Page 171 of How to Kiss a Hawthorne Brother
But that doesn’t mean I’m not worried about the giant question mark hanging over our relationship. If things progress—and I really want them to—there’s no getting around it. Jack won’t just be Lila’s, he’ll beours.
Chapter Twenty
Perry
There are a lotof places on Stonebrook Farm fit for kissing.
The apple orchard.
Up on the ledge with mountain views stretched out in every direction.
In the goat barn.
Hiding in my office.
In the walk-in freezer in Lennox’s restaurant kitchen. (Don’t ask.)
I know it doesn’t sound professional to imply I’m spending so much time at work making out. But Lila and Iaregetting work done. Maybe even MORE work done, since kissing has become a sort of reward for completing tasks. Besides, we have to take advantage of every spare moment. It’s been two weeks since my high school reunion, and we still haven’t managed to go on a real date.
We tried to schedule one last week, but the babysitter fell through at the last minute. We ended up Facetiming half the night anyway, after Lila put Jack to bed, but Facetime isn't nearly as fun as kissing in the apple orchard.
With the harvest festival coming up, plus the opening of Lennox’s restaurant, it might be Christmas before we manage a real date.
I look up from the sales numbers from last year’s festival when Lila appears in my office doorway, a giant box in her arms.
I stand up and meet her, taking the box and setting it down on the desktop. “What’s all this?”
“Samples from the farm store bakery,” she says, pulling the top of the box open. “In need of official boss approval.”
I stand behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist and nuzzling my nose against her neck as she unpacks the box.
“Mmm, are you trying to distract me?” she mumbles, even as she leans into me and tilts her head, giving me easier access to her neck. “This is very . . . important . . . business.”
There is zero conviction in her voice, and I take full advantage, spinning her around to face me, tucking her securely into my arms. I keep waiting for this to feel old. But holding Lila, kissing her, it still feels like a revelatory experience. There is always something more to learn about her. Toloveabout her.
Her brilliance, for example. She’s self-deprecating when it comes to her qualifications, tossing around her lack of a college education like it somehow diminishes her overall impact, but she doesn’t give herself enough credit. She’s also funny. And optimistic and engaging and real. She makes people feel good about themselves. She makesmefeel good about myself.
I kiss her slowly, drawing it out, then nip at her bottom lip until she whimpers.
“Perry Hawthorne, your office door is wide open.”
I chuckle. “What’s going to happen? No one is going to fire me, and the only person who can fire you isme.”
“That makes you sound like an entitled jerk,” she says, but her lips are grazing over my earlobe while she says it, so I’m not sure I can take her seriously.
A throat clears behind us, and Lila jumps out of my arms.
“It also makes you sound like a hypocrite,” Olivia says from my office doorway. “Since youdohave a no-fraternization policy for your employees.”
Lila raises a questioning eyebrow, peeking out from behind my shoulder. She immediately gasps. “You must be Olivia! Which means this is baby Asher!”
I finally turn and face my sister. Asher is strapped to her chest in a Baby Björn. “Olivia, Lila. Lila, Olivia,” I say with all the enthusiasm of someone who is no longer kissing his girlfriend.
Girlfriend?We haven’t talked about making things that official, but Lila wouldn’t have to ask me twice.
“The no-fraternization policy is for the summer staff living on site,” I say, more for Lila’s benefit than anything else. “This is different. And I don’t recall the policy stoppingyoufrom making out in Mom’s goat barn.”
She rolls her eyes. “Funny, I do remember you scolding me for it though.”
