“It’s what friends do.” She flashes me a smile, and I swear the way her eyes hold mine for a few seconds, sliding to my mouth, then darting away, she’s blushing.
“Hm.” My gaze drops to her mouth. “Friends.”
Her tongue darts out to lick her lips; her eyes still looking everywhere but at me.
“Grace.”
“Yeah?”
I lean across the console before she begins driving and cup the back of her head with my hand, angling her to face me. “It’s not cheesy. It’s sweet and incredible.”
“I’m glad—”
I yank her to me, cutting her off, and slam my mouth to hers. Her mouth parts on a gasp, and my tongue ventures into the sweet, addictive warmth of hers. I’m on fire. Her hands leave the wheel and fist my hair so tight. It’s like we’re kissing each other for the first time: breathless and desperate, like time is about to run out on us.
The kiss ends as abruptly as it started with our foreheads pressed against each other.
“Friends, huh?” I murmur, kissing her cheek. “There was nothing friendly about that kiss, Gracie. It was passionate and phenomenal like always. It’s us. We’re not just friends. We’re more than that.”
She grabs the collar of my shirt and meshes her mouth with mine in a rough kiss. “Damn, that kiss. I should have made that mixtape earlier.” Her fingers drag through my hair before sliding back to grip the wheel. “We need to go to the farm before they close.”
Twisting away, I push the seat to accommodate my legs. “Does this mean we’re together now?”
I nod. “Yeah. It does.”
I don’t need to think twice because, although I was with Levi, Sol never left my mind. He’s always been there and always will be for as long as I live. This boy came into my life, and like a wrecking ball, he knocked down all my walls, built a home in my head, and made himself comfortable. It’s like he and I are connected on a level only we can understand. I might not be deserving of him, but I know that if something were to happen to him, God would be doing me a favor by taking me too. Sol is mine. It’s that simple.
“I mean, we don’t have to rush. I want to try this again. Let’s go to the farm, and we can talk about it later, right?” I reach for his hand and laces our fingers together. “I really want this. I’m tired of waiting. I miss you. I’m still in love with you, Sol.”
When we arrive at the farm, we locate the owner, Mrs. Martha Dunn.
“Are you looking for anything in particular?” Mrs. Dunn asks, setting down a pair of shears, then wiping her hands on her sky-blue apron.
I hand her the picture my mother cut out from one of her bridal magazines. “We’re looking for these kinds of roses for a wedding.”
Mrs. Dunn grabs the picture and takes a look, a smile spreading across her kind, beautiful face. “Yes. I have them in the greenhouse. My Benjamin helped plant them last summer. They are his favorite.” She beckons us with her hand to follow her, then asks, “So, are you wanting them for your wedding, Ms. . .”
“Grace Miller. And this is Solomon Callan.” Sol and I share a smile. “It’s my mom’s wedding.”
“Oh, dear. My apologies. You two seem . . . I just assumed you . . .” She trails off when we enter the greenhouse.
“It’s fine,” I reassure her, then turn to Sol and gesture to a bench close by. “Want to sit over there?”
Sol nods and walks over to sit down. As I follow Mrs. Dunn, I feel Sol’s warm gaze on my back. I glance over my shoulder and find his eyes tracking me. He flashes me a smile and . . . I flutter and melt. My stomach is in a riot of flutters.
“Stop looking at me like that,” I say, walking backward.
He chuckles. “Are you going to make me?”
I stop in my tracks. “Seriously. I need to focus.”
He lifts both arms in the air and shrugs. “I’m not stopping you.”
Not going to lie. I really like this side of him. He’s confident about what he wants and more open about his thoughts. It’s sexy.
I send him a pretend glare before giving him my back and join Mrs. Dunn in the back of the greenhouse. She’s watching our interaction with amusement.
“Are you sure you’re not together? You two make a cute couple.”
My cheeks hurt from smiling so wide. “Actually, we are together.”
She chuckles warmly, her gaze darting to Sol. “He can’t keep his eyes off you.”
I glance at him. He winks at me. Butterflies take flight in my stomach. I face Mrs. Dunn and try to focus on what she says.
“Okay. Let’s talk about what you need. I’ll print out the invoice once we’re done.”
We’re driving back to Portland when I glance over at Sol. He’s wearing a pained expression, his hand kneading the muscles on his upper thigh.
“We don’t need to visit the apartment today. We can do it next time I’m in Portland.”
Sol shakes his head. “I really want to show you.”
I sigh, reaching over the console and taking his free hand. “You could take your pain meds, just to taper it off for a few hours.”
“I try to stick to the schedule and only take them three times a day. I don’t want to be dependent on pain meds.” He gives my hand a squeeze, then points a finger out the window. “Take the next exit. There’s less traffic.”
Ten minutes later, I park my car across the street from the building, then get out. He leads the way, and moments later, we’re walking into the apartment. Sol wraps his arm around my shoulder, pulling me closer as I take in the open floor plan.
“What do you think?”
“It’s really nice. Very spacious.” I point at the large windows. “Great lighting.”
He smiles down at me. “Maybe we can hang out here next time you’re in Portland?”
“I’d love to.”
He walks us to one of the rooms and halts at the door. “This is the bedroom. There’s a small balcony through that door.” He points to a long glass door.
“I really like it, Sol.”
He scratches the back of his neck. “I’m glad.” He stares at me like he wants to say something, but stops himself. “Are you still having nightmares?”
“It’s getting better. Talking with the counselor at school has really helped.”
“Good.” He shoots me a relieved smile, before, adjusting his crutches under his arms and heading back the way we came. “What time are you driving back tomorrow?”
“Around midday. I need to start studying early for midterms.”
As we are leaving, Sol halts at the door, leans his shoulder against the frame, then reaches out for my hand. Lifting my chin with a finger, his gaze roves over my face before zooming in on my mouth. His Adam’s apple moves as he swallows.
“I want to kiss you,” he says in a husky voice. This time, I don’t hesitate. I’m tired of holding back. I know that my stubborn, crazy heart craves this boy with blue eyes. The boy whose half-smiles set me on fire.
“Then kiss me.”
He cups my cheek with both hands, eyes moving from my eyes to my mouth. His tongue darts out to lick his bottom lip as his mouth hovers above mine.