Page 82 of Crash

“Because I like to buy you gifts that cost more than twenty dollars, or whatever ridiculous amount you dictate. You can’t boss me around, Thumbelina.”

I can smell the coffee. I hear her footsteps as she walks closer to me. There’s a loud clunk on the table, and a hand glides into my hair. She kisses my ear and whispers, “Open your eyes.”

When I do, I find the frothy cappuccino in front of me, and she managed to do a heart with the foam, but it’s the mug it’s in that gets my attention.

It has a selfie of us with her kissing me on the cheek. I have my hand in her hair as she kisses me. The picture is inside a heart and underneath it says ‘Vivi loves Luke’.

“Do you like it?” she asks, kissing my temple. I pull her to me, placing her on my lap. I give her a loud kiss on the mouth before taking a sip of the drink.

“I love it. Second best gift I ever got.”

She lays her head in the crook of my neck and drapes an arm across my torso. “What’s the best gift?” she asks.

“You letting me hit it raw when I got back from Arizona.”

“Oh my god. You’re such a pig,” she says, laughing.

I snort loudly, and she laughs harder.

“Seriously, I love it. You’re the best,” I tell her.

“You’ve totally changed your opinion of me. Remember you called me the worst the weekend of the wedding?”

“Opposites, suffragette. Whatever I said or did, I wanted to do the opposite. And I’m pretty sure it was you who called me the worst, not the other way around.”

This time, it’s Vivi who snorts while her head is in the crook of my neck. That’s another thing about her. She just snorted without a care in the world. She’s still sweaty from yoga and her hair is in a crazy bun, and she’s completely comfortable letting me see the real her.

She’s gorgeous in every state, but Tori wouldn’t go to the school dining hall without doing her hair and makeup. Making dinner for her at my apartment was never appreciated. She always wanted to go out, but this girl in my arms goes crazy when I cook for her.

“You know what?” I ask, running my hands over her yoga pants. “These things are like a chastity belt. How am I supposed to stick my mammoth paw in your pants if I can’t get them in?”

“Stop fondling me in the kitchen.” She pulls my hand out of her pants and does one of the things I love the most. She intertwines our fingers together, puts my hand to her mouth and kisses it repeatedly before laying in on her lap.

“Let’s go shower together,” I suggest. I take a sip of my drink and hold the mug to her lips while she sips.

“Last time we did that you got my hair all wet. Behave yourself this time.” I kiss her cheek, and we sit in the kitchen sharing a cappuccino in my new favorite mug.

Not even Sandy and Jake’s approach affects our snuggling.

“You two are sharing a mug now?” Jake asks. And to be a jerk, he ruffles my hair. I jerk out of his touch. He pulls a chair out for Sandy, and he stands next to her.

“My new favorite mug,” I declare, holding it up so they can see it. “I don’t want you two drinking out of it.” I point to him and Sandy.

Sandy rolls her eyes and Jake gives me the finger.

“I’ll drink out of any mug I want in my own house.”

“You’re just jealous because Princess here,” I say, pointing at Sandy, “never got you a mug like this.”

“They’re both jealous,” Vivi says.

“Oh, please,” Sandy says, laughing.

“Yeah, we’re so jealous.” Jake takes Sandy’s hand and shows off his and her wedding rings. “We have a marriage, a home, and a baby on the way, but you hold onto your mug, Lukey.”

“Boom,” Sandy says, pretending to drop the mic.

“If you two will excuse me, I’m going to go make mywifesome tea.” He turns his back on us and fills the tea kettle with water while Sandy looks at us smugly.

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