Page 80 of The Chances We Take

“I’m good, thanks.” I smiled and watched her as she walked over to the freezer and pulled out the pint of huckleberry ice cream we bought at a grocery store right before arriving. It was a Montana staple, especially in these parts where there was huckleberryeverything. Huckleberry jam, huckleberry ice cream, huckleberry-flavored coffee, even huckleberry-flavored vodka.

She grabbed two spoons, like she knew from experience on our road trip here that I would probably end up wanting to steal a bite from her anyway, and handed me mine. She sat down, scooting close to me so our legs were touching, making me hyper-aware of our proximity, electricity seeming to teem inside me from the simple contact.

She piled more ice cream into her mouth, and I watched as it melted on her tongue, a tiny bit dripping out the corner of her mouth.

“You’ve got something,” I murmured, lifting my thumb to wipe the ice cream off the corner of her lip.

Her eyes met mine, wide as saucers. I could practically see the wheels turning in her head and smoke coming out of her ears as she thought of what to say.

“Th-thanks.” A rosy tint crept into her cheeks.

She was so cute when she was flustered. I peered deepinto her chocolate-brown eyes, flicking my gaze down to her full, pink lips and back up, past the constellations of freckles dotting the bridge of her nose.

She seemed to be doing the same, studying my face, but always meeting my eyes.

I couldn’t resist the urge to feel her lips against mine. Taking the ice cream carton out of her hand, I placed it on the coffee table in front of the couch, coasters be damned, and grabbed her face with both of my hands, my palms grazing the base of her cheeks.

“I want to kiss you, Is.”

“Then what’s stopping you?” were the last words she said before I crashed my lips onto hers, huckleberry ice cream invading my taste buds.

She sighed, giving me the perfect opportunity to deepen the kiss, my tongue slipping inside her mouth, dancing with hers. Isa grasped the back of my head, her fingers lacing through my hair, tugging on the strands ever so slightly.

I involuntarily let out a groan, and I felt her smile.

“What are we doing?” she whispered against my mouth. “Is this real?”

“It’s always been real. We can do whatever you want,” I murmured back. “I want you to feel comfortable.” My dick had an idea of what it wanted. I could feel it swelling, likely leaving nothing to the imagination. But I needed to hear it from her.

“What if I mess this up?” she whispered.

“Mess what up?”

She pointed between us. “This. Whatever we have.”

“There’s no way you’ll mess it up, Isa.” I ran my thumb along the apple of her cheek. “Nothing you do will make you lose me.”

“How do you know, though? What if it doesn’t work or it’s too hard? I know you said we’ve never been just friends, but what if you change your mind andIcan’t be just friends with you after all this?” She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth.

“Isa, I’ve wanted this—us—since that night in Houston. And now that I have it, I don’t want to ever let you go. You’re it for me.”

“But that night you said we were just friends.”

“I was a fucking idiot. I never should have said that. But when you agreed, I decided if me being your friend was what you needed, that’s what I would be. It didn’t matter what I was to you, as long as I still had you in my life.” I pulled her closer to my chest. “After that day, I was afraid and in denial. But now I see how I was wrong. I’ll never get that time back, but I have as much time as you’ll give me to make it up to you.” Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, I gazed into her eyes. “I want you, Isa. Tell me you want me too.” I probably sounded desperate, but I didn’t care.

She hesitated for a moment but then nodded. “I want you. I’ve wanted this for so long.”

I kissed her again, desire rising in my veins.

She repositioned herself so she was straddling me, her hands sliding up my chest until she looped her arms around my neck. Grinding her hips into me, she let out a quiet gasp.

Fuck.I wanted her. I’d wanted her for the past year and a half, but was always too scared to do anything about it.

“Bedroom,” I managed to mutter out as I slid my hands under her hips, lifting her off the couch with ease. Her legs wrapped around my middle as I carried her intothe room. I set her near the top of the bed, lowering myself onto her, albeit a bit clumsily.

Immediately, she reached down to undo the buttons on my jeans, eliciting a laugh out of me.

“What?” Her eyes shot up to mine.

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