It was early October. The beach was empty—what kind of weirdo goes swimming in October—but it still felt illicit.
We waited until we were in the car.
But, uh…
Shit, what were we talking about?
“You okay, princess?” His laugh is knowing.
“Huh?”
“I’m thinking about it too.”
“Uh-huh.”
“You tasted like salt.”
My sex clenches. “We, uh… how far is it to your place?”
He rests his hand on my thigh. Then he drags it higher, higher, higher—”you know how far it is.”
“I know things?”
“A lot of things.”
“Not sure about that at the moment.”
His laugh fills the car. “I love when you’re tongue-tied.”
“Uh-huh.”
He pulls his hand away.
I let out a whiny sigh.
“And that. Best sound I’ve ever heard.” He stops at a light. Turns to me. “You make my life so much better.”
“You do too.”
“It’s like I can finally see the sun.”
“You hate the sun.”
“But I don’t. Not anymore. I want to feel it on my skin. I want to bask in its warmth. That’s because of you, Skye. You… fuck, it sounds so cheesy, but you really did teach me how to love again.”
“I did?”
He nods you did.
“How?” It’s not like I was doing that intentionally. Sure, I wanted Forest to love me. I wanted to mend his broken heart. But it’s not like I had a strategy. Or a lesson plan.
“You loved me.”
“It wasn’t on purpose.”
“Maybe. But you could have tried to stop loving me. You could have moved to Seattle.”
“Why Seattle?”
“It has that vegan ice cream you like.”
“That’s enough to move?”
“If you’re looking to move anyway.” The light turns green. He looks to the street. Focuses intensely on it.
Turns left instead of right.
This is the way to his dad’s place. To my parents’ place.
Not the way to his apartment.
Huh.
I watch the scenery as he turns into the neighborhood. Left. Right. Left.
All the way to the end of a street lined with bungalows and palm trees.
He parks in front of a cute one-story house. Turns the car off.
“Forest—”
“See it before you say anything.”
“But this is—”
“See it.”
I nod okay.
He helps me out of the car, clicks the lock, slides the keys into his pocket. Then he leads me into the house.
It’s a house.
A freaking house.
Sure, it’s not the size of my parents’ place. Or his parents’ place. But it’s way bigger than his apartment.
And it’s pure old-school Venice.
Hardwood floors in the living room. Tile in the kitchen. Box windows.
A sliding glass door to the backyard.
Light bouncing off the pool.
Wait.
The pool?
I move toward the glowing cerulean water. It’s cool outside. Cold even. But I’m buzzing too much to feel it.
“There’s a pool.” I turn back to Forest.
He crosses the backyard. “There is.”
“It’s… I love it. But it looks expensive.”
“It is. But we’re just leasing for now.”
“For now?”
He nods yeah. “The owner is willing to sell. If we like it.”
“You want to buy a house together?”
“One day.” He pulls something from his pocket. Places it in my palm. “I want everything with you, Skye.”
“Me too. I mean—” I stare at tiny metal key. “For this place?”
“Yeah. I want to live here with you. But if you aren’t ready… I can afford it on my own.”
“You can?” This place is huge. Beautiful. Expensive.
He nods yeah. “But I’d rather be here with you. Save up for a down payment.”
“Save up for a down payment?” My eyes meet his. “That’s so grown up.”
“You’re twenty-six now.”
I clear my throat. “You’re not supposed to bring up a lady’s age.”
“You’re a lady now?”
I nod uh-huh.
He nods nuh-uh. Presses the key into my palm. “I know you’re just starting your career. You’re still focused on that. I don’t want that to change, princess. I love watching you soar. It’s my favorite thing in the world.”
“Yeah?”
“Hell yeah.” He runs his fingers over the side of my hand. “I want to see it every day. I want to wake up next to you. Fix your morning matcha. Listen to you groan over it. Kiss you goodbye on my way out the door. Watch you set up shoots.”
“Oh.”
“Oh?”
I run my thumb over the back of his hand. “You want to see me topless in the pool.”
“Hell yeah.”
“That’s the whole reason you did this.”
“The main reason yeah.”
“I understand.” My eyes meet his. “I’m mostly here because you’re beautiful.”
“I know.” His lips curl into a smile. “It’s my gift. And my curse.”
“It really is.”
He pulls his hand away. Stares at the tiny metal key. “Will you?”
“Of course.” I slide the key into my purse. “I want that too.” I look up at him. “I love you so much, Forest.”