The Heartbreak Handshake (Clover Hill Romance Book 4) by J.R. Hart

Author:J.R. Hart [Hart, J.R.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-10-31T16:00:00+00:00

Within half an hour, the basket was mostly full. Remi had expected an hours-long date from apple picking, but actually, this had been quick and painless, the tree filled with good apples that were worth picking. They’d only had to avoid a few that had already been claimed by caterpillars or were too sunburnt to be worth enjoying.

They scooted forward a little on the branch and looked down at Paxton again. “Help me down?” The last thing they wanted was to break a leg or something getting out of this tree, but now that they were up here, they weren’t sure how to get down.

“I’ve got you.” The assurance in Paxton’s voice was strong, helpful. They watched as he placed the full bag of apples under the tree, reaching his arms up, and as they held gently onto the branch, as soon as he was ready, they threw themself forward enough to dislodge from the tree.

This should have been a good idea, but instead, they fell too fast and too hard, resulting in both of them on the ground, Paxton’s arms wrapped around their waist tightly. Paxton, for his part, laughed a little. “Sorry. I said I had you, and uh… I guess I didn’t.”

Remi smiled, trying to catch their breath. That had almost, just a little bit, knocked the wind out of them. They could only imagine how it might have hurt Paxton, the bruise that might result from landing solidly on his back, someone ending up on top of him. “Are you okay?” Paxton asked, and now, Remi could hear his breathlessness.

“I’m good,” Remi managed. “Are you?”

“Yeah.” Neither of them moved.

“Gonna be honest. This is more romantic in movies. Mostly I just can’t breathe.”

Paxton smiled. “Yeah, uh. Same.” They stayed like that for a minute, both of them trying to breathe, trying to compose themselves after the bit of pain they were feeling. “If this were a book or a movie, we’d have kissed by now.”

Remi slowly pulled themself together, lifting off of Paxton and resting up against the trunk of the tree. “Confession: I don’t like kissing.”

Paxton looked… stunned? Remi couldn’t tell exactly. “You don’t?” he asked. “Why not?”

Explaining this hadn’t been in their plans. This was a fake date. Kissing shouldn’t be coming up anyway. “I just… don’t.” Remi pondered for a moment. How to describe it? Anytime they kissed, they might as well be in outer space. “When I’m kissing someone, I just find myself wishing I was somewhere else. Or maybe not wishing? My mind is just on other things. I’ll be making out with someone, and I’m thinking about what colors of tapestry wool would look good together on a tissue box cover. Or I’m counting knitting stitches in my head wondering if I can find exactly the right number to make a king sized blanket in a new pattern I’m attempting.”

Paxton furrowed his brow. For a moment, Remi worried he was bothered, but then he shrugged and relaxed his face, moving to sit next to Remi against the tree.

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