I didn’t think about what this could mean, didn’t think about anything else. All that mattered was that we both wanted this, and that spurred me to deepen the kiss, because I could this time.
“You taste sweet and fruity,” I murmured against his mouth, my eyes still closed.
“Not complaining about that, are you?”
“No way.” My lips found his again. Even when the song changed, even when everyone around us began to dance full-out again, neither of us were in a hurry to let go, and there was no reason to.
My forehead brushed his, my breath uneven, and I held on to him, my lifeline.
The one good decision I’d made in far too long.
16
BECKETT
THE PARTY LASTED into the early hours of the morning, no one ready to leave the blast from the past until every song from 1991 was played.
Not sure that was an overstatement, either. I’d danced more than I had in…well, ever. My clothes were sticking to me, Sawyer’s cheeks were red, which meant mine probably looked the same, and our glow sticks had begun to fade.
At some point when we’d been saying goodbye to his moms for the fifth time, Sawyer’s hand had found mine and never left, and that was where it stayed as we made our way back to the cabin. Neither of us said anything about it, but we didn’t have to.
“Oh, that feels so good,” Sawyer said, sucking in a deep lungful of air and turning his face toward the wind. It was cold out, but it was refreshing after the long night.
Our footsteps crunched softly along the path back to the cabin, the solar lights illuminating our way glowing warm, and for a while we just walked, fingers laced, shoulders occasionally bumping.
“So. You survived,” he said.
“So did you.”
“I can’t believe you know all those dances.” He glanced over at me, eyes twinkling. “The Tootsie Roll? Really, Becks?”
“I don’t know where that came from.”
“Well, wherever it was, consider me impressed.”
His shoulder brushed against mine again as we walked, and I felt it: that awareness of him that was getting increasingly hard to avoid. And so was the fact that we’d kissed, again, and now were heading back to the cabin…alone.
“Wow, look at that.” The trees that had been blocking out the sky opened up, and I followed Sawyer’s gaze. The moon was bright and full, reflecting off the lake in a way that made it seem closer than usual.
We both came to a stop, staring up at it, the cold breeze sending a shiver through me I could barely feel.
At least, that was why I assumed I was shivering. Couldn’t possibly be from being so close to Sawyer and holding back.
He looked at me, catching me staring at him and not the sky, and that was when I felt it—the moment we’d been building toward all night.
I tugged him toward me, and he came, easily, facing me and wetting his lips.
“Hey,” he said, his voice quieter now.
“Hey.”
He took a step closer, and I made my move. I cupped his jaw, his face warm against my fingers, and brushed my mouth over the top of his—softly, giving him an out if he didn’t want this.
But Sawyer leaned in, chasing my lips, letting go of my hand to slide both of his up my chest.
There was nothing tentative in this kiss, not this time, not when I swept my tongue inside the interior of his mouth and he let out a moan.
It only spurred me on; I slid my hand to his waist to pull him in closer, devouring his mouth with everything I’d been holding back.