Page 143 of Forever After All

Linc turned to show her his arm, and she gasped. The brace was gone.

“You don’t have to wear it anymore?” she asked, praying this wasn’t a joke.

“I’m free,” he said, meeting her in the middle of the room.

She slid her arms around his waist and tilted her chin up to him.

At what point was the giddiness supposed to fade? People were starting to worry about her. She’d been walking around with this ridiculous grin on her face for weeks.

She’d probably stop the madness if she had a choice. The muscles in her cheeks tingled relentlessly.

Linc framed her face with his hands and pressed his lips to hers, setting off a burst of explosions inside her.

He pulled away but thankfully kept his hold on her face. There was a slight chance she’d melt to the ground in a puddle if he let go.

“Sorry I didn’t text sooner. Mrs. Grant called.”

“Is she okay?” It bothered Jess a little that the older lady lived so far up the mountain alone. It was a good thing she had Linc’s number on speed dial.

Linc brushed his fingers through her hair. “She’s fine. Her hot water heater was on the fritz, and she said she wanted it fixed before her book club ladies came over tonight.”

“Book club?” Jess asked.

“She said Ms. Landry was coming. I think book club is code for gossip and wine.”

A forceful laugh burst out of Jess’s throat, and she buried her head in Linc’s chest. “Gossip and wine. That’s probably close to the truth.”

“If Ms. Landry is there, then yes.” Jess looked up at him and tilted her head. “Those two became fast friends, didn’t they? I can’t believe Ms. Landry is actually getting out of the house.”

“I don’t mind,” Linc said. “At least she isn’t watching me come and go from your place every night.”

“Speaking of my place, how much longer are you gonna be here?” Jess asked.

“Are you saying you don’t have a lesson this evening?”

“I’m free as a bird,” she confirmed.

Linc gave her a slight shove and rushed back to the bag he’d been packing. He pulled things from one shelf, then another, before securing the bag and setting it to the side.

He walked by her with purpose, grabbing her hand as he passed. “Let’s get outta here.”

“Are you serious? Do you actually have work to do?”

“Nothing that can’t wait till tomorrow, babe. I miss you, and I need alone time.”

Linc practically dragged her to her truck, opened the driver’s side door, pressed a quick kiss to her lips, and jogged off to his own truck.

“Well, bye,” she shouted after him.

“See you in a sec,” he said before closing his door and starting the truck.

Jess bit her lips between her teeth as she drove home. She was looking forward to watchingJeopardywith him for the first time in weeks, and now she could actually cuddle up beside him without hurting his shoulder.

Cuddling. Who would have guessed she was a cuddler?

Better yet, who would have guessed Linc liked it even more than she did?

They parked in front of her house and met on the porch. Twilight shaded everything in a blue glow, and the only thing lighting the evening was Ms. Landry’s porch light.

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