Page 10 of Only and Forever
Dammit. He caught me staring at him. “Just inspecting those trees over yonder.”
His mouth cracks with a grin. “Over yonder?”
“Shut up.”
He clucks his tongue. “You’re a bad liar, Lulaloo.”
I sigh heavily. “I was staring at you because I was trying to wrap my head around an unnatural phenomenon.”
“Oh?” His smile widens. “And what unnatural phenomenon is that?”
“You being quiet.”
A laugh jumps out of him, deep and rich, right from his belly.It makes a delicious little hum dance beneath my skin. “How would you know that’s unnatural for me? One semester of college not talking to me and you know me so well?”
“I didn’t talk to you, but it’s not like it stopped you from talking to everyone else. You were always participating in class, debating, discussing. You were never quiet.”
And I was fascinated. By how quickly he shared ideas, the way he drew others’ ideas out, both challenged and respected them. I hated him a little for how good he was at talking to people.
Viggo’s mouth kicks up at the corner; another smile. Our gazes hold. Viggo’s dips down to my mouth, then darts away, fastened on the horizon again. “I’m not normally quiet, no. But I am in the morning.”
“Why?” I find myself asking before I can stop myself.
Viggo shrugs, gaze pinned on the growing dawn. “Just seems unnecessary to talk while I’m watching the world wake up. Feels like something that deserves a little reverence.” He sips his coffee. “Even I can shut my mouth for that.”
I stare at him because I can’t seem not to. Shit, that man has a nice profile. A long, straight nose, sharp cheekbones peeking above his beard. I shut one eye and squint because I hope I’m seeing things, but no, it’s true, there they are—a faint dusting of freckles scattered across his suntanned skin.
I’m just horny. Ovulating. Haven’t had sex for weeks, since things became silent and tense with Clint, before he said some really nasty things and told me to get the hell out last week. That’s all this is.
Taking a slow, deep breath, I stare back at the sun, now grown to a ripe lemon wedge, its zesty rays sprayed into the brightening sky. I bring my mug to my lips and hazard a slow, careful sip.
A satisfied moan rolls up my throat.
Viggo brings a leg up, setting one grandpa-slippered foot on theedge of his Adirondack, and drapes an arm across his knee, coffee cup clasped by the brim between his long fingers. I peer at him over the top of my mug as I take another sip, and his gaze flicks to mine.
“You,” he says, “disappeared on me last night. You promised I could ask you questions if I got you a drink, and instead, you took your drink and ghosted me.”
“That’s rich, coming from the guy who left USC without a single word to anyone.”
His eyebrows shoot up. “You noticed?”
Shit. I didn’t mean to say that. For it to sound like I noticed... like I cared. “Every kid in that lit class noticed, once we came back for spring semester; a lot of us had overlapping classes, but you weren’t there. You were a big personality that people remembered; then you were just... gone.”
Viggo peers down at his coffee. “I never thought anyone would care.”
“Well, they did, but they moved on. As did you, clearly, because here you are, loving life and”—I gesture toward his shirt—“romance novels.”
Viggo leans in, smiling. “You want to ask me about them, the romance novels, don’t you? It’s not every day you meet a spry, strapping specimen of a man who adores the genre devoted to love. You could now be askingmequestions, if you hadn’t been too scared to indulgemyquestions last night.”
“I wasn’t scared,” I snap.
He smiles sweetly. “What were you, then?”
“Too busy meeting your entire family. There’s so many of you, it took me all night.”
I won’t tell him the truth, that when I was overwhelmed by all the people, my gaze kept slipping toward him, hoping he’d break in and save me with that flashy smile and some diversionary tactic.That I almost caved when the buzz kicked in, almost wandered his way and told him,Ask your damn questions. And kiss me senseless while you’re at it.
But then I asked myself, what would be the point? Why put the emotionless moves on a hopeless romantic? He believes in destiny and swoons and happy endings. I believe that’s all a crock of shit. Not to mention the complications of trying for a one-night stand with my sister’s best friend’s brother. No, too many entanglements, too many ways it could go wrong.