The Problem with Falling (Problems #3)

Chapter 21

CHAPTER 21

Willow

T he party was sensational. I truly couldn’t have thought of a way that it could’ve been better. I knew Harry was doing his best to be strong and attentive the whole time even though he was in pain and exhausted. I’d never seen a person who would do any and everything to make sure his partner was okay. Even if he was physically and mentally in pain. I’d seen many love stories before, but Molly and Harry’s was a lesson in the masterpiece of what real love had been.

If I were to ever fall in love, I’d only settle for a story as powerful as theirs. Anything else would be a waste of time.

After everyone left for the evening, I started to clean up, but Theo ordered me to stop. “We can do that in the morning. Now, we fish.”

If I had told vegan Willow from a year ago that I’d be spending the next summer in a small town on a lake with a grumpy man fishing, she wouldn’t have believed me. She probably would’ve thought I was sending out an SOS.

The water was calm that night, and Theo and I didn’t talk much. I always talked so much before I met him. For a long time, I hated silence. I thought there always needed to be words to fill up a space so people would know I was interesting and engaging. Yet I’d learned from Theo that sometimes words weren’t needed. Sometimes just sitting in the middle of the lake with the calmness said more than words ever could.

As I lay on my back, reading the latest book Theo and I had picked to read together, I saw the weirdest thing out of the corner of my eye. It looked like my fishing pole got a tug on it.

I sat up slightly.

“Holy crap! Something is pulling my line!” I screeched.

Theo quickly put down his fishing pole and gestured toward me. “Well, don’t let it drag your whole pole away! Grab it and reel it in!”

I hopped up and yanked the rod into my hand. I began reeling in the line, and it felt heavier the closer it grew. Theo was right next to me, watching the whole time as I reeled and reeled. No one told me fishing could’ve been a form of a workout.

“ Go, go, go !” Theo cheered, clapping his hands together. “Holy shit, Willow, go!”

The moment the fish flew out of the water, I yipped and almost dropped the fishing pole. Theo was quick on his feet and wrapped his hands around it, pulling in one of the biggest fish I’d ever seen.

“Oh my gosh! I’m a fisherwoman!” I shouted, staring at the giant fish in front of me.

Theo smirked and nodded. “Yeah, Willow. You’re a fisherwoman.”

“Heck yeah!” My brows knitted. “What is it?”

“It’s a solid five-pound bass,” he said with a slight grin as he studied the fish he was holding by the mouth. The fish was still hooked on, and I was somewhat amazed. But Theo looked really amazed. “Damn, Weeping Willow. That’s an impressive first catch.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Is it?”

He smiled wider. “It fucking is. I’m proud of you.”

I didn’t know why, but those words made a swarm of butterflies flutter in my stomach.

I’m proud of you.

Why did that almost make me want to cry?

I grinned ear to ear. “We are so going to be eating good!”

Theo laughed as he unhooked the fish. “Well, we don’t eat bass. We’re gonna toss this guy back. But first, you need your celebratory photograph. Here, let me place it in your hands.”

He brought the fish to me, and I held my hands out to grab it. The moment I did, I instantly dropped it from the slimy feeling of the touch. The fish fell to the floor of the boat and started flopping around like a wild beast, making me flop around like a wild beast. I jumped up and down before landing on the chair cushion, shouting like wild. “Floppy fish! Floppy fish!” I screamed, pointing as if the fish were on a mission to attack me when, in reality, I was the one who dropped said fish.

“What are you doing?” Theo laughed, shaking his head in disbelief.

“It’s so slimy!”

“Well, it’s a fish, Willow. Of course it’s slimy,” he said, picking it up. “Don’t worry. He won’t hurt you. Here, let me take a selfie with you as I hold it.”

I climbed off the seat and took a picture with Theo and Mr. Slimeball before Theo tossed the fish back into the water.

Theo wiped his hands on the side of his pants before nudging me in the arm. “You just caught a five-pound bass.”

