“Losing you was my biggest fear when I dropped out. I promised myself if we could weather that, we could make it through anything.” His eyes met hers.
Her breath caught at the words. He might not have said he loved her, but did she have any doubt when he looked at her the way he was now?
She didn’t need any big declarations. Didn’t want sweeping gestures. If he needed to think this was temporary to help him wrap his mind around a new baby and a new girlfriend, that was fine. This was all she needed. Proof that they’d been meant for each other right from the start when she’d carved their initials into the wood.
“I like remembering how we started,” she said. “But I’d rather enjoy where we are now.”
“What do you have in mind?”
Pushing her beer away, she ran a hand up his thigh. “Let’s go home,” she purred. “There are things we can do as adults that we would have been terrible at as kids.”
“Speak for yourself. I was born gifted in the sack.”
“Really?”
“No. My first time lasted all of two minutes.”
She laughed. “Think you can improve upon that tonight?”
“Oh, sweetheart,” he said, cupping her face between his palms. “You have no idea the plans I have for us.”
A shiver raced through her. “Promises, promises.”
“Then let me prove them.”
Sliding from the booth, he reached out a hand to her.
Glancing at their initials scribbled into the table, she interlocked her fingers with his. They may have come back to their past, but she was far more interested in their future.
They’d waited long enough to start it.
Chapter Sixteen
“How goes the love fest?” Diane said over the phone.
“Other people simply say hello. Just saying.”
“Other people are boring,” Diane replied. “You didn’t answer my question.”
Clara laughed as she leaned against the rail of Walker’s wraparound balcony. “It’s great.”
“You haven’t lost the spark yet?”
“I’d say more of the opposite.”
“Well, ten years of repressed lust will do that to a couple.”
“Let’s just call it mutual desire, hmm?”
“Call it anything you want. We both know what’s going on behind closed doors. Bow chicka bow wow.”
“What are you, sixteen?”
“Yes. Now give me details.”
“The past week has been…”
Incredible.
Closing her eyes, she remembered the last few days with Walker. Most nights they tumbled into her bed, taking advantage of their limited baby-free time. Then there were the nights when they were too exhausted to do anything more strenuous than fluff the pillow before succumbing to sleep. Nights where she curled around him and woke up with nothing but good dreams.
Though there was a lot more to this than their two-week relationship had encountered yet, every day gave her hope. Maybe this really would be the rest of her life. With Hunter and Walker by her side, there was nothing else she’d ever need.
“That good, huh?” Diane asked.
Clara chuckled into the phone, realizing she’d been lost in thought.
“Yes,” she agreed. “That good.”
“I have to say, I didn’t think Walker had it in him.”
“Me, neither,” Clara said.
“Does this mean you’re going to run away to tour the world on his money with your fabulous family and I’ll be out a reporter?”
“Not on your life,” she said. “Walker is getting more and more confident with Hunter every day, and Emily is a freaking godsend. I’ll be back after next week. My vacation days run out so I pretty much have to return.”
“Be still my heart.”
“Trust me, if your options were going back to work or continuing to have hot sex with a man who’s a genius in more ways than one, you’d want a longer vacation, too.” Clara sighed.
“Next week your deal with Walker will be up, though, right? Have you guys talked about what happens then?”
Some of her contentment drained away. “No.”
It was a topic they both avoided. Soon their twenty-one days would be over. Clara could move back into her little apartment, safe in the knowledge that Walker would be fine as a father.
She hated every day that drew them closer to the finish line.
The last thing she wanted was to move back home and miss seeing Hunter every day. He was growing so fast, if she wasn’t here she’d miss the milestones.
Unease coiled through her. She was getting as attached to the baby as she was to his father. If everything worked out for her and Walker, that was all to the good. But if it didn’t…