The drive back to her place was uneventful too. It mostly consisted of us arguing over which radio station was better. I claimed the country station was actually quite catchy, but she kept switching it back to some oldies one. Frankly, neither was great, but the argument had us both laughing.

When I finally pulled into Giles and Mattie’s driveway, I didn’t want the morning to be over. I figured I’d go snowboarding after I dropped her off. Since I didn’t have any lessons, it was a good time to get out and do the terrain park or some of the more advanced runs. Some of the lifties had even asked if I wanted to meet up. But when I glanced over at Frankie, I realized if she asked me to do anything—watch some silly rom-com, or walk Main Street, stop by the lodge even—I’d do it. Even if that meant being under the light of her probing questions. I wasn’t ready for my time with her to end. But I had already spent hours with her. I had no reason to ask for more.

Before she could open her door, I motioned for her to wait and dashed to her side. But by the time I reached the handle, she had already swung the door open.

“I was going to open it for you, you nut.” I smiled, looking down at her. She was still sitting, but her legs were swung halfway out the door, making our proximity tantalizingly close. On instinct, I licked my lips as I gazed down at her. Without even realizing it, I was inching closer toward her face.

She didn’t back away, and I found myself unable to resist temptation any longer. Just like muscle memory from that first night, I kissed her. It felt a hell of a lot like coming home.

Despite this being our second kiss, she moved more hesitantly this time, her mouth moving slowly over mine. It was sweet. I nipped her bottom lip and she smiled against my mouth.

After a minute, I pulled away reluctantly.

“What was that for?” she breathed.

“Because it was too hard not to.”

Instead of breezing by me, she lingered there, in the passenger seat of my car. “Oliver?”

“Hmm?” I couldn’t stop staring at her lips.

“You said…You said you might bounce around to different cities after this.”

“Right.” My head was still high from the kiss.

“Do you ever worry about it getting lonely? Living that way?” Her voice was soft.

My jaw froze for a second as my gaze drifted from her mouth to her eyes. The tendon in my neck pulsed. “No,” I said plainly, hoping she’d drop this.

Instead, she gnawed at her bottom lip. “I’m kind of lonely,” Frankie whispered. “It’s sad, but I didn’t even realize it until I came out here to stay with Mattie. Being so busy with my job meant I never noticed it, but my life was so…lacking.”

My hand squeezed the top of the door. Her words were almost physically painful. Both because I fucking hated the fact that she felt lonely, and because I hated the unwanted self-reflection her words were now causing me.