Page 133 of Finding Delaware

“You’ve been drinking, Huck. Alcoholic, remember?”

A slow smile pulls at his cheeks, amusement dancing in his pupils. “I’ve only been drinking Diet Coke.”

And then his mouth is on mine, a surprised gasp leaving my throat.

My hands come up to fist his shirt, pulling him against me as his fingers tangle in my hair. Our tongues glide and sweep together, the taste of the soda on his lips secondary to his own sweet, addicting flavor. A desperate moan vibrates his chest, and I drown in it, letting it drag me under where I’d gladly be crushed by the weight of it. His palms cup my face as the kiss turns slow and lazy, our mouths molding together while I run my fingers over his chest, ribs, and back.

When we part for air, Huck leans his forehead against mine, taking a shaky breath. “I’ve been dying to kiss you for weeks.”

“Who’s fault is that?” Swallowing hard, I nuzzle our noses together. The hardness of his chest feels so good against mine, our bodies aligning perfectly. He pulls back slightly, still in myarms, and opens his mouth to speak but pauses as his nostrils flare.

“Do you,” he coughs, frowning around the bathroom, “do you smell something?”

“Huh?”

Chancing a sniff, I grimace as a burning smell assaults my senses before it dawns on me that the cigarette is no longer in my hands.

“Oh, fuck!” Smoke billows around a small burn hole in the rug at our feet, and I jump away from Huck to stomp on the butt I must have dropped when he kissed me, tugging on my hair as I gaze down at the ruined bath mat.

He doubles over in laughter at the sight. “Your fuckin’ face right now.”

“It’s your fault, asshole,” I pout, pulling him back into my arms, “you distracted me. Don’t tell Xed.”

“You drive me crazy when you do that,” he groans, nipping at my bottom lip. “Your secrets are safe with me, baby.”

Ugh. My damn heart.

Tracing a line of kisses down his throat, I pause when my mouth rests against the junction between his neck and shoulder. “Maryland?”

He’s silent for a moment. “Yeah. Four-year contract, minimum. I declared in January, so it's too late to back out.”

“That’s very far away.”

“I know.” His fingers find my chin as he tips my face up, dark eyes searching mine. “You said you meant it, calling me yours. And you’re mine, too. But whatever this is between us, I understand that it’s new. I can’t ask you to wait for me or enter into somethinglong-distance–”

I cut him off, holding up a hand. “Whoa, whoa, wait, back up. Why does it sound like you’re...” What the hell am I supposed to say?Breaking up with me?“Why does it sound like you’re ending this?”

“We don’t even know whatthisis, Taylor,” he sighs, dropping his forehead to mine again, “or ifthiswill even work. If we’ll be good together. So far, our track record sucks.”

“So you are ending it,” I state flatly, feeling like my heart just split open.

Huck pauses, pressing his warm cheek to mine, blood pulsing so hard I can feel it through his body. There’s such a long, heavy silence that I don’t think he’ll speak, but then:

“I don’t want to.” A desperate whisper across the shell of my ear, sending goosebumps over my flesh.

“Thendon’t.”I drag his mouth to mine, stealing a slow kiss. “Don’t let this end before it even starts.”

“Maybe it’s better if we do,” he murmurs against my lips. “Maybe it’ll hurt less this way.”

Deep down, I worry he’s probably right. The longer you hold onto hope, the worse it is when it shatters. But I spent all our high school years hating myself for wanting Huckslee and the last four hating myself for losing him. I can’t live like that anymore.

“No.” Pulling back, I meet his gaze. “No, I don’t believe that. Huck, we went through hell to get where we are, and I’m not letting it slip away again.”

A sad smile crosses his face. “We only just stopped fighting a week ago, Tay. Five days into a relationship is not long enough to ask someone to wait four years for you.”

“Relationship?” I grin crookedly up at him, stomach flipping, and he rolls his eyes.

“Of course, that’s the only part you catch on to.”

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