A Home Like Ours by Fiona Lowe (feel good books .txt) 📕

like many of the lessons she’d learned growing up, this was another she was starting to question.

She supposed that by asking her, Lachlan had technically made the first move, but she wasn’t going to let semantics stop her. She rounded the bench and stood in front of him. His warmth filled the small space and she rose on her toes, planning to reach his lips.

He slid his hands gently along her cheeks. ‘I’ve wanted to do this since I helped you put that bedhead into your garden.’

‘You have?’ Her words came out on a puff of air as anticipation softened her knees.

‘Pretty much.’

The pads of his thumbs drew circles on her skin, sending wondrous sensations of pleasure and torture skating through her. ‘So are you actually going to kiss me or do I need to take over?’

He laughed. ‘I like a woman who knows what she wants,’ he said softly, then lowered his lips onto hers.

Oh my God! There was nothing nerdy about his kiss. He didn’t rush it, taking his time and gently tracing the seam of her lips with his tongue, as if exploring rather than forcing entry. She was the one left wanting more.

She opened her mouth under his and tasted caramel, chocolate and desire, and then his arms were around her waist pulling her close and the gap between them vanished.

The world stood still. All that existed was his heat, her breath and their bodies filling each other’s dips and curves. Her hands slid under his T-shirt, pressing against smooth skin stretched over hard muscle. He groaned and returned the favour, his fingers running lightly up her spine. Stars spun in her head and every cell in her body screamed for his touch.

Breathing hard, Lachlan suddenly broke the kiss and then his hands were resting gently on her shoulders, holding her slightly away from him. Disappointment rushed in along with cool air.

‘What?’ It was the only word her fuddled brain could manage.

It took a second for his glazed eyes to focus. ‘That was amazing.’

‘It was. Why stop?’

‘Didn’t want to move too fast on a first date.’

She’d felt his body against hers and knew exactly how fast he’d moved. She narrowed her eyes at him, searching for the truth. ‘You’re terrified Helen’s going to walk in on us.’

‘You got me.’ He grinned and held out his hand. ‘Want to snuggle up on the couch and watch the rest of the movie?’

She swayed slightly, swamped by a barrage of emotions. Lachlan had arrived unannounced on a date he’d spent money on and planned so they could be alone. He’d told her she was gorgeous and sexy and kissed her until neither of them could think straight, but instead of sex, he was suggesting they cuddle on the couch. Jade didn’t know if this was amazing, devastating or something else entirely.

Flummoxed, she laced her fingers through his and followed him back to the couch.

CHAPTER

33

Helen surveyed the freshly painted walls of Bob’s open-plan living area. ‘Are you sure you’re okay with me sticking paper on the walls?’

‘If I had a problem with it, I wouldn’t have suggested it,’ he said. ‘But I can see you’re worried, so use the windows.’

‘Good idea. They’re much easier to clean.’

It was Saturday morning and Bob had suggested the four of them meet at his place. Now they were seriously searching for any information that might incriminate Andrew Tucker, the mayor and the male councillors, the library was no longer a safe space. ‘Anyone can walk past, glance in and relay information, which would put the kybosh on anything we find,’ Bob had said. ‘Plus there’s more room for Milo at my place.’

Jade was now looking sceptically at an old wooden playpen that Daisy was sniffing. ‘Are you sure this is safe, Bob?’

‘Hey, that was mine,’ Lachlan said.

‘Yeah, and look how you turned out,’ Jade said.

Helen hid a smile at the good-natured teasing. Not that she thought Jade and Lachlan had much of a chance given the obstacle of Milo, their very different upbringings and the fact she wasn’t convinced Corey Noonan was completely out of the picture. But if in the short term Jade learned there were better men out there than Corey, Helen would do whatever it took to help that along.

‘I got it out of the shed, gave it a good clean and checked all the wood,’ Bob said.

‘You did all that for Milo?’ Jade’s voice was husky.

‘And I added some padding on the corners for us. Saves bruises for the less coordinated members of the team.’ He winked at Helen.

She bristled. ‘I’m not uncoordinated.’

‘Never said you were. Lachlan’s the one sporting a bruise on his neck.’

Jade kept her head down, settling Milo into the playpen, while Lachlan shot his uncle a warning look. But Bob just grinned.

Helen wondered if she should suggest he didn’t tease them, especially as they’d only had one sort-of date and she and Bob had no idea if they were dating or just friends. Although going on the lovebite, perhaps friends with benefits.

Daisy settled next to the playpen, her head on her paws and watching Milo. Lachlan fired up his laptop and Jade sat next to him at the table and opened Bob’s.

‘Can I check my mail first?’ she asked.

Helen opened her mouth to say, ‘No, we’ve got a job to do,’ but Bob said, ‘You’ve got five minutes while I organise coffee.’

Helen was pressing butcher’s paper onto the windows when Jade squealed. Helen dropped the sheet and her hand thumped her chest. ‘What on earth?! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?’

‘Sorry.’ But Jade was grinning widely. ‘The Shepparton News read my article and they want to send a photographer to the garden.’

Lachlan shoulder-bumped her. ‘That’s awesome!’

‘And I’m starting to get claps on Medium.’

‘Claps?’ Helen asked.

‘They’re like “likes” on Facebook.’

‘Ah. Well done, you. Now will you believe me and your old English teacher that it’s an excellent article?’

Jade fiddled with her ponytail the way she always did whenever she was uncertain