Page 96 of Barron's Second Chance
Yesterday, after they left the fair, they went straight back to his parent's house. Words weren't spoken, but they knew they weren't quite ready to leave each other's company.
Exhausted from a long day on their feet, they lounged by his pool, talking about their day and reminiscing about past fair days they had spent together. They alternated between lying on the sun loungers and sitting at the pool's edge, their bare feet swishing in the cold water to cool off.
He could've stayed there all night with her, just talking about anything and everything. Staring at the way she waved her hands around as she chatted. Admiring the way the sinking sun turned the sky orange, illuminating the natural highlights in her hair. Her sun-kissed skin had glowed with a fine sheen of sweat from the heat of the day. Her body spray, which always smelled like a tropical vacation mixed with her natural scent, tickled his nose. Often, he caught himself leaning in closer for a sniff, like a drug addict needing a hit. It took all of him not to reach out and lick her, to test his theory that she tasted as delicious as she smelled.
Their bubble burst when his parents came home, weary from helping out with the festivities. His Mom had perked up when she spied the two of them sitting shoulder to shoulder by the pool and promptly offered to make a light dinner for them all. He felt like a petulant child reluctant to share his toys. He wanted Eden all to himself but knew his Mom was feeling sad at the thought of Eden leaving the following day.
His Mom's line of questioning further darkened his mood while they ate on the patio.
"So, what plans do you two have?"
Eden glanced at him uncertainly. "Like, when I'm back in New York?"
His Mom waved her hand in the air. Her attempt at appearing breezy when Barron knew she was digging for info.
"Or whenever. Are you coming back after Milan? Is Barron visiting you? That sorta thing." His Mom busied herself by scooping more pasta salad onto her plate, pretending like she was only asking about the weather.
Truth is, he was grateful that she asked because he had no fucking idea where they stood after she left.Casualwas such a nondescript word.
The dress code is casual.
Wanna meet up for casual drinks?
Let's take a casual stroll down Main Street.
We're just casually fucking.
"I have some work stuff to take care of after Milan. I'm back in New Haven for Thanksgiving."
"Oh!" His Mom blinked as she tried not to look dismayed. All pretense of looking busy was dropped as she realized that when they had told them that they were casually dating and weren't back together, they meant it.
As cut up as he was about their"up in the air"situation, he chimed in at her defense. Eden deserved to be a little wary of their relationship. He meant it when he promised her no strings in exchange for exploring their new status. He wanted her to be as comfortable as possible.
"Ma, I told you, we're playing it by ear. We're gonna FaceTime, text, and call each other," he assured her. And he planned on abusing the hell outta his phone to do so.
He also had some other ideas to keep him at the forefront of her mind while they were separated. Let her know he was putting the work in to win her trust and love back.
When they said good night to each other, it took everything in him not to pull her into his arms and resume the hot as fuck kiss they had shared on the Ferris wheel. The feel of her soft lips under his, her unique scent mixing on his tongue,Jesus,her hand on his thigh, the way it tightened every time he stroked his tongue against hers.
But he didn't want to push his luck. Baby steps, easy does it. He had to look at the big picture; the end goal.
"Can I come over tomorrow morning before you leave?" He wanted to spend as much time with her as possible... hell, he would've offered to drive her to New York himself if he didn't think it would scare her off.
So here he was. Watching the love of his lifecasuallypack up her belongings. She might as well put his heart in her handbag while she was at it.
After one last check that she had her purse, Eden zipped up her small carry-on and sighed tiredly as she stood. With nothing else left to do, she rubbed her hands up and down the side of her thighs as she gave him an awkward smile.
This is it.
"So..." Eden started as she rubbed at a spot on her arm. Her eyes bounced around the room as if she was looking for something else to pack in her bag. "Uh, I should -"
Susan cleared her throat, interrupting her daughter. She had obviously picked up on the heavy tension in the room. Susan pulled her handbag over her shoulder and grabbed her car keys as they watched.
"We don't have to go right away, hon. There's still time to catch your flight. I'll give you two privacy to say goodbye." She rubbed her hand up and down Eden's back in encouragement before giving him a smile full of pity.
She patted his chest as she strolled past. "Take your time, sweetie," she murmured before opening and closing the door behind her.
The air felt thick and weighted between them. The silence was deafening as they regarded each other in the wake of Susan's hasty retreat. He had so much that he wanted to say, but at the same time, he didn't want to overwhelm her with the enormity of his feelings. Instead, he pasted on a smile as he gestured to her bags.
