Page 2 of Let Me Love You
“The yard looks amazing.”
“Thanks.” She tilted her head. Her warm smile demonstrated her pleasure in noticing the changes. “Went with a more ‘Florida-friendly’ landscape.” She curled her fingers in air quotes. “Less maintenance. I don’t think you and I will be planting zinnia every two weeksthissummer.”
Though the smile sat on her lips, the emotion didn’t quite reach her eyes.
Ren clenched his jaw. Her ex-husband had been why they’d busted their asses last summer replanting flowery plants that dried out in the hot Florida summer sun despite the twice a day watering. Randy insisted on annuals—marigolds, dahlias, and zinnia—claiming they reminded him of summers in Virginia. He didn’t care how much work such a landscape would require in the Florida heat. And he’d never once offered to help them plant a thing.
Randy never deserved her.
Ren forced himself to calm. “Well, it looks great!”
The lines cupping her forced smile relaxed. Small fists unclenched at her sides. Little wisps of dark hair escaped the knot on her head and blew free in the gentle, warm breeze.
She appeared tiny sitting in the oversized chaise.
The desire to wrap his arms around her overwhelmed him. His muscles twitched in efforts of restraint. He wanted to reassure her everything would be okay. He was here now, ready, willing, and able to love her.
“How was your last semester at UF?” She switched the subject, asking about the University of Florida, voice pitched high with enthusiasm. Her blue eyes sparkled.
His gaze dropped to her luscious mouth, full and pouty, and smiling at him. He’d had multiple fantasies involving her mouth, lips, and tongue, but being this close, hoping that he had a chance to turn those fantasies into reality, roused him. His blood pumped. Beads of sweat pebbled the back of his neck. Sure, it could be the heat, but he knew better.
“It was good. I did well, considering.” He attempted to focus on the conversation.
She giggled, a soft bubbly song on the breeze. The sound caused his cock to stir.
Everything in him reacted to her. He didn’t want her looking at him like some sort of horny college kid with a hard-on. He wanted her to see him as a man. Not just any man, but one with a college degree—two to be exact, a career, a future—a man who could make her happy. A man she’d consider making a life with.
“You only get this chapter in your life once. Where you’re young with little responsibility. Of course, you needed to do well in school, but itisokay to have enjoyed the experience.”
“I enjoyed the experience.” He grinned like the Cheshire Cat. “Maybe a little too much.”
“Was it the alcohol or the ladies you enjoyed too much?” The edges of her mouth curved. He’d give his left nut for this woman’s smile on a regular basis.
“A little of both.” Sitting back, he crossed his ankle over the opposite knee. He’d always been comfortable talking to Stacey, who listened without judgment and offered great advice. Helped him through a few dramatic high school and college dating situations by giving him an outlet to vent on the expectations of girls and explaining the female perspective to him, which he still struggled to understand. But what man didn’t, right?
“Good for you. But don’t tell your mom I said that. She’d kill me if she thought I had encouraged you to do anything but study.” Stacey laughed, which made him laugh, too, because Mom believed his entire focus should have been hitting the books. Thank God Dad had pressured her to understand that fun could be successfully woven into the college experience.
“How is your mom, by the way?” Stacey brushed a few wisps of hair out of her face, some sticking to the damp skin on her neck. “I saw her right after the shoulder surgery, but haven’t had a chance to chat with her in a couple of weeks.”
“Doing well. Following the orders of the physical therapist. Has most of her range of motion back, but still has to wear the sling for a few more weeks.” He chuckled. “She hates having any sort of physical restrictions.”
“Your mom’s active. I’m sure it’s hard to be immobilized in any way.”
“I’m staying with them for the next two weeks to help out. One of the dentists from Dad’s office left the practice, so he’s been working longer hours covering patients until the new one starts. Then, I’m moving in with my buddy, Tyler. You remember him?” Tyler had an extra bedroom in his garage apartment. Though Ren had every intention of getting his own place, moving in with Tyler would allow him to get comfortable in the new engineering job at Rochester and Rogue, and sock some cash away.
She nodded. “Is it weird being back under your parents’ roof?”
“Right now, it feels like spring break or something. No big deal. They’re both happy to see me. But after a few days, I’ll be ready to be back on my own. You know Mom, she’d like to have a chip embedded in me to track my every move.” He laughed, but his mother’s overprotective nature smothered him. She tried to stay on top of everything he did, even though he was twenty-three. He loved her greatly, but she had the maternal knack for driving him crazy.
Stacey reached up and pulled the knot of hair on top of her head a little tighter. The movement caused her chest muscles to flex, which in turn caused her breasts to bounce, and of course, he fixated there again.
He shouldn’t be staring. He’d seen her in a bathing suit hundreds of times, but she looked beautiful and this time everything felt different.Wasdifferent.
She was single. He was about to start his career.
She cleared her throat.
Guilty, his gaze lifted to her face. A flush spread over his cheeks at being caught.
