Page 58 of Tell Me Again

He shrugs and shakes his head. Then his hand releases mine, and he caresses slowly up from my wrist to just below my elbow. God, that’s good too. There’s a shiver that runs all the way down into my toes.

“You may be underestimating the amount of sheer dumb luck I’ve had today and also how incredibly sexy and distracting you are, especially—god, especially with your sleeves rolled up like this. Fuck, Josh, you’re just...” He straightens up and pulls his hand away, but there’s this intensity to his eyes now as they linger on where he was just touching me.

He shakes his head again and then lifts his gaze to mine. It’s still intense, and he moves slowly and questioningly as he brings his hand up to touch my cheek.

“Fucking adorably sexy.”

***

“Come back to my place? Fuck, I mean—okay, that came out wrong. But, uh, will you?”

I’m grinning like an idiot, I think. He just finished beating me in our fourth straight game, and his arm’s now around my shoulders as we walk out of the bowling alley together toward Brenna’s car. I’m not sure anything has ever felt so right to me before.

I am still fighting my anxiety, especially now, as we walk outside, so close together—so obviously together—for everyone to see. It’s terrifying and scary, being with Coop like this. But at the same time, there’s also this huge relief, like I’m letting go of this massive weight that’s been sitting on my shoulders for so long. It’s almost overwhelming. Again.

“I’d love that. Absolutely.”

“Good, good.”

His arm tightens around me, and I let myself lean against him as we walk the rest of the way in silence. When we get to Brenna’s car, he stops next to me and hesitates.

“Um, I really, really want to kiss you right now,” he admits, his voice low and deep.

My heart quickens at the thought, because god, I really want him to kiss me right now too. I step in front of him, and his arms shift to wrap low around my waist as though it’s the most natural thing in the world. And he’s got this ridiculously hopeful expression in his eyes and smile and...

“God, you’re so . . .”

He arches his eyebrows. “I’m so . . . ?”

Gorgeous. Sexy. Irresistible. And also kind and compassionate and funny and genuine. All the things, really. All the reasons I’d fallen in love with him so many years ago. Today had only confirmed what I already knew—that he’s still warm and caring and thoughtful and that I’m still completely in love with him.

I should probably say this to him, but I can’t quite yet. At least, not here, standing in the middle of the parking lot. So instead, I just shake my head and let my hands drift up to rest on his chest. His eyes are sparkling and bright, and he rubs one hand low along my back, which makes my heart stutter and some indistinct sound escape my lips. I close my eyes and feel him lean in and brush a gentle kiss on my forehead.

“More... later?” he asks quietly, and I nod. “Good.”

We pull apart—reluctantly—and his hand lingers on my back as I unlock Brenna’s car and open the door. Then I turn around to face him again, and he looks so hopeful still that I just can’t resist. Yeah, we’re in a parking lot, in public, in broad daylight. And yeah, there’s traffic driving by on the road. And god, another car just pulled into the lot. But something about being with him now makes me feel so incredibly safe, like I’ve got an extra layer of armor surrounding me, protecting me from all the negative shit I’ve been running and hiding from my whole life.

So I stop hesitating, and I stretch up and kiss him. Just a light, brief kiss that I feel him smile into.

He hums a quiet breath and rests his forehead against mine. “Mmm, that’s... good. That’s good.”

It was. It is. God, it all is.

“More later,” I say, echoing his words. And it’s a promise I really, really can’t wait to keep.

He grins as we both straighten up, and something about it makes my heart so happy. I try not to let myself be overwhelmed, but there are so many emotions I’m feeling right now that it’s really difficult.

He clears his throat. “So, uh, coffee at my place, then?”

“Yeah. I’ll follow you over?”

“Perfect.”

Thankfully, it’s a short drive. I say thankfully because even though it’s short, it’s time we’re not together, and after spending two hours bowling—with all those touches and kisses and everything—the ten minutes we’re apart makes me long for his arms again.

I pull Brenna’s car up alongside his, and we both get out just as a huge gust of wind blows through, rattling the screen door. There are some dark-looking clouds off in the distance, and I wonder if there’s supposed to be a storm. I haven’t really been paying much attention to the weather lately.

Both of us jog together toward the house, and Coop unlocks the door and holds it open for me. I step inside, and the instant I hear the door close behind me, his arms wrap around my waist, and he pulls me to him, my back flush against his chest.

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