Page 30 of Can We Just Be Happy Now?

She slides the makeshift bookmark between the pages and sets her book on the arm of the couch before coming back to the door and sitting on the floor to lace up her white Chuck Taylors. Her dress rides up a bit as she bends her knee to slip the shoe on, and my dick practically jumps to life.

I promised myself I’d be as patient as I needed to be with her. We might have started our relationship at the same level sexually, but she’s still over two years younger than I am, and I don’t want to push her to do something she isn’t ready for. It’s been fun getting to know her body slowly over the past month since the first time I fingered her. She hasn’t returned the favor yet, but I don’t mind. She gains confidence each time I touch her, and I love that we get to do this together.

She finishes tying her shoes–lucky for me, without catching my ogling. “Ready!” She hops up, taking her skateboard from me. The bottom of her board flashes in my direction before she tips it upright and sets it on the ground. It’s covered in stickers–most of them from Sunriver from every summer we’ve gone to Troy’s uncle’s cabin. My whole family started going with Troy every year since he moved in with us, and the past few summers Sophie has tagged along when Troy brought whoever he was dating at the time. It’s just now occurring to me why people have been so confused about it taking us so long to date. Everyone would probably say Troy is my best friend, but we are more like brothers. Sophie has always been my go-to person and probably knows more about me than anyone. I just think I wasn’t actively aware of that.

I set my board on the driveway next to hers, our feet pushing off the ground simultaneously as we glide toward the street. We make a left without discussing it, habit taking us to the park a mile away. When we were younger, the four of us had scooters, and Sophie and I got stuck with ours–even when Dean and Carter switched to skateboards–until Troy moved in and talked Mom into getting us ones too. We’ve been skating ever since, mixing and matching who we go to the park with, but more often than not it ended up being Troy, Sophie and me.

Sophie pushes hard off the ground, sending her and her board catapulting down the street, the wheels scraping against the cement, and leaving me in the dust. I laugh as I half-ass try to catch up, enjoying watching her with this new appreciation I have. She looks back, and noticing I’m so far behind, she skids her shoe against the concrete, bringing her to a stop. When I reach her, she’s standing with her hand reached out for mine, a huge grin plastered on her face. “You’re so slow,” she fake whines.

“Just admiring my view,” I say, taking her hand in mine and jerking forward slightly when she kicks off the ground intensely again. I stand both feet on my board, letting her pull me as I reach for my phone in the pocket of my shorts. By the time she realizes she’s doing the work for both of us, I have my photo app open. She looks over her shoulder, and I catch a picture in the split second she’s smiling at me–her pink sundress fluttering in the breeze–before she rolls her eyes and drops my hand. God, I’m obsessed with this girl.

We skate the next half mile to the park, stopping when we get to the path in front of the pond and the playground. She watches a family of ducks float by while standing on her board. I step off mine and walk in front of her, cutting off her view. Wrapping my arms around her waist, I pick her up as I kiss her. Her board flies out from under her, and I place her feet back on the ground but refuse to break our kiss.

When she finally pulls back, I tuck her wind-blown hair behind her ear, biting into my lip and tasting her cotton candy flavored lip gloss.

“What’s that look for?” she asks, taking a few steps to retrieve her board.

“I like that I can kiss you now.”

“We are pretty good at it.” She reaches for my hand, and I let her lead me to the swings where she commands I sit. When I do, she straddles me, not concerned at all if there’s a weight limit on this thing. The metal chains hold up, the smell of them overpowering the fir trees surrounding us. I wrap my arms around her waist, rubbing my thumbs across her lower back and gently rocking us back and forth with my heels on the wood chips. “I love us together,” she says with a soft smile before she kisses me.

“Me too.” So fucking much, I add in my head. “It’s going to suck not being at the same school anymore.”

“It’ll be okay.” Her words reassure me, but her tone removes some of the believability. “It’s not like we ever had classes together before or anything, you know?” I nod. “Are you sad to be done with football?”

“Not the football part. It’s a lot of work, and it’s not as much fun as it used to be. Plus, I’ll have the fraternity events to replace it. Mostly just hoping for the same brotherhood, and a little worried it won’t be.”

“How come? Isn’t that the point of a fraternity? To be around people who always have your back?”

“Yeah . . . they’re just established already, you know? And Troy has been there a year already so he has new friends.”

“I know it’ll be a change, but you’re the best, Coop. Confident, fearless, outgoing. There’s a reason you’re so popular–in a good way. Everyone genuinely loves you. Those guys would be silly not to immediately welcome you to their family.”

I give her a hesitant smile. “Thanks, Soph. I hope you’re right. Either way, I’ll have you. Plus, I’m going to start helping at Dad’s company.”

“You asked him?!” Her pride immediately elevates my confidence. This transition to the “real world” and the decisions that come along with it are way out of my comfort and confidence zone. I’m not naive to the fact that I had it easy in high school. My parents didn’t make me work so I could focus on football. But it’s time to step up. Mom and Dad didn’t get the life they’ve made handed to them, and I don’t want it for free either. Last week Sophie role played a conversation with my dad so I could present him with the idea. It was enough to talk me into actual follow-through.

“Yup. Thanks for helping me.”

“Anytime.” Her smile widens as she presses her hands against my chest. “Tell me about it.”

“I said everything we practiced. How I don’t want a handout. I’m willing to do whatever odd jobs he needs and learn as much as possible until I can take my real estate test and become a licensed agent. I already planned on paying the fraternity fees–if I get in–and rent, of course, but I reiterated that. I don’t want him to think I just want money to fuck around, you know? I’m going to get a job either way, but I really want it to be this.” I tend to joke around a lot, so I want him to know how serious I am about this opportunity he’s willing to give me. “He still wants me to get my degree in case I don’t love real estate for some reason, but I already know I will.”

“I know you will too. We should go to the diner for dinner to celebrate. I’ll even let you get a chocolate shake.” She presses a soft kiss to my lips, her pride transferring from her to me through the contact.

“Also.” I kiss her again, not able to resist. “He said whenever my credit and finances are ready, I can buy mine and Troy’s house from him as my first investment property. Cool, huh?”

“So cool! I’m excited for you. You’re going to be so great, and I knew your dad would agree. Plus, you can talk anyone into anything.”

“Anyone into anything?” I raise an eyebrow. The way she’s straddling me on this swing forced her dress to bunch around her waist. Thank god no one else is around. I run my hands up her thighs and rest them on her hips.

She giggles as my lips brush the skin on her neck. “Okay, maybe not anything.” She moves her hands from the swing chain to my nape, playing with the hair at my neck as she kisses me, making me forget anything else but her exists. When she pulls back, she’s more serious. “It’s okay that we haven’t had sex yet, right?” The stress emanating from her body is enough to make me dig my heels into the ground, stopping our slow swing.

“Of course it’s okay, Soph. I’d be lying if I said I don’t think about it. My girlfriend is banging and is constantly turning me on. But there’s no rush. It’ll happen when you’re ready, and then we can make up for all the time we waited.” I smirk.

“Okay.” She’s still hesitant.

“Do you not believe me?”

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