Page 139 of I Blame the Rival

She waves off his comment, “You were just trying to make the race interesting.”

Vector grins, stealing the green beans from his brother, “Both mom and your girlfriend didn’t think you were going to win.”

Skylar shrugs, “Neither did I.”

I lean over, tapping his shoulder, “Vector had no doubt you were going to win.”

“That’s cause he’s brilliant.”

Vector barks out a laugh, “You’re such a little asshole.”

Amber clucks her tongue, “Language.”

I laugh, watching the two brothers exchange grins over the dinner table. A lot changed since that night with Jerrell, some for the better and some for the worst.

The Thompson family packed up and left Silverwood but not before filing an assault charge against Vector. Their timing was meticulously planned so Skylar’s injuries were mostly healed and could no longer be used as evidence in the case. Vector will have to appear in court once the case comes up, but with the slow rate of the judicial system, that could take months or years, so none of us know how that is going to play out.

The positive that came out of the situation is it brought the Vin family back together. The unknown state of Vector’s future has it so every moment together is one to be appreciated and cherished. That doesn’t mean every moment is positive, I’ve witnessed more than a few showdowns between the brothers,but as a whole, the scars of the past seem to be healing and gradually fading from their everyday lives.

As for Skylar and me, well, our relationship is as stable and supportive as it always was. I had hoped that once Jerrell moved out of town, I would be able to take that final step and have sex but I couldn’t bring myself to do it.

There were a lot of tears and frustration on my end, but Skylar just kept reminding me there was no need to rush. That one day, the time would be right.

And I’m hoping that day has finally arrived.

Slipping my hand inside the pocket of my sweater, I trace the edge of the sunshine tissue to make sure it’s still there. It took me an atrocious amount of time to pick a quote that goes with my message, but Karen was kind enough to let me sift through the entire box until I found the perfect one.

Once dinner is over and we finish cleaning up, Vector has left to go hit the gym and Amber has settled down on the couch with a romance book. I introduced her to the genre a few weeks back and now she’s obsessed and I love her that much more for it.

Skylar and I escape up to his bedroom, and by the time his door is locked, his shirt is on the floor and we’re both gasping for air. His lips are back on my neck as we go stumbling towards the bed, our greedy hands pulling at clothes that have no business still being on.

“Wait. I have a surprise for you.”

Pushing against his chest, I sit up and straddle his lap. Skylar’s hands slide up my hips, casually shaping the contours of my body.

“Pretty soon my greenhouse is going to be bigger than yours.”

I laugh, “It’s not another succulent, although I really need to stop buying you those.”

“I like them. They remind me of you.”

Blushing at the compliment, I quickly pull the sunshine tissue out of my pocket. My heart starts to race as I pass it over, the anticipation and nerves mixing together in the most exhilarating way.

The sunshine tissue unfolds and I hold my breath, watching Skylar read the message I left for him.

Skylar

I’ve missed her handwriting.

I fall silent as my eyes soak in the familiar slant of her letters, the curve of her punctuation. It’s simple in a way her physical beauty is not, the dark marks on the yellow material tarnishing my soul long before I read the words she wrote for me.

Be patient with yourself, nothing in nature blooms all year.

You’ve taught me how to be patient with myself, how to love the parts not yet in bloom. It’s taken me a long time but I finally understand what the difference is now. Between having sex and actually wanting to. It’s not about the physical act itself, it’s aboutthe meaning behind it, the love between you and the person you’re doing it with.

The truth is, I don’t want to have sex with you, Skylar. I want to make love with you. I want to feel your body inside mine, the same way your heart bleeds with mine. I want to become so intertwined I don’t know where I begin and you end, sharing the same space until our souls can’t help but collide. I want all of you, Skylar Vin. And I hope you will let me give you all of me too.

When I finally look up from the sunshine tissue, hopeful green eyes are waiting for me. I stare at her, seeing the girl who stole my battered heart, stitched it back together, and gave it back to me.

---