Jake stood at the entrance to the strawberry field, basket in one hand, watching Amelia take in the endless rows of bright red fruit stretching across the gentle hillside. The near miss in the village still lingered at the edges of his thoughts but she smiled as though nothing had happened.He smiled because she could."You're staring.""I am.""Should I be worried?""No.""You've got your thoughtful face on.""I have different faces?""You definitely do.""And this one means?""You're thinking about something you don't want to tell me."He huffed a quiet laugh."You're getting good at reading me.""I've had an excellent teacher."She reached for an empty basket and held it up triumphantly."So.""So?""What's the strategy?""For strawberries?""Obviously."Jake looked towards the rows."We walk slowly.""Mm-hmm.""We only pick the ripe ones.""Very sensible.""And we definitely don't eat more than we collect.""That sounds suspiciously aimed at Noah.""It absolutely is."She laughed.

Last Updated : 2026-08-03

The late afternoon sun poured through Amelia's living room window, bathing everything in warm amber light. Amelia had been listening to Jake's heartbeat where her head rested against his shoulder. It was steady now, nothing like the frantic rhythm she'd felt after he'd pulled her away from the electric car.She wondered if he knew how reassuring it was. Jake shifted slightly."You've gone quiet.""I was thinking.""I should be worried."She smiled against his shoulder."You've started saying that every time I think.""Experience has taught me it's safest."She laughed softly."I'm not plotting anything.""Good.""I am wondering how many questions we've asked."Jake frowned thoughtfully."I've completely lost track.""I think we're somewhere around eleven.""So we're only halfway through.""The rules are the rules."He sighed dramatically."I should have negotiated before agreeing.""You absolutely should have."She reached for another strawberry from the plate balanced on the coffee t

Last Updated : 2026-08-03

All Chapters of The Things I Can't Do To You: Chapter 31 - Chapter 32

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