live. It was really a random thing.”
Julian reached for my hand and pulled it into his. “I trust you.”
I lifted our laced fingers and kissed the back of his hand. “Good. Now, I bet we’d better catch up with those guys!”
Pulling him up, we took off jogging toward the grownups.
* * *
Later that night, after everyone had gone to sleep and Julian was snug in my bed, I felt safe enough to bring up our dinner plans for the next day. We were lying on our sides facing each other, our “proper hello” said, he was tracing a curl down my cheek with his finger.
“So it’s just going to be us and your dad?” I asked. “Will your mom be there?”
“Don’t know.” His long finger traveled across my cheek to my bottom lip. “Dad just asked if I’d please save Friday dinner to have at the house.”
“Wait, are you sure it’s okay if I’m there? He wasn’t planning some father-son bonding time or something was he?”
“I asked before I invited you.” His finger slid down my cupid’s bow, and I caught it between my teeth. “Ow! Didn’t you get enough Thanksgiving dinner?”
“You’re much better than turkey.” I laughed, and he leaned in to kiss me. His lips parted mine and our tongues curled together. Heat flared low in my stomach, but before we traveled too far down that path again, I pulled back. “Hang on.”
“Anna,” he groaned. “I’ve been hanging on all day. Talk after.”
He reached for me again, covering my mouth, but I pulled back. “I’m just really worried about your mom. I mean, it’s a holiday. This separation must be breaking her heart.”
With a heavy exhale he dropped his forehead on my shoulder then rolled onto his back. “I don’t know. I send her an email every now and then.”
I moved closer and rested my cheek on his chest, reaching out to thread our fingers again. “I have a feeling you email your dad more.”
“He tells her everything I say. It’s not like she doesn’t know what I’m doing.”
Lifting my head, I propped it on my hand. “Would you do something for me?” His lips pressed together, and I knew he knew what I was about to say. “If she’s not at dinner tomorrow, please go see her while you’re in town.”
For a few moments he didn’t answer me, and it was my turn to trace my finger down the center of his lips.
His blue eyes cut to mine, and I saw that spark, and I knew what it meant. “Will you let me in your pants again if I say yes?”
My hand covered his mouth. “You’re impossible.”
He took that as the open invitation it was. Flipping me on my back, he caught my wrist and held it above my head before covering my mouth with his. I didn’t care so much about his answer anymore. Still, I felt pretty confident he’d do what I’d asked.
* * *
Since Julian lived with his dad now, I drove myself out to the enormous mansion on Hammond Island for dinner. He’d offered to pick me up, but four trips back and forth seemed crazy-ridiculous. Not to mention Nana and her environmentalists would not approve of all that wasted fuel and pollution.
The only thing I couldn’t figure out was how Mr. Kyser was managing Julian’s presence with his other children. During school, at least, Jack and Will were in New Orleans, but as far as I knew, Lucy still kept her room at the mansion.
When I turned Mom’s old Civic, which was pretty much my old Civic now, into the drive, I saw Mr. Kyser’s silver Audi and Julian’s Beemer, but no other cars. I stepped out into the warm night and took a second to admire the gorgeous neon pink, orange, and yellow glow of the sunset over the Gulf.
Hammond Island was perfectly situated less than a mile from the waterfront, but secured by a break of land and several lakes and inlets.
Julian was waiting, and before I’d even touched the bell, he pulled the door open and swept me into his arms. “You’re beautiful.”
My insides lit at his words, but I’d only worn a plain yellow
Julian reached for my hand and pulled it into his. “I trust you.”
I lifted our laced fingers and kissed the back of his hand. “Good. Now, I bet we’d better catch up with those guys!”
Pulling him up, we took off jogging toward the grownups.
* * *
Later that night, after everyone had gone to sleep and Julian was snug in my bed, I felt safe enough to bring up our dinner plans for the next day. We were lying on our sides facing each other, our “proper hello” said, he was tracing a curl down my cheek with his finger.
“So it’s just going to be us and your dad?” I asked. “Will your mom be there?”
“Don’t know.” His long finger traveled across my cheek to my bottom lip. “Dad just asked if I’d please save Friday dinner to have at the house.”
“Wait, are you sure it’s okay if I’m there? He wasn’t planning some father-son bonding time or something was he?”
“I asked before I invited you.” His finger slid down my cupid’s bow, and I caught it between my teeth. “Ow! Didn’t you get enough Thanksgiving dinner?”
“You’re much better than turkey.” I laughed, and he leaned in to kiss me. His lips parted mine and our tongues curled together. Heat flared low in my stomach, but before we traveled too far down that path again, I pulled back. “Hang on.”
“Anna,” he groaned. “I’ve been hanging on all day. Talk after.”
He reached for me again, covering my mouth, but I pulled back. “I’m just really worried about your mom. I mean, it’s a holiday. This separation must be breaking her heart.”
With a heavy exhale he dropped his forehead on my shoulder then rolled onto his back. “I don’t know. I send her an email every now and then.”
I moved closer and rested my cheek on his chest, reaching out to thread our fingers again. “I have a feeling you email your dad more.”
“He tells her everything I say. It’s not like she doesn’t know what I’m doing.”
Lifting my head, I propped it on my hand. “Would you do something for me?” His lips pressed together, and I knew he knew what I was about to say. “If she’s not at dinner tomorrow, please go see her while you’re in town.”
For a few moments he didn’t answer me, and it was my turn to trace my finger down the center of his lips.
His blue eyes cut to mine, and I saw that spark, and I knew what it meant. “Will you let me in your pants again if I say yes?”
My hand covered his mouth. “You’re impossible.”
He took that as the open invitation it was. Flipping me on my back, he caught my wrist and held it above my head before covering my mouth with his. I didn’t care so much about his answer anymore. Still, I felt pretty confident he’d do what I’d asked.
* * *
Since Julian lived with his dad now, I drove myself out to the enormous mansion on Hammond Island for dinner. He’d offered to pick me up, but four trips back and forth seemed crazy-ridiculous. Not to mention Nana and her environmentalists would not approve of all that wasted fuel and pollution.
The only thing I couldn’t figure out was how Mr. Kyser was managing Julian’s presence with his other children. During school, at least, Jack and Will were in New Orleans, but as far as I knew, Lucy still kept her room at the mansion.
When I turned Mom’s old Civic, which was pretty much my old Civic now, into the drive, I saw Mr. Kyser’s silver Audi and Julian’s Beemer, but no other cars. I stepped out into the warm night and took a second to admire the gorgeous neon pink, orange, and yellow glow of the sunset over the Gulf.
Hammond Island was perfectly situated less than a mile from the waterfront, but secured by a break of land and several lakes and inlets.
Julian was waiting, and before I’d even touched the bell, he pulled the door open and swept me into his arms. “You’re beautiful.”
My insides lit at his words, but I’d only worn a plain yellow
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