Page 20 of Crewe
Ry took his hand, holding back the shiver just the simple touch of his hand sent through her. She walked with him down the sidewalk. The pizza place was on the corner. There were cute little areas along the street for pictures. No one was standing by the one they passed with a large Christmas tree painted on the brick wall with the wordsDreams Become Real in Mistletoe Canyonpainted above it.
Crewe pulled her into the alcove and slid his arm around her.
“Smile at the camera,” he said, snapping their picture. He stared at the picture on his phone and showed it to her.
“I love it,” she said.
He turned back to the sign. “Do you think it’s true?”
“Is what true?” she asked.
“Can dreams really become real in Mistletoe Canyon?” he asked.
She wasn’t sure why she had a feeling in her chest that her answer mattered to Crewe. Over the months she’d worked at the bar, she’d gotten to know Crewe well. He was fiercely protective of his family and those he adopted into his family. He was a fixer but not in the mafia sort of way. If someone needed something or had an issue, he could figure out how to fix it, just like with Mavis this morning. He adored kids, and kids adored him, especially Wyatt and Freya.
He was a master in the kitchen, but it was more than that. Crewe got a deep satisfaction from feeding people and having them enjoy his food. It was one of the ways he showed love. He was, at his heart, a dreamer, and maybe it was time for her to be one too.
“I think dreams can become real anywhere, so I think in a place devoted to bringing joy to children and adults, it’s almost guaranteed to happen here,” she said.
He stared into her eyes. She wasn’t sure what he was looking for, but he must have found it. He cupped her face with his hands, his fingers warm against her skin.
“I’m going to hope it’s true and kiss the woman that I want to have as more than a friend more than I want my next breath,” Crewe said softly, then Ry closed her eyes.
His lips against hers. His scent enveloping her as he showed her with each touch and taste what she meant to him. She leaned closer, wanting more. She opened her lips and allowed Crewe’s tongue to tangle with hers. How could one kiss change so much for her? His lips were gentle against hers, inviting her to come along on this journey with him. His mouth wasn’t taking anything but seducing her into forgetting where they were.
“Get a room,” yelled a passerby, causing Crewe to slowly pull back and Ry to remember they were on the main street where everyone could see. She didn’t care who saw them, but she didn’t want any parents being uncomfortable.
“What do you think?” he asked.
She thought she wanted to punch the person who had yelled at them. She wanted more of Crewe’s taste and his hands cupping her face.
“About what?” she asked.
He smirked at her answer. “About you becoming more than a friend?” he asked.
“Friends with benefits?” she asked skeptically.
Crewe shook his head. “No, I don’t want a sneaking-around booty call for a couple hours of closeness. I want it all, but let’s start with our friendship laying the foundation for the rest of our lives.”
Ry blinked.The rest of their lives?She was barely to the point of saying yes to a date, and he was talking about forever.
“But I can see that might scare you. So let’s just say, friendship laying the foundation for our first date,” Crewe said, leading her out of the alcove and down to the pizza place.
Ry was glad Crewe was leading her because his words had stunned her. First date—no problem. But it was impossible to unhear what he’d said aboutforever.
He leaned close, his arm around her, his lips near her ear. “Relax, Ry. You’re in charge. Let’s get lunch with the family, then it will be on to Nelson’s Forced Family Pictures,” he said, chuckling because Vivi was on the sidewalk and heard him.
“Maybe I’ll buy T-shirts for every holiday if it means I get my way,” Vivi said, sticking her tongue out at Crewe.
Ry giggled, took a deep breath, and followed Vivi in. Right, lunch, then pictures. No thinking about anything else.
Chapter Sixteen
Ry had wondered who would be taking their picture. She hoped it wasn’t her because she wanted to be in the pictures.
Since they’d left the pizza place where she’d overindulged, Crewe hadn’t stopped touching her. He either had his hand along her waist or was holding her hand. A couple of times, he brushed her hair out of her eyes when the breeze blew it in front of her face.
“Okay, people, there’s too much fun in Mistletoe Canyon for us to spend forever taking pictures because some cousins decide they want to be funny. I’m warning you now, if you screw up my pictures by flipping the bird, making weird faces, or any other irritating thing you can think of—think again. I have a list of nasty, disgusting chores tailored to each of your most hated tasks if you screw this up.
