Page 46 of The Perfect Love

I laugh. “Not quite. As you might’ve noticed, I’d rather be reading.”

“Just not reading recipes.”

“Hey, I’ll read the recipe to you if you cook it for me.”

“Sounds like a good plan for a future date.”

“There you go assuming things again,” I tease. But since I don’t want him to think I’m not interested, I quickly add, “Although if there’s food involved, I’d be hard pressed to say no.”

He laughs and looks at the spread around him. “Glad I’m still a growing boy and need all kinds of calories.”

“Thank God. It would’ve been horrible if you were one of those meatheads counting your grams of protein at every meal. Life is way too short to count calories. It sucks all the joy out of life, and being joyful and having fun is important to me right now.”

He taps his taco against mine, nodding to the spread in front of us. “I think we’re off to a good start.”

“We are.” But I’m not talking about food or even finding joy again. I’m talking about us, because no matter how slow we take this, I’m not delusional enough to believe this is anything but the beginning ofus. As scary as it is, it’s exciting, and I’m already dreaming about more.

We took our time eating, then wandered around town more. Both of us dragged our feet and tried to find any excuse not to walk back to his car. The drive back to my apartment has gone too quickly, and it takes everything inside me not to pout when I see its brick facade.

When Trevor pulls up to the curb by my building, it feels like another lifetime ago that I left it.

“Is it weird that I don’t want this to end?” I turn to him. “I’d invite you in, but—”

“No buts. We’re taking this slow. I’m good with that.” Then he opens his door and climbs out, hustling around the front of his car to open my door for me.

He holds out his hand to help me out, and I take it, smiling like a schoolgirl with a crush.

Like the perfect gentleman he’s proven himself to be, he walks me to the front porch of the building, stopping and turning to face me. He grabs my hands, holding them tightly as he looks into my eyes.

“Thanks for taking a chance on me today. This was the best day I’ve had in a long time.”

“Same,” I breathe. “Thank you for being patient with me. For still wanting to do this after the night we met. I had an amazing time with you.”

He drags his teeth over his bottom lip. “Good. Does that mean we can see each other again? Maybe soon?”

I bite back my laugh. “Definitely. But I’m planning the next date.”

His brows lift, but then he breaks into that gorgeous smile. “Sounds perfect.”

I brush my thumbs over his as that breath-stealing tension seeps in again.

There’s a tiny hitch in his breath as he unfurls our hands and cups my face, his fingers wrapping around the back of my neck as his thumbs brush my cheeks.

Kiss me.

I scream it internally. Even though I shouldn’t because it’d be moving too fast again, I want to claw at him and drag him to my lips.

I don’t, but I’m hanging on by a thread.

He rests his forehead against mine, his labored breaths tickling my lips untilfinallyhe closes the gap between us.

Sparks shoot everywhere as his lips touch mine, and I lean in, hands fisting the back of his shirt because I want him closer.

I leaped into our first kiss and was in over my head.

As much as I wanted him then, this is different.

It’s chaste but still passionate. There’s not even a whisper of his tongue against my lips and yet, I don’t need more. This is perfect. Wild, but not unhinged.

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