Wilder

“Don’t worry. I’ll bring you back later. You’ve never seen anything until you see the sunsets here.”

“You’ve been here,” she said, her little eyebrows drawn together.

“Yes,” I answered, keeping my hands on the wheel and off her. As the streets narrowed, I slowed to almost a crawl. A branch of pink flowers overhung the gate above us, and I quickly snagged one of the flowers, tucking it behind her ear as I brought my hand back into the Jeep.

“A lot?” she asked, her fingers tracing the outline of the flower.

“Yes.”

She rolled her eyes. “Are you going to explain yourself?”

I couldn’t stop my grin. “In about ten minutes.”

“You owe me,” she muttered.

“Anything you want,” I promised, picking up her hand and kissing the soft skin on the back of it.

When I lowered our hands to the console between us, she didn’t let go.

I knew we were on tentative ground, where our relationship had no definition, but that also meant it had no boundaries—no limits. In that moment, holding her hand in mine was everything.

I wasn’t even going to stop to examine how frightening that thought was. No. I was just going to enjoy it.

We neared the other side of the island, where we pulled off onto a dirt road that led to a large white arched gate. “I keep telling her that she needs more security than this,” I muttered as we drove straight through.

The house itself was white and fairly large by Mykonos standards, single-level until it followed the terrace of the natural landscape down the hill behind it toward the beach.

We pulled into the circular driveway, and I kissed Leah’s hand again. “I need you to know something before we go in there.”

“Okay?” she said, her eyes darting between me and the woman who had run out of the front door, her arms wide open.

“I’ve never brought another woman here.” Because no one had meant anything to me. Because I didn’t want to give the wrong impression. Because this was my haven, my safety, the one place I could get the hell off the grid, and I didn’t want some crazy ex-girlfriend knowing about it.

Because maybe…maybe I had been saving it for Leah.

She gave me a shaky smile, and I nodded before letting her go and jumping out of the Jeep.

“Honey, I’m home!” I called as a petite figure raced into my arms. She was still too damn thin, and I lifted her off her feet, spinning her in a circle.

“Put me down and let me see you!” She laughed in my ear.

I did, my smile uncontrollable. God, I’d missed her—missed everything about her, but nothing more than the way she made me feel, like I was something precious. “I look the same as I did six months ago.”

“Liar,” she accused me, her eyes a familiar shade of blue. “And who did you bring to meet me?” She took my hand and turned us to where Leah stood outside the Jeep, her knuckles white where she gripped her little backpack.

I moved toward Leah until she took my outstretched hand, her eyes wide and all the more captivating for her nervousness. “Leah, I’d like you to meet my mother. Mom, this is Eleanor Baxter, the woman in charge of keeping me on the straight and narrow this year.”

“Your mom?” Leah said softly.

“Leah!” Mom crushed Leah to her in a hug that would have crippled larger men. Then she pulled back and put her hands on either side of Leah’s face as she’d done to mine. “What a natural beauty.”

“Our boat left us behind in Istanbul and kind of sailed away with my makeup,” Leah said with a grimace.

“Well, you wouldn’t know it,” Mom reassured her. “How are your grades? What are you doing with your future?”

Leah’s eyes widened into huge pools of panic. “I’m near the top of my class at Dartmouth, majoring in international relations, and I’m applying to graduate programs once we’re back stateside.”

Mom nodded. “What do you like about my son?”

Leah’s eyes flickered toward me then back to Mom. “He’s true to his word, and his reckless streak is a little addictive.”

Mom nodded thoughtfully. “What don’t you like about my son?”

Leah relaxed, arching an eyebrow. “His reckless streak runs a little too wide.”

Mom laughed. “That is far too true.” She dropped her hands, clapping them together. “Are you two together?”

“No,” she answered.

“Yes,” I said at the same time.

Mom gave me the look, and I closed my mouth.

“Maybe,” Leah conceded. I nearly cheered. Hell, I’d take an inch as progress with her. “It’s complicated.”

Mom nodded. “It always is with Wilder men, dear. I like you. Now, let’s get you settled.”

She turned to walk into the house, and Leah just about sagged in relief.

I took her backpack and put my arm around her shoulders.

“You could have warned me,” she accused.

“And miss that? Never.” I tucked her closer to me, loving the feel of her curves against my frame.

“Did I at least pass the test?” she asked quietly.

“You passed it when he brought you here, dear,” Mom answered ahead of us, opening the door. I rushed ahead to hold it for them. “That was just for fun.”

“I see where you get it from,” Leah said with a shake of her head as we all walked inside.