Chapter 36
“You’re very picky, you know? Are you ever going to choose a house?”
“Like I said, I know what I want when I see it. I haven’t seen it yet.”
“Right.”
“Plus, maybe I’m dragging it out so I can keep spending time with you…” His tone sounds like he’s joking but sitting across from me at what he now refers to as “our coffee table,” his eyes are intense as they bore into mine.
The way he’s looking at me now is different from the more playful looks he gave me when we first met.
There’s more depth there, like the connection is getting deeper and deeper, pulling us together like a magnet, making it harder and harder to pull away.
At least that’s how it feels for me, anyway.
Maybe it’s a one-sided magnet. He could just be having his fun with me.
He snaps me out of my spiral, grabbing my hand and placing a kiss on it.
“This is so not professional for a realtor to be doing with her client,” I whisper.
He smirks, taking a sip of his tea. “Oh, Carly. You’re so much more than my realtor. Always have been. Did I use it as an excuse initially to get to know you? Yes. But this goes beyond that now.” He tilts his head and studies me. “You know that, right?”
I shrug, shifting my gaze away.
“I mean…" he clears his throat. “If that’s what you want.”
I snap my gaze back to him. I think he misread my shifting eyes for uncertainty. That’s not it at all. I would absolutely love to keep seeing him. I just thought, in the back of my head this whole time, that once this deal was over, he’d be done with me.
“Yes.” I nod, meeting his eyes again. “I just thought you’d—"
“What?”
“I don’t know. For some reason, I thought you’d never actually stick around. That you’d never actually buy a place, or if you did, you’d be like a lot of the people in those giant houses who never actually use them except one or two weeks out of the year.”
He leans back in his seat, crossing his arms. “Carly. I haven’t flown back home in weeks. I’ve been staying in town, hoping you’d be free and I could get you out any day you’d give me. I’m buying a place when I find the right one, and I’m staying.”
“You—“I shake my head, scrunching my brows. “You’ve been here for weeks? Just…waiting?”
“Yes. I know we don’t know what this is yet, but…
I feel a strong pull toward you. I have since the night I watched you dance at the wedding, so carefree, your smile so full of light and…
I don’t know, something that drew me in.
And it’s only grown stronger since I’ve gotten to know you.
I can’t stay away. But please don’t feel pressure like I’m staying permanently just for you.
I’ve really grown very fond of things around here. It’s quiet, peaceful, beautiful…”
“You haven’t endured the winter yet…” What a stupid response. He just revealed so much, and that’s all I can come up with.
“No. I haven’t.” He shakes his head to himself, face turned down. There’s almost a sad smile touching the corner of his mouth. I can’t tell what that’s about exactly. Maybe my lack of a proper response.
“I’m glad you’re staying,” I say softly, and now it’s my turn to grab his hand. I lock eyes with him and flash him a smile. And then I melt in his soft blue eyes.