“So I don’t lose it.”
“And?”
I chuckle. “And what?”
“Why else?” she demands.
“I like having something with me to sleep with every night.”
“Why?”
I roll over, trapping her underneath me, holding her head between my hands, rubbing my thumbs along her cheek, and her jaw. “I think you know why, Lil.”
She swallows roughly. “Tell me.”
I shake my head. “Not yet.” I move to kiss her, but she stops me with her hand over my mouth.
“Why?”
“Are you Jerry Lee? Is that your new favorite word? If that’s the case I have some more fun ones to teach you. How about ‘Parker you have the biggest?—‘”
She cuts me off, “You’re ridiculous.”
“So are you, in the best way. I’ll tell you why, I promise. When the time is right.”
“I think the time is pretty right,” she grumbles.
“Come on, let’s get up or I’ll keep you in bed all day, and you need to get back to Tulips.”
I drag myself out of the bed reluctantly, and she follows,standing on her tip toes, throwing her arms around my neck, and I can’t help doing the same around her waist. “If you don’t want to tell me because you’re afraid I’m going to leave again, I’m not.”
“I know you’re not,” I tell her. “But I told you I’m doing everything better this time around.”
“The first time was pretty great.”
“It was perfect, and this time will be even better.” I take her mouth in an intoxicating kiss that we’re both bound to get lost in if I don’t end it. She has things to unpack, a puppy to see and work to prepare for. So do I, unfortunately.
“Fine, but the bar is really high.”
“Trust me I know.”
Officially dating Lily has beeneverything I ever imagined it would be. It’s been a couple months since our first kiss, the day that everything changed. I was worried it would ruin what we had, but it’s only made it better in a lot of ways. We do the same things we’ve always done just add in more kissing. And touching.
We haven’t had sex, it would be the first time for both of us, and I know we’re both nervous about it. I want her first time to be perfect.
But the thing that’s been the hardest for me is not blurting out that I love her. Because I do, I have for our entire lives, but now I know that love isn’t entirely platonic. She’s my best friend but she’s also my first and only love.
“I want to bake some cookies,” she announces in my truck as we leave school.
“What kind?”
“Chocolate chip of course. I’m not trying to get super fancy.”
“Do you need some supervision?” I tease.
“I started onesmallfireonetime.”
I smirk, remembering the small fire. Luckily, I’ve been volunteering with the local fire station I hope to work at after we graduate and knew not to throw water on a grease fire.