal with the laundry in a second. Let’s just see how this whole tumbling thing works. I’ve never tried it.”

“Well, sitting on a dryer’s mostly a girl thing.”

I raised that single brow and she scowled at me.

“You’ve gotten yourself off on a dryer before. And I thought you were the sweet and innocent one.”

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