“Levi.” His name came out like a strangled croak. She closed her eyes, inhaled deeply, and let it out before opening her eyes again.
When he did step forward, after what felt like several tense breaths, he didn’t come to her. He detoured and picked up something decadent-looking, bringing it over to the counter where she now stood.
Her heart gave one tight squeeze before melting into a puddle of emotions all over her rib cage. The dessert didn’t look traditional but she definitely recognized it.
“You made me a s’more?”
When she was ten to Levi’s twelve, she’d burned her finger badly on a marshmallow at the start of the summer. For the rest of the season, she’d insisted she didn’t want s’mores because the rule was, you want one, you make your own. But Levi made her one every time they built a fire on the beach that summer.
“You can say you don’t want it but I know you do.” He nudged the plate closer to her, saying the words he’d said all those years ago.
The dessert was stunning. He picked up a fork, carefully slid it through what he’d made.
“Instead of a graham cracker base, it’s a milk-chocolate sponge cake on the top and bottom. Between the layers is a vanilla cream mixed with fire-roasted marshmallow fluff.” He lifted the fork witha sample of each part. “Then I topped it with dark chocolate drizzle and crushed graham crackers.” Levi held it up for her to taste.
With her gaze on his, her hands shaking enough to keep a grip on the counter, her mouth opened. He slid the fork between her lips slowly, watching her the entire time.
Her mouth closed around the bite and Levi pulled his hand away slowly. Jilly hummed appreciation for the delectable bite of ooey-gooey goodness on her tongue. Desire flared in Levi’s searching gaze even as he moved closer, setting the fork down with a soft clang on the countertop.
“Jilly,” he whispered.
Between the chocolate, the look in his eyes, and his proximity, Jillian felt like she was caught in a dream she’d had a thousand times.
I think you really like me, Jillian Keller. Will you go out on a date with me?YES. But fear blocked the word. A date was a real start.Which you’re more than ready for.Hearing Andrew’s voice earlier had reminded her that she deserved better. When she came home, it was to build a life for Ollieandherself. She wanted Levi in it.
“Hey, Chef Hottie. We need more—Oh. My bad.” Lainey froze but the smile on her face said she wasn’t sorry at all.
Jill’s heart hammered so hard she could feel it throughout her entire body; hear it echoing inside of her head.
“I should go. That dessert is delicious.” The words tripped out of her mouth like she wasn’t sure how to use them.
He reached out, put a hand on her arm.
“I can come back,” Lainey said, making no effort to move.
Panic flared to life inside of her. She couldn’t explain it but she didn’t want to agree to anything today. She’d say yes, but not now, not with all of these people here. “No. I should go. I need to go.”
Jill turned and left the kitchen, pushing past Lainey, whom she knew well enough to know would give Levi the third degree and then follow after her. Ollie and her dad were debating which fries were the best. Beckett and Gray looked at her but she looked away, sitting down next to Presley.
Presley turned her head to face Jilly. “You okay?”
Mostly. She was fine. She could stay absolutely fine and mostly okay. But part of her didn’t want to, and that was the part that needed to talk to Presley.
“I need to go for a walk. Or just get some fresh air.”
Presley leaned closer. “A wine walk?”
All the breath left Jilly’s lungs. “God, yes.”
Presley nodded. “We’re going for a walk. I say guys are on cleanup. Except for Levi. He cooked.”
Lainey came back through the swinging door, and Jilly could have kissed her. She had a bottle of wine and three glasses in her hand. “Walk?”
Presley nodded.
“Can I come, Mom?” Ollie asked.
Jilly glanced at her mother, who, somehow, read her like a book. “If I’m not mistaken, you owe me a rematch for Uno,” her mom said, smiling at Jill.
