Page 78 of Last Fall

Erasing her fears slowly was going to be hard when she felt this good. It was damned difficult to hold back when I wanted to jump headfirst into everything. But then again, work like this was a lotoffun.

* * *

By Wednesday nightZoe had taken over half my room and all of my life. Every plan now included her. I hated that she was spending the weekend at the beach and that I was on the road the whole next week. I wasn’t ready for this to end and, if I was being honest, worried that a week and a half apart would unravel all the good that happened thisweekend.

Having her asleep beside me every night was difficult to say the least but I wasn’t lying when I told her I was a jealous man. I wanted her, but I wantedall of her.I was selfishlikethat.

Every day it got easier for her and harder for me. We were close to a turning point but I didn’t want torushit.

And damn was that hard. Physically,painfullyhard.

I had my head on her stomach. The lights were off and we should have been asleep. After the game I brought home burgers and cheese fries. We stuffed our faces. I told her stories about the stupid things the guys had done that week. Welaughed.

We made out liketeenagers.

And now we were both awake when we should beexhausted.

“I don’t want to wait,” I said as I traced shapes aboveherknee.

“Waitforwhat?”

“The weekend. To meet your friends. Can I come tomorrow?” She was leaving at lunchtime to pick everyone up at the airport, and then they were driving straight to the beach house. I didn’t see a reason to wait unless it was breaking some sort of girl code. Maybe they needed time alone together and I was being an overbearing jerk, stepping ontheirtoes.

But two days wastoolong.

My head bounced as she laughed. “They will bethrilled.”

Really?I looked up. “You’resure?”

“Very,” she kept laughing. “They asked why they had to wait so long tomeetyou.”

Perfect.“Well then I should give them what they want. What time?” Did I sound too eager? I sounded tooeager.

“How about five o’clock? That should give them plenty of time to grill you before we actually grilldinner.”

I rested my chin just above her belly button. “I’m going tomissyou.”

“You’ll be there quite a bit thisweekend.”

“It won’t be the same.” I didn’t bring up the fact that by the time she dropped everyone back at the airport and went home I’dbegone.

Sheknew.

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