I smirked and shoved him back. “I just caught a five-pound bass.”

“Hell yeah, you did,” he replied, shoving me back.

“Hell yeah, I did,” I echoed his words with a shove.

Another shove from Theo. “Little fisherwoman.”

“Like a Little Debbie snack cake, but just not as sweet,” I joked, shoving him again.

“You’re just as sweet,” he softly said. Only this time, instead of shoving me, his hand caught my arm, and he held it gently. His eyes fell to our touch, and mine did the same. The warmth of his fingers shot throughout my body. Up my spine, down my spine.

“I’m so fucking proud of you, Willow,” Theo expressed, his voice deep and controlled. He said it again—the thing that caused me a massive number of butterflies. This time, he added the word fucking , which gave it an extra bit of flair. I didn’t remove my arm from his hold. Instead, I used it to pull him a little closer, still staring down at his touch.

“How proud?” I whispered.

He inched me closer. “ So fucking proud ,” he replied.

As I tilted my head up, I met his stare. He hovered over me, but I felt the safest I’d felt in a long time. “Yeah?” I asked, moving in closer, so close that if I wanted to, I could rest my hands against his chest.

He pulled me closer and tilted my head up even more with his free hand. “Yeah.” He paused for a moment as his stare moved to my lips.

I bit my bottom one softly. “Theo… I know we’re friends. I’m glad we’re friends, but I just think as friends we should be completely honest with one another. Don’t you think?”

His voice dropped lower, almost as if he growled slightly. “I do.”

“So I think it’s only fair to say I’m having some more-than-friendly thoughts right now.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes.” I nodded. “That is so.”

He pulled me closer, as close as I could get without living in his skin. My hands fell against his chest. His rock-hard chest. “And what exactly are you thinking?”

I swallowed hard. “I’m thinking about—”

Before I could finish my sentence, Theo wrapped his arms around me. His right hand cuffed my neck, and he pulled me in for a kiss. He kissed me deeply, passionately, as if he’d been thinking about that kiss for a long time. His tongue parted my lips as my hands were wrapped around his big, strong frame. My mind was spinning, the butterflies were doing the tango, and Theodore Langford had kissed me.

The wildest part of it all?

I kissed him back.

Oh, did I kiss him back. As my lips parted from the sweep of his tongue, my nails dug into the fabric of his shirt, trying their best to meet Theo’s skin. I wanted to feel him—all of him—more than I’d ever wanted anything else. He felt like warmth, safety, and protection all wrapped up into one soul. He felt present. He felt right. He felt like he was mine.

Did he feel it, too?

As if the meaning of life was discovered for the first time ever?

Me: Why am I here, God?

God: To kiss Theodore Langford, duh, girl.

Why did he taste so good against my mouth? Why did I want to kiss him forever as we rolled into always? Why did he have to show me what kissing could’ve been and how warm and safe it could’ve felt? Why did he have to prove that every kiss I had before him was only the opening act, and he — him — Theo —was the main show? My whole body shivered from his touches, the roaming of his hands as they slightly brushed against my ass in his sweats.

His sweats.

I was wearing his clothes while he was wearing my lips.

Every inch of me quivered from his entire being.

Then we stopped.

He stopped first, and my lips followed.

When we met one another’s stare, we each took a step away from each other.

“ Shit ,” Theo muttered, placing his hands on top of his head as he paced slightly. He paused his steps, then turned toward me. My body was still recovering from the kiss that changed everything. Now, for the remainder of my lifetime, I’ll be thinking about Theo and the kiss of all kisses. “I’m sorry, Willow. I-I-I cr-cr-c… shit !” he spat out, turning his back to me so I couldn’t see his irritation or embarrassment.

I stayed still for a moment, taking in his movements. Noticing every piece of him and remembering the little things. How his shoulders rose and fell heavily. How his hands made tight fists. How his head sat lowered.

My steps toward him were quiet. The boat only swayed lightly.

