Page 146 of We Redeemed the Rain

If physical intimacy was an expression of love, the only love I’d ever received in my life was so damn screwed up. If intimacy was an offering I could give to Bea, my gift was half-gone, picked-over, already ravaged.

But Bea, by nature, was so accepting. I’d come to know her graciousness first hand. Part of me knew if I offered the love I had—as broken and scarred as it was—she would treasure it because it was mine.

The power of three words reverberated off the walls of my brain and ricocheted a shudder through my body. Never in my entire life did I think I’d be here with her, the admission of love one exhale away.

Iwantedto tell her.

But then what? She was leaving. Would we go back to long distance? Letters, texts, phone calls? The thought of her leaving made me physically ache.

Bea shifted, grunting in discomfort. Then she wriggled, lifted her hips, fished a handful of Starburst out of her pocket, and dumped the pile onto her belly. Must’ve had half a dozen or so.

“You stockin’ up for winter?”

She slapped my chest, dissolving into giggles. “Don’t judge me. I love these things.”

She plucked up a pink one, her nail scratching at the tightly folded wrapper. She popped it in and spoke with her mouth full. “Have you ever played the Starburst game?”

I shook my head with a smile. “You and your weird games.”

“They might be weird, but you have to admit, they’re entertaining. I learned this one in middle school.”

I barked a laugh at that. “Fine. What’s the Starburst game?”

“You put a Starburst in your mouth—wrapped—and you have to unwrap it in your mouth.”

“That sounds impossible.”

“It’s not!” She lifted her chin with pride. “I can do it!”

“Prove it.”

She popped one into her mouth. I watched.

Desire prickled over my body as I watched her lips close around the wrapped candy and her jaw quietly work. She darted a glance at me, giddy eagerness oozing from her expression. She squinted as she struggled then squeaked with excitement and pointed at her lips likewatch. As if my gaze wasn’t glued to her mouth already.

Felt like something was squeezing the air out of my lungs.

Suddenly she opened her mouth and pulled out the wrapper, all smug. “See? Totally possible.” She chewed her reward.

“Lemme try.” I picked out a yellow.

She wriggled with excitement again and turned to her side to face me. She let go of my hand, tucked her elbow under her head, and grabbed my hand again with her other one.

I told my eyes not to follow the hills of her body, or linger on how her shirt had bunched in the valley of her waist.

I tossed it into my mouth. Her gaze fell to my lips and the heat churning in my gut spread everywhere. Even down to my fingertips. I squeezed her hand and closed my eyes. Had to or I’d stop breathing.

I doubted she meant for this game to be sensual, but it definitely was.

My breathing was short, choppy.

Running my tongue over the candy, I finally found the corner of the wrapper and scraped it against my teeth. I worked for what seemed like years. In the darkness behind my eyelids, I felt her gaze on me. Together, our hands grew hot.

Finally, I pulled the yellow wrapper from my mouth. Lemon flavor burst over my tongue.

“I did it.” I opened my eyes, chewing.

Bea was closer. Her eyes were hooded, still trained on my lips. She raised an eyebrow, trying to hold on to her fading game face. “You know what they say about the Starburst game?”

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