Chapter Twenty-Three
Shit, last night I almost slipped up and confessed to Willa that I love her. But then I chickened out. I still fear she’s not ready to hear that yet.
Then again, maybe it’s just that I’m gun-shy from all my past relationship misfires.
I really need to put that all behind me, though.
I will…just not yet.
However, I do have a few things I want to talk with Willa about. And now is the perfect time.
It’s been a lazy day, where we spent most of our time down at the beach. We then cleaned up, had dinner, and now we’re just hanging out by the pool. It’s one of our favorite things to do at night.
The only difference this evening is that we’re sharing a lounger. It’s one of the bigger ones that we pulled over from the other side of the patio. Willa is curled up in my arms, and I’m playing with her hair.
I sigh, and she looks up at me and asks, “What’s up?”
“Nothing bad,” I assure her. “I was just thinking about how many things I can’t wait to show you once we get back to Phoenix.”
“Oh yeah?” She rubs my chest through my tee. “Like what?”
“Shit,” I say. “Where do I start?” I blow out a breath, then tick off, “I want to show you my house, some things down at the arena, like my locker, the ice, and hell, even the training room. Also, I want to share some of my favorite places to go in the city, like restaurants and shit. Damn, I just want to show you everything, girl.”
Excitedly, she replies, “I can’t wait to see all that. I want to share some things too. I’ll show you my cute little apartment, my old high school, and where I grew up.”
“Oooh, yes,” I say as I think of something else. “We’ll have to take a trip up to Boston some time. Then I can show you where I grew up too.”
Reaching up and touching the scruff on my jaw, she says, “I’d like that, Shane.”
Look at us—planning trips and everything.
I should tell her now that I’ve fallen in love with her.
But wait, now she’s kissing up along my neck.
Fuck, she just grabbed my junk.
When she starts stroking me through my shorts, I groan, “Damn, that feels good.”
When she unzips my shorts, that’s it. There’s no more talking.
Only action.
Time passes, and the days blur into one another. Willa and I continue to have the absolute best time. I feel so close to her.
We hit up that great restaurant in town a couple more times and even catch a movie at the tiny theater.
In fact, we’re driving back now from having seen a show.
Looking over at me, Willa tells me she wants to go back to the lighthouse and take some more pictures from the viewing deck.
“Maybe I’ll go tomorrow morning,” she says. “I’d like to catch the early light for a different perspective.”
I remind her, “I was going to go shopping in town in the morning, but I can change my plans.”
She smacks her knee. “Oh, that’s right. I forgot. That means you’ll need the Jeep.”
“I can just go later, or even the next day.”
She sighs. “Yeah, but we really do need some things. I don’t plan to be at the lighthouse all that long.
” She pauses, then says, “You know what? I’ll just take a rideshare over and then one back.
That way we’ll get both things out of the way, and we’ll have the afternoon and evening to do whatever. ”
It’s true, we really are running low on some food and supplies. Plus, I’m not all that interested in seeing the lighthouse again. Once was enough for me. I’m fine with her going on her own.
So I say, “Okay, let’s do it that way.”
With that, all is settled.