I wet my lips and weighed my next words carefully. “Do you want me to leave?” Just saying the words made my chest ache.
She snapped to attention, her eyes going wide as her face drained of color. “What? No! God no. If anything, I don’t ever want you to go.” She snapped her mouth shut but it was too late. The words were already out there, hovering between us.
Taking her hand in mine, I smiled when she squeezed it tight. “If I might be so bold, I think holding off on something good to avoid pain later on isn’t fair to either one of us. Yes, I may end up going home, and yes, I may find a job way down the line that isn’t close to you, but you know what? Those are far-off possibilities. None of which will happen for another three years.
So why not give us a try? You already offered to join me across the pond during spring or summer break, so you’d be with me the next time I go home. If I’d known you were interested in me, I wouldn’t have waited so long. Hell, after a week, I was dying to kiss you.”
Taylor took a deep breath, releasing it slowly as she rested her head on my shoulder. “So much time we could’ve spent together.”
“Hey, no regrets, okay? We’re both here now, and if you’re willing to give us a go, then so am I.” I squeezed her hand, then laced our fingers together when she looked at me again.
She hesitated but only for a moment. “I’d like that.”
With the room slowly falling into silence, I pulled her close and caressed her cheek as I spoke. “What do we tell your folks?”
“Are you kidding?” She drew back enough to meet my gaze. “The way those two are, they already know.”
“So your folks are cool if we—”
“Man, they expected it.” She ran a hand through her hair, removing her hair tie in the process. “Mom sort of got me to slip up the last time I was home.”
“Slip up how?”
“Oh, you know, normal Mom powers. She asked how I was doing, which is her way of asking about my dating life. I said I was fine, but instead of saying my date’s name at the time I kinda used yours.”
“Oh no.”
“Oh yes. Of course, being my mom, she just looked at me and smiled. Then as I was getting ready to leave, she insisted I bring you along next time if you had no place to go.”
“Moms are great.”
“They can be,” she admitted, her voice tight. “They can also be a huge pain if they don’t like who you’re with.”
“I’ve had my fair share of those. However, seeing as your mom suggested this trip, does that mean I have her stamp of approval?”
“Seems like it. Brad’s as well. You might not have seen much of him but he’s a quiet guy. His short grunts mean he’s pleased.”
“I’ll try to remember that,” I said as I closed my eyes. Lost in my own thoughts, I hadn’t realized Taylor was speaking until she gently lifted my chin.
“I lost you there for a second,” she said with a knowing smile.
“I think it’s that conditioned response you were talking about. The cabin’s starting to work its magic on me.”
“And what about that new tradition you mentioned earlier?” she asked, glancing back at the box of supplies we’d left inside the door.
I leaned in and cupped her face with my hands. “I like this one a lot more.”
Chapter Eight
Taylor
Blinding light streamed in through the windows, and at first, I’d forgotten where I was. Shivering, I reached behind me for the blanket only to discover Sam sleeping beside me.
She stirred, then clutched the blanket as I tried to get my half back.
“A little help,” I said, glancing back over my shoulder at her. She pretended to sleep, but the way she gripped the cover, I knew that wasn’t the case. “Come on, man, it’s freezing in here.”
“So start a fire,” she said without opening her eyes.