Page 79 of More Than Falling in Love

“I didn’t know she saw that.”She takes the earring and drops it into her purse.

“I wish I remembered.”

She puts a hand on my chest.“Kent, did you sayfalling in love?”

Perhaps I was too honest.“I did, but if that bothers you, we’ll forget I said that.Or we can call it platonic love.”

“Is that what you meant?Platonic?”

I can’t lie to her.I won’t.“No.When we kissed, the stars started singing.The fireworks?I felt those here.”I tap my heart.“But I loved you even before that night.I was just too scared to admit it.Even to myself.”

“Oh, Kent.”She touches her face.“I can’t…” She pushes past me, headed toward the bathroom, the only place in this confined space she can hide.

“Flutter, wait.Can we at least talk about this?I get that the attraction is gone.I can live with that.”

She leans out of the bathroom.“I don’t want to talk right now, but I can’t kiss you with this stuff on my face.I’ll be out of the shower in two minutes.Make yourself comfy.”

The only chair in the room has clothes piled on it, so I sit on the edge of the bed.Hopefully she doesn’t take too long, or I might fall asleep.The worry I’ve carried around for weeks has morphed into relief and exhaustion.

And hunger.But I’ll wait until she’s with me to break into the food.

Smiling, I fall back and relax into the soft mattress.She wants to kiss me.

Chapter 29

Poppy

I’m in and out of the shower so quick, the water doesn’t have a chance to get up to temp.But I have Kent waiting for me, and I’m itching for another kiss.

Then I get to tell him my news.

After pulling on the bathrobe, I peek out.Kent is stretched across the bed, and his eyes are closed.Is he asleep?

Tiptoeing around the bed, I dig through the pile of clothes I pulled out of my suitcase.Earlier when I started my spa night, I needed my bathrobe.Putting it under everything else when I packed was a bad idea, and now clothes are heaped in a chair, and I have a mess to clean.But right now, I need clothes.

“You don’t have to tiptoe.I’m not asleep.”

He’s got some mad Dad skills.

“I’m just grabbing clothes.”I find the leggings and his sweatshirt, then giggle when he drapes an arm over his face.“I’m in a robe, Kent.Like when you walked in.”

His arm doesn’t move, but a very boyish smile spreads across his face.“I love you, Flutter.”

“That’s totally not fair.I’m standing here in a bathrobe with wet hair clinging to my face, and you pick now to say that?”My excitement and anticipation for our kiss has me like a spring wound too tight.

He sits up in bed.“I’m sorry.”Then that smile returns.“Forget I said anything.”

“No way.”I’ll never forget hearing him say those words.I make Superman look slow with how fast I change clothes, then climb up onto the bed.“Say it again.”

His lips meet mine, and he says it, but not with words.And this time the idea of being in love doesn’t scare me.We spend the next several minutes doing what we’ve both been thinking about since the day I fell in the river.That’s true for me at least.

Dinner can be reheated later.

Kent breaks the kiss but keeps his fingers threaded in my hair.“Why are you in a hotel room?”

Before I can answer, my phone buzzes.“That’s Mason.It’s reading time.”I crawl across the bed to grab the phone off the nightstand.Before answering, I meet Kent’s gaze.“What’s the plan?Are we doing this?”

It feels like my heart is thumping on my stomach as I wait for his answer.It’s one thing for us to attempt a relationship, but is it the right time to tell Mason?It’s clear from Kent’s expression he’s pondering the same question.

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