Page 61 of Unforgettable

Me: What are you talking about?

Reeve: I thought you were never going to let me see you in food blogger mode.

Me: There is no mode.

Reeve: I will prove you wrong when I see you in action. Tell me the day you want to go, and if I’m working, I’ll ask if someone wants to swap.

Me: That simple, huh?

Reeve: You don’t need to twist my arm to get me to spend time with you.

That simple statement makes me crave his company more than I have any right to. Using all my willpower not to ask him what he’s doing this very moment, I choose to shorten and end the conversation fairly quickly.

Me: Whatever day you have free after Sunday, keep it for me.

Reeve: The whole day?

Me: From sunrise to sunset.

Reacting to the message, a little love heart appears on my text from Reeve. Instead of trying to keep the conversation going and potentially ruining it, I place my phone back down on the coffee table and go in search of my laptop and a pad of paper instead.

The rest of the day flies as I alternate between planning for what I hope to be the perfect list of platonic dates and flirting with the idea of writing up a business plan for Meals and Melodies.

I try to come up with stuff that isn’t cheesy but will at least leave Reeve with memories about his time here before he heads back home.

As I think of places I want to take him and specific things I want him to see, my phone lights up with another text from him.

Reeve: Want to come over?

Past the point of being chill and indifferent, I text him back.

Me: Now?

Reeve: If you don’t mind hanging here with Murph and me.

I have no issues with Murph. We’re all friends, but I can’t help but be slightly disheartened that we won’t be alone. But if I know Reeve as well as I do, the move is strategic.

He’s eliminating the chances of temptation while still enjoying one another’s company, and I’m determined to show him that I can comply with his requests. Even if they kill me.

Me: I’ll be there. Do you want me to bring anything?

Reeve: Just yourself, Oswald. Just yourself.

15

Reeve

Oz wasn’t kidding when he said from sunrise to sunset.

We’re sitting on a dock that juts out into the lake, watching the most picture-perfect sunrise I’ve ever witnessed. The sky is a spectacular swirl of blue and orange hues that are exquisitely reflected off the lake, making it look endless.

Wrapped in Oz’s arms, I don’t know what’s more memorable, the company or the view.

It’s supposed to be a platonic embrace, but it feels anything but. We may have agreed to no kissing and no sex, and even though at his parents’ place this last weekend, I forced myself to be as reserved as ever, we’re struggling.

I know how hard Oz is trying to respect my wishes, but I feel myself treading in dangerous waters regardless, sinking deeper and deeper every time I’m in his presence.

Every time he touched me, every time he kissed me, every time I gave him my body, I fell even harder. So, I told myself if I stopped, I would be able to climb out of the hole, but I was so wrong.

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