Page 122 of Collide
The light kiss he leaves on my nose sits heavy on my chest. “These are a step up from your funeral flowers,” I say, making him chuckle. “I’m surprised you’ve never been in a relationship with all the cheesy things you say.”
“Only for you.” His earnest look has me lifting my head for a kiss. He kisses me until I’m flat on my back, still clutching the flowers. They’ll have to pry them from my lifeless hands.
Our heated kiss leads to wandering hands and heavy breathing until it’s cut short by his ringing phone. Aiden kisses me a final time before twisting to grab it off the nightstand. From the immediate smile on his face, I can tell that it’s his grandma. I move to sit up as he leans against the headboard to talk to her, eyes still dark around the edges.
It’s a short call, and when he hangs up, he asks, “Have you decided what you’re doing for break?”
The question catches me off guard, but last week, Aiden asked if I wanted to come home to Providence with him. My original plans were to spend spring break in a hotel with room service and books. I’m hesitant about Aiden’s sweet offer because meeting his family is a big deal. Especially if they’re normal and not as dysfunctional as mine.
“I don’t know.” I take a breath. “I’m nervous.”
“Summer, they already love you,” he says. “If you feel uncomfortable, we’ll leave. We can get a hotel, and I’ll take care of you all night.”
My heart swells. “As amazing as that sounds. I’m not going to make you miss time with family.”
“So, is that a yes?” he prompts.
“Yes, Aiden. Any place that made you who you are has to be the closest thing to heaven on earth.”
He grows quiet for a long second. “Shit, you’re making me blush, Preston.” He chuckles. “You’re getting spanked for that.”
“It’s a compliment! I can be romantic too.”
His pitying look is irritating. “Babe, you are not the romantic one in this relationship.”
I shrug. “I guess I can’t have too many talents.”
“I can.” He rolls me onto my back but taps his phone to text his grandma that I’ll be coming with him. Slowly, the reason I’ve been so anxious all day flutters back into my mind when he’s not distracting me. Aiden seems to notice my nervous fidgeting because he lifts my chin, forcing me to look up at him. His eyes do all the asking, and my words spill out automatically.
“My dad invited us to dinner.”
The silence that follows the statement has me on edge. “Lukas Preston wants us to come over for dinner?”
“You don’t have to say his full name every time.”
He throws me a sheepish smile. “Sorry. Habit. Are you okay with this?”
“No, but I figured if you’re there, he’ll just talk to you about hockey all night.”
“Babe, I don’t want to intrude on your time if you need to talk to your dad.”
I fiddle with my flowers. “You’re telling me you don’t want to meet a hall of famer?”
“That’s not what this is about. I’m meeting my girlfriend’s dad. How you feel is the most important to me.”
There goes that heartburn-y feeling again. “It’s fine. I only agreed because of my mom.”
He nods, though he doesn’t voice his opinion on my nonchalance. “When is it?”
“Next week.”
Two rapid blinks tell me he’s freaking out, but he masks it quickly with an impressively calm smile. The action makes my heart melt a little. “Okay. I’ll pick you up after practice. Is it at their house in Boston?”
“Something like that.” He stares at me for a better explanation, but I’d rather not discuss my parents’ extravagance. “Let’s go. It’s our first official date, and I want to soak up every minute.”
“Are you sure it’s not because you want to hurry back so I can show you what I learned from your books?”
“Definitely not.” I smile. But I file away that information to thoroughly explore later.
