Page 55 of Sully

I focused on exactly one very intricate piece.

“A Hawaiian shirt?” Sully asked, beaming at me when I finally put all of my parts together. “I love it,” he added, the soft look in his eyes making my belly swoop.

“Now?” Nave asked, coming up from the basement, looking at Sully for confirmation.

“Yep. We’re about to do our last craft.”

I had no idea if Nave was going to follow us after he finished in the kitchen. And I was surprised how disappointed I felt at the prospect. It was nothing against Nave. I was just enjoying selfishly having Sully all to myself.

“What’s the last craft?” I asked as we both stood.

“Bookmarks,” he said, practically bouncing on his heels at the grand reveal. “I got several different options. Coloring book bookmarks, pressed flower ones, stamps, and embroidery. Which is probably asking too much of me, but you might be able to do it.”

“It’s not so hard. I can teach you,” I assured him.

But we started with the others first.

“Nope. Wrong one,” I said when his needle started to go in through the wrong pre-punched hole. My hand went on top of his, navigating the needle the right way.

It wasn’t until I glanced up to find him watching me, not the needle, that I realized just how close I’d moved to him. My breast was actually pressed into his arm. The second I realized that, I swear my nipple decided to harden. And when his arm moved, it brushed right against it, stealing my breath.

“All set,” Nave said, making us break apart.

“Thanks, man,” Sully said, but his jaw was tight, and the words came out grumbly.

“What else do you have up your sleeve?” I asked, but I didn’t move away.

“Just a little something,” he said, shrugging. “But you have to help me finish this damn thing first.”

Which meant I got to stay close.

So I was all too happy to play instructor for those last few moments.

“I do have a question, though.”

“Okay…”

“Are you afraid of heights?”

“Surprisingly, no,” I admitted. “I know, I’m shocked too,” I said at his wide eyes. “Are we leaving?” I asked, more than a little uncomfortable with that idea.

“Nope,” he said, reaching down again for my hand. And so what if my fingers maybe slipped between his? The second they did, his hand gave mine another of those little squeezes as he led me… to the basement?

“Um, why are you asking me about heights if we’re going underground?” I asked as we passed the beds where I’d sat with Luna, who talked me through my panic attack.

“Because we had to go down to go up,” he said, stopping in front of an impossibly steep ladder.

“Oh,” I said, exhaling hard.

“It’s not as bad as it looks,” he assured me.

“You sure about that?” I asked, dubious.

“Fine. It’s pretty rough,” he admitted, reaching behind him to remove his smock and hang it on a hook on the wall. He stepped behind me to work my knot free. “But I will be right behind you the whole way,” he said.

I’m sure he didn’t mean for me to take those words the way my mind decided to right then, conjuring up all sorts of naked, sweaty images. His hands on my hips, dragging me back as he slammed forward.

“I won’t let you fall,” he assured me, making a little shiver move through me as I made myself take a step forward while he hung up my smock.

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