Page 60 of Fall From Grace

“What will you do when you turn eighteen? What happens? Do you get to live with them until you graduate at least?”

He laughed. “They’d never make me leave if I didn’t want to.” That made me smile. “But they already know I’m planning on moving out when I turn eighteen.”

“What?” I raised in the bed. “How come you haven’t told me?”

“Because I was going to surprise you with it.”

“Surprise me…?”

“Yeah, I’m going to transfer senior year. Truthfully, I’ve already applied for the apartments in Lee County. I’m on the waiting list but since it takes a while, Janet told me I should go ahead and apply since she knew my plans on wanting to transfer schools to see you again.”

“Wait, you had this planned before you even met me again?” My heart raced.

He chuckled. “Yeah, Priss, I have.” I grabbed my chest and thought I might get all weepy. “It’s nothing to brag about right now, the apartments are in a shitty environment but it’s a start, and I’ll gladly move into a dump if it means being closer to you. I’m still going to work at the garage, Dean already promised me a job for as long as I wanted it. I won’t play football our last year and I might pick up another part-time job... So, what will it be, Grace, are you okay dating a guy with little time on his hands to please you right?”

I wiped my eyes. “You’ve got it all figured out, don’t you?”

“Are you crying?”

“Mmm.” Then I cried harder. “You keep stealing every part of me, I’m not going to have anything left… Noah, without me ever saying it, you know, right?”

“Don’t say it over the phone,” he stopped me. “I already know, Grace. I’ll tell you what you already know too, this weekend.”

“Then I’ll be waiting.”

28

Grace age 16

Noah age 17

Grace is so sexy and sensual with the little everyday things she says and does that I don’t even think she realizes what she does to me. Or maybe it’s just me and everything that I feel for her. It bleeds through every part of my life. I met her too young, what I’ve felt for her kept growing with us to the point that it’s all-consuming.

And it’s the best fucking feeling.

She’s mine, and I’m hers.

I wonder if she knows the hold she’s got on me? Surely, she does.

N.P.

Mom let me drive her car to meet Noah in the parking lot at Walmart Saturday. I wanted to make it easier for him so that he didn’t have to drive so far to see me then take me home. When his Jeep pulled in next to me, I jumped out of the car. He hurried out when he saw me standing in the rain. “Grace, what are you doing?” he asked right before I attacked him with a hug, wrapping my arms and legs around him. He held me up and laughed as I peppered his face with kisses. “It’s fucking cold, Grace.”

“I missed you, it’s been three weeks since I last saw you,” I told him.

“I’m well aware of that,” he walked to his passenger side, carrying me. “It’s not easy being with me, is it?” he asked.

I grabbed his face and whispered. “It’s super easy.” I dropped my legs and got into the Jeep as he shut the door and ran around to the other side and got in. I climbed over on top of him when he did.

“What are you doing?” His voice didn’t sound too upset with me even though he tried to play it off that he was. “I thought we were going out to eat?” he groaned. “I can’t do anything when you nibble on my ear like that.” He finally grabbed my hips and pulled me onto his lap the rest of the way. “I give up,” he murmured, stealing my lips. I sighed happily into his mouth.

When our kiss broke, I looked over in the seat. “Whoops, I forgot that my boots were wet.” I sniggered as he wiped off the seat with his hand before I sat back in it and buckled up.

“How about we order some takeout and eat in the Jeep so that we don’t have to deal with the public?” he asked me as he pulled out of Walmart’s parking lot.

I grinned. “Sounds like a wiener to me.” He shook his head in laughter.

Thirty minutes later, we were sharing a full rack of BBQ ribs and other messy foods that you shouldn’t try to eat in a vehicle. We set the food between us as if his console and gear shift were a table. I had my boots off with one leg underneath me as I sucked the BBQ off my fingers. I watched the rain beat down on the fogged windows before smiling toward Noah. “This is strangely romantic,” I whispered.

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