Page 38 of When Ben Loved Tim
“So did you?”
“No way! Like I said, he was too young.Andmy girlfriend’s little brother. Which I explained to him. So he started talking about how we could keep it a secret.” Tim’s eyes dart to mine and away again. “I kept thinking about that,” he continues. “The offer, I mean. Like what would have happened if he was his sister’s age, and I wasn’t with her already.”
“Yeah?” I ask, feeling hopeful.
Tim searches my eyes and nods. “Yeah. And you can, by the way.”
“What?”
“You can kiss me,” he says with a dopey smile. “If you want.”
There’s no question about what I want. It’s the circumstances that concern me. “And you can break up with Krista,” I reply. “If you want.”
“Right,” he says with a sigh. “I just figured, since we’ve already gone there, that it wouldn’t make a difference. Like if she finds out that I kissed you, I don’t think she’s going to be worried about how many times it happened, you know?”
“Good point,” I say before throwing myself into his arms. I didn’t need convincing. I wanted an answer. Maybe this is it.
I don’t hold back. Neither does he. I revel in his touch as we continue mashing our lips together. His fingers move through my hair before cupping my neck. His other arm wraps around me, pulling me closer. I love how his body feels against mine. I want him to squeeze me so tight that it almost hurts. Instead he takes a step back and glances around.
“I don’t see anyone else out here,” I say after doing the same.
He lets me kiss him again, but I can tell the moment has passed. His guard has been raised again. But not entirely.
“You,” he says.
“What about me?”
Tim smirks. “You asked who I think about.”
“Really?”
“Really.” He glances around again. “Want to keep going?”
“Yes!” I say, stepping forward.
Tim laughs. “I meant on our walk.”
“I knew that,” I reply, playing it cool. “Just messing with you.”
“Uh-huh.” Tim has a spring in his step as we continue strolling. Or maybe it’s just the padded sole of the boot. “We could make a habit of this,” he suggests.
“The walking part?”
“All of it.”
I think of Krista, but she’s an easily banished ghost. “Okay,” I say, not hiding how much I like the idea. “Sign me up! So is this going to happen every night? Even on the weekends?”
“Oh,” Tim says. “I uh… actually have plans on Saturday. That party I told you about?”
“Right,” I say, snapping my fingers. “I actually havetwoparties that day. I’ll be way too busy for the likes of you.” I’ve been worried about this, figuring that Tim’s friends would expect more time with him. “What about Sunday?”
He cringes. “I have church in the morning.”
“People still do that?” I cry aghast.
“My family does,” Tim grumbles.
A Sunday afternoon is better than nothing. Until I come up with an inspired plan. “How about Friday?” I suggest. “You could stay the night at my place.”
