Page 67 of The One I Love
Chapter 20
Amelia
What in theworld is wrong with me?
I’m a grown-ass woman who has her house to herself. There are no kids within miles of me. Yet, why do I feel like right now I’m about to get caught with my hand in the candy jar?
The candy jar being Shane’s pants.
Why am I nervous? This is silly. This isn’t the first time Shane and I have been together. Or alone. But this is more than that.
This is the first time Shane has been in my house as my boyfriend. It’s the first time he’s been here with the intention of sex. In fact, it’s the first timeanyman has been in this house for said capacity.
And it’s freaking me out.
“You okay?”
I hurry and grab the remote to turn on the television. “Yup. Everything is fine.”
“Are yousure?”
“Of course, I’m sure.”
“I’m just saying, a lot was shared tonight. This wasn’t the boring date you asked for. It’s understandable if you want to talk more or want me to leave.”
“No, I don’t want you to leave,” I say quickly. I see out of the corner of my eye Shane is staring at me, and clearly he doesn’t buy one thing coming from my mouth. When I don’t say anything else, he grabs the remote from me and turns off the television.
“I’m going to go out on a limb here and assume that when you say ‘I’m fine’ it doesn’t mean you’re fine.”
“You’re being ridiculous.” He’s not. Not at all. That’s me. And I need to get my act together. “Want anything to drink?”
I don’t wait for Shane’s answer as I jump up from the couch and all but race to the kitchen.
“Get it together, Amelia,” I whisper to myself, trying to take deep breaths to calm myself down. “It’s just Shane. Don’t be ridiculous.”
Why am I acting like this now? I had no problem inviting Shane to come over as we drove back to Rolling Hills. I didn’t have a problem when he double-checked with me once we pulled into my driveway.
Then I sat down on the couch. And it hit me like a freight train.
I close my eyes and tilt my head back, taking a few more deep breaths when I feel Shane’s arms wrap around my stomach.
“Just admit you’re not fine.”
I chuckle as I lay my head back on his shoulder. “I want to be. It just hit me that you’re here. At my house. In a way you’ve never been.”
Shane kisses the slope of my neck before I turn around toface him. Sometimes I forget we haven’t been together that long. It’s too easy. Too effortless. Then there are the times that it smacks me in the face that this is new, and a lot of things we do together are new. This is just one of those times.
“I get it,” he says as he kisses my forehead. “How about something that will relax you?”
This man is a walking definition of the acts of service as a love language. “What do you have in—whoop!”
I don't think I’ve ever made that sound in my life. Then again, I've never been picked up under my arms and dropped onto my kitchen island without warning.
“Because of our talk, I didn’t get to eat much of my ice cream earlier.”
Shane comes in for an intense kiss that shocks me a bit. I’m just as surprised when he suddenly pulls away. “Since I didn’t get to finish my ice cream, and I’m still hungry, I thought I’d have something just as sweet.”
His mouth is back on me as he unbuttons my jeans. I lift up slightly as he starts tugging them down, even though I’m still not sure what is happening. I mean, I do. I’m just very confused. And shocked. I watch in awe as Shane throws my pants, along with my panties, to the side. When I look back at him, he’s on his knees and taking each one of my legs and placing them on his shoulders.
