Page 103 of Back to Willow

“Okay, then,” I answer, trying to sound nonchalant about it while on the inside, my heart is making an acrobatic choreography. “Go choose a movie with Liam and Nana while I clean up.”

“I’ll help you,” Liam insists. Then he turns to Dylan and says, “We’ll meet the both of you in five minutes.”

Not giving a damn, Dylan shrugs and runs off to the living room with a chuckling Nana walking shortly behind him.

The moment we’re both alone inside the kitchen the temperature rises and the oxygen in the air seems to lower, making it harder to breathe. I try turning my back to him while scraping the rest of the food off the plates but it’s useless.

“So,” he trails off. “What were you thinking of?"

Liam’s voice is awfully close, more than I anticipated it to be, making me take a deep breath with my eyes shut tight. Though, this time around, when his hand touches my neck while putting my hair behind my ear, I can’t suppress the shiver that takes over my spine.

It takes me longer than I’d like to admit, but I finally manage to choke out an answer, “Nothing important.”

“I call bullshit.”

“Language,” I hiss. Maybe a scolding will lower the temperature in this room. “I have a six-year-old that can hear everything and retain a load of unwanted information.”

“Your eyes glazed over and your breath quickened when you zoned out.” Holy Cow. Not only did he pay attention to me zoning out, but he also read my body language. “What were you thinking about?” His nose nudges my ear. “Were you remembering something about us?”

Yes.“No.”

“I don’t believe you,” he counters. I swear I can hear the smugness in his voice.

“Well,” I insist. “It’s true.”

“I know you,” he taunts, coming closer. His chest is now pressed to my back, both his hands gripping the edge of the counter, caging me between him and the sink. “And to be brutally honest, I was remembering, too.”

That familiar coil at the bottom of my belly forms for the first time in years, making me gasp. His scent fills my nostrils, just like his hot breath fans over the back of my neck, travelling through my thick hair. My skin is buzzing all over, and my brain is easily getting drunk on endorphins as light-headedness takes over, robbing me of all common sense.

It’s desire. It’s as familiar as it is foreign, by now.

His presence and proximity are reminding me of things I had locked far away. Things I thought I could never recover. Now, he’s here. Reminding me of how magical it was…how great it can still be.

“Lo,” he whispers.

A gentle press of his hips shows me how much he is affected, too. The hard shape of his erection presses against the top of my butt while the cold marble from the counter digs into my hips. I may be physically caged, but I feel desired. Wanted.

“I want to kiss you so bad,” he whispers, voicing my thoughts.

We’re so close. I can give in. All I need to do is turn around and—

“We’re watching the Lion King,” Dylan shrieks as he comes running into the kitchen.

We both startle, and Liam jumps away from me just in time for him to round the island and not see us hogging each other’s space. My hands grip the counter for dear life as my legs almost give in from the tension release.

With a knowing hum, Liam swoops Dylan into his arms and turns to me with a fake pout.

“Let’s go watch Simba, Mummy!”

It takes me a few moments to put myself together before I follow them to the couch. There, Nana is sitting on her single chair, purposely leaving the couch for the three of us. Liam is on one end of the couch, with Dylan attached to him. He also left enough space in case I want to keep my distance.

It feels good to be given the choice.

That’s why I sit down next to Dylan and him. The movie starts and with it, we all relax as the story starts to envelop us. It turns out to be an amazing night. Liam stays until Dylan falls asleep after dinner and helps me carry him to bed and tuck him in before leaving.

He doesn’t attempt any other moves throughout the night, making me feel half-thankful and half-disappointed. He was always impulsive when we were younger, but now it’s not just the two of us, I have to think about.

There’s Dylan, and there’s the giant elephant in the room that I don’t know how to get rid of.

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