I stepped in front of him. I moved in close and placed my finger beneath his chin to heighten his head. I smiled. He didn’t. I placed my hands against his shoulders and rolled them back. I smiled again. He almost smiled back. I placed his hands in mine and loosened his tight grip. I smiled again. He smiled back. My heart felt that smile deeply. I pulled his hands up to my mouth and kissed every single finger. I then kissed his palms.

I looked up, and his eyes weren’t packed with embarrassment or anxiety anymore. No. Now, all I saw was gentleness. Calm. Security.

“Theo?” I whispered.

“Yes?”

“You don’t have to turn away when you get too overwhelmed.” I placed my hand against his cheek. “You’re safe here.”

He closed his eyes and exhaled a breath he seemed to have been holding for maybe a lifetime.

“Willow?”

“Yes?”

“Want to go home now?”

The way he said home made it feel as if it was somewhere I belonged, too. Oh, to have a home again.

“Yes,” I agreed. “Let’s go home.”

After docking the boat, we silently walked into the house and escaped to our rooms. I hopped into my shower and heard Theo’s shower turn on, too. The whole time I showered, I thought about his kiss. The whole time I dried off, I thought about his kiss. The whole time I applied my lotion and washed my face, I thought about his kiss.

Then there was a knock on my door.

I opened it to find Theo standing there with only a towel around his waist. Every muscle against his arms and chest was revealed as he placed his hands on each side of the doorframe.

“Hi,” he whispered.

“Hi,” I whispered back.

He grimaced for a moment before he slightly shook his head. “I have a question.”

“I have an answer.”

“As you know, I’m new to this whole friendship thing.”

I nodded. “Yes. A newborn, one might say.”

“Yeah, exactly. And the thing about it is, I don’t know all the ins and outs of friendship, you know?”

I smiled slightly. “I could understand the learning curve, yes.”

“Right, right.” He nodded as he raked one of his hands through his still damp hair. “So my question is this. Do friends…kiss sometimes?”

I wavered my head back and forth and followed it with a nod. “I mean, yeah. I’m sure some friends kiss sometimes.”

“Right, okay. Thanks,” he said, dropping his hold on the door and stepping backward. “Well, all right. Good night.”

“Good night.”

He started to walk back toward his room but paused. “Willow?”

I leaned against the door. “Yes?”

He turned to face me and raised an eyebrow. His blue eyes were packed with so much intrigue that it made my own stomach flip. “Can we be those friends who sometimes kiss?”

I bit my bottom lip. “I wouldn’t be opposed to that idea if you’re okay with—”

And again, with haste, Theo’s mouth crashed against mine, and he swept me up into his arms, lifting me from the floor. I wrapped my arms and legs around his body as I kissed him back. I felt all of him as he pinned me to the wall, his body and his tongue showcasing how much he wanted to be friends who kissed sometimes. His thickness brushed against my inner thigh as he moved his mouth to my neck and growled against me. His tongue licked across my skin before he kissed my lips again. My hips began to grind against him as my heart rate picked up and my hands rested against his rock-hard chest. I was out of breath, but breathing seemed overrated as he explored me. He lifted me higher, his hands wrapped beneath my ass cheeks, making it almost impossible for me to consider anything else in life other than this. Than us. Than his hands roaming freely all over my body.

He kissed me once more before pulling away slightly. His forehead rested against mine as he lowered me back to the floor, yet I still felt as if I were floating.

My hands stayed pinned to his chest. His hands stayed pinned to my shoulders. His eyes closed, and mine followed suit as we stayed so close. All I could hear was his exhales and my inhales. Time stopped moving as I breathed him in.

Theo ever so gently moved in and kissed my right cheek. “Good night, friend,” he muttered against my skin.

My tongue danced over my lips as I murmured, “Good night, friend.”

When I opened my eyes, he was gone.

But the memory of the kiss lingered.

Who knew second friendship kisses could taste even better than the first?