“I’ve always been compelled to draw things that feel like home, that make me feel safe.”
My breath hitched as I glanced down again at our hands in the frame. “Thank you,” I whispered.
“Look at the way you hold my scarred hand, Maureen. Look at the way you make me want to bring it into the light.”
He lifted his right hand and ran the three fingers across my cheek, underneath my jaw, resting the remains of his pinky andring finger under my chin. I closed my eyes and leaned into the touch, tipping my cheek into his palm.
“Having you in my life is a gift,” he said quietly. “I won’t fuck it up again.”
I flicked my eyes upward as he leaned in to press his mouth to mine. His lips were soft and reverent as they worked against mine unhurriedly. He didn’t deepen the kiss. Instead, he pulled back, pressing his cheek against mine. He then added a kiss to the shell of my ear. “Merry Christmas.”
It had been an incredible day. The most perfect one I could have ever imagined.
I just hoped I wasn’t about to ruin it all.
Chapter thirty
Will
Maureen met my gaze as I pulled back from our kiss. Her expression looked…concerned.
I blinked. “Everything okay?”
“I’m not going to stay in Seattle,” she blurted, wiggling off my lap to sit beside me.
“What?”
“I’m moving back to Coleman Creek.” She put another few inches of distance between us. “I’ve been thinking about it for a while, and now I’m sure I want to go back. I’ll never regret my years in Seattle, but it’s time. And this present is the best one I’ve ever gotten. It’s the most beautiful picture anyone ever drew. I’m so blown away by everything you just said and by what you toldme earlier at the Grinch mural. I couldn’t go one more second without letting you know.”
“Oh.” I registered her words, waiting for some insurmountable shoe to drop. But she seemed finished. “Um, okay.”
“Okay?”
I nodded. “Yeah. Okay. After everything you’ve told me, it makes sense. I think I was almost expecting it.” I tapped my fingers against my knee. “The Audi gets excellent mileage, so it shouldn’t be too difficult until we figure out a better solution.”
Maureen leaned back against the armrest. “That’s it?”
My brows drew together. “What’s it?”
“I tell you I’m moving five hours away, and you act like I just told you the weather.” Her expression devolved into a puzzled frown. “You don’t think it’s a big deal?”
“I mean, of course it’s a big deal. It would be easier to date if you lived next door. But I totally understand why you want to move home. I’ve seen you in Coleman Creek, remember?”
She still appeared flummoxed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “The past few days I’ve been thinking this was some sort of enormous obstacle, stressing about telling you—”
Laughing lightly, I reassured her, “I meant what I said, Maureen. I’m all in. Five hours is nothing. Not when we’ve been through so much. Real distance, not just miles. There are options here, but whatever we decide, we’re together. You’re home to me now. Even if we have to be apart sometimes, we’ll figure it out.”
She shook her head as her cheeks finally ticked up. “I guess that’s what works for us. Having things be a little difficult.”
“It’s never been easy, but it’s always been worth it. You’re worth it, Maureen. You’re worth everything.”
The lava-hot look she gave me in reply went straight to my insides. And my dick had apparently decided a few hours was plenty of recovery time. It perked right up as her warm palmtraveled up my inner thigh. Her mouth moved to land on my neck, and I practically flew off the cushion as she latched on and sucked at the delicate skin. I doubted there’d be a mark the next day, but damn if it wasn’t sexy as hell to feel the sensation in the moment. Her tongue lashed out to soothe the spot before she kissed her way up my jaw and cheek.
When her mouth finally reached mine, she threw her leg over to straddle me. She kissed me deeply, confidently exploring my mouth.
“This feels…familiar,” she rasped, and I grinned as I recalled being in a similar position on the couch in Coleman Creek.
“Except this time, I’m not under doctor’s orders to take it easy.”
