Page 88 of Can't Take My Eyes Off You

‘We’ll have a chat with them when I get back and get them settled into their new positions. Liv, you can handle the store for a few today while we deal with this, right?’

‘That depends,’ she says.

‘On what?’ he asks.

‘I have some questions that need answering first.’

Of course she does.

Will sits on the edge of the couch next to me like we’re back in the principal’s office in trouble and headed to detention together. Which has previously happened more times than either of us would like to admit.

‘Does the night of love-making mean you’re back together?’

I grimace. ‘You know I hate that word.’

‘Answer the question.’

Will and I exchange a glance. ‘You said no last time I asked but I’m not too proud to ask again. Go on a date with me?’ he asks me, right in front of Olivia.

‘What?’

‘That plan I mentioned, it begins with a start-over date. So, please, go on a date with me tonight?’

Like I’m going to say no. ‘Um – sure. Let’s start over,’ I say.

He grins, the tiny lines at the edges of his lips appearing as he rests a hand on the side of my neck, sliding his thumb down my jawline, planting a kiss on my lips.

‘You two do realize I’m still here, right?’ Liv asks.

He pulls away, heading towards my room. ‘I’ll be back. Stay away from the animals, take a shower, whatever; I’ll be back in an hour at most.’ He grabs the things he offloaded from his pockets in my room. ‘Liv, you want anything?’ he says on his way to the front door.

‘A gift certificate to the BMW dealership? Preferably one with five digits ahead of the decimal,’ she says with an actual straight face.

‘Ha!’ He laughs. As he exits he does his thing, pointing to his heart then to me, causing me to swoon like it always did.

‘Look at you!’ Olivia says as soon as the door clicks closed. ‘You’re already smitten with him. I can’t believe you caved so soon.’

‘I didn’t cave. I just…’ I sigh. ‘I tried to hate him, and I couldn’t. I don’t know how to explain it. With him here, it’s like I can breathe again.’

‘You’re just going to trust him?’

‘No,’ I say quickly. ‘There is one thing, though.’

‘What?’

‘I feel a little insecure. Like at any moment, he’ll just be gone. I’ll wake up, and this will all be a stupid dream pining for what I can’t have.’

‘Insecure?!’ She balks. ‘You bagged Alex DonovanandWill Adler. You’re like the queen of boning famous men of Portland.’

‘It’s felt a little more flaw than skill, but here we are.’

‘Well, nothing is without flaws. We’re human.’

I stand from the couch, hugging her around the neck tightly. ‘You are the best friend ever, you know that?’ I ask. ‘I promise, Liv, I’m being careful.’

31

WILL

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