Page 93 of The Kiss Countdown

We go to the bathroom, bypassing the bed, where Vincent begins filling the tub with steaming water. He’s been quiet since the car ride. Sure, he held my hand the whole way, but it’s like he’s holding himself back. As if he doesn’t fully believe I won’t up and leave again, so he needs to brace himself for impact. I need to find a way to assure him I’m right where I want to be.

He’s leaning over the tub to check the temperature with his hand when he glances back and catches me watching him. “What?”

“Is that the same shirt I spilled coffee on?”

He looks down and shrugs. “Oh yeah, I guess it is.”

“You said I ruined it.”

He ducks his head to hide a smile. It’s too small, but the room already looks brighter. Then, happy with the water, he straightens and comes to me. “I had to think of something to say to get you to my sister’s party.”

I shake my head, then drop my arms so Vincent can remove the blazer still wrapped around me. He moves on to my zipper next and peels off the jumpsuit that’s sticking to me like a second layer of skin. My bra and panties are next, and I’m left standing bare.

My skin prickles with goose bumps all over, but getting warm can wait. “Come in with me,” I say to Vincent. I don’t want to be away from him for a moment.

He gets undressed, and soon we’re both submerged in the warm water. Vincent leans against the bathtub while I sit between his legs and rest against his chest. I want to soak in this moment forever. He kisses the side of my neck, and it’s the sweetest thing to be surrounded by him.

I run my hand along his forearm. “How did the conversation with your mom go that day once I left?”

“It actually didn’t go. Once you left, so did I. I contemplated chasing you down until we worked it out, but decided to give you time instead. By the time I spoke to my mom, she’d pretty much figured out why we did the whole fake boyfriend, fake girlfriend thing. Then I told her that I love her, but her guilt trips make it hard to want to be around her. She’s been making a real effort to change these past few weeks.”

“I’m glad to hear it’s working out. So how long do I get to keep you home?”

He pauses for a beat while his body stiffens behind me. “The launch is rescheduled for three weeks from now. I have to go back to Florida in two.”

“Your mom made it sound like you were heading back tonight.”

“Did she?”

I’m not even mad at her.

The water sloshes from side to side as I change positions so we’re face-to-face. With me straddling him, my knees on either side of his hips, I interlock my fingers behind his neck and lean forward. “Okay. Two weeks. Enough time for me to move my things back in. And to introduce you to my parents. I came clean to them too, and Mom especially has been dying to meet my amazing astronaut.”

“You’ll be here when I return?”

I kiss him, trying to erase the doubt from his eyes. “I’m not going anywhere. You’re right, I was scared before. Scared of losing my mom. Scared of losing you.”

“And you’re not scared anymore?”

“Parts of me will always be afraid of the unknown, but I already know what it feels like to be without you. I hate it. I want to be with you whenever and wherever I can. So even with you being millions of miles away, I’ll be right here waiting for you to come back. Every time.” I kiss him again.

Vincent smiles against my lips. “The moon isn’t millions of miles away. Just 240,000.”

There’s the smart-ass I love.

He runs his hands along my back. “And this career isn’t forever, Mimi. It’s just what I do now.Youare my forever, and I want to build my life with you.”

“I can’t wait, Vincent. I love you.”

I press our lips together again. I want to commit the way they feel to my tactile memory so that when he’s on his mission, all I have to do is think of him to feel like he’s with me. I pull at his bottom lip with my teeth, and he groans, growing harder under me by the second.

He grips the back of my neck to bring our bodies impossibly closer. Against my chest, his heartbeat races in tandem with mine. Two weeks was too long to be away from him, and we’re both desperate to make up for lost time.

I’m on top, but he’s the one setting the pace as he licks and drags kisses along my neck. Against my skin, his voice is rough and gravelly as he says, “I need you, Mimi. I need you here with me.”

I lift my hips and sink down onto him. We are two stars merging. Becoming bigger and greater. Brighter.

He grips my hips, and we’re moving so hard and quick that water splashes over the sides of the tub, dousing the floor. It doesn’t take long before we’re both coming apart together. And when I regain my breath, I caress the nape of Vincent’s neck and lay a kiss on his shoulder.

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