Page 63 of Tutoring the Bad Boy
“Yeah, it’ll be awesome.” I pause and carefully choose my next words. Over break, there will be no reason to text Kaleb about tutoring. At least nothing that couldn’t be said in a text, but knowing I’m going to be gone during break, I want to see him before I leave. “I know you don’t like him, but could I please go find Kaleb and tell him I won’t be here? He’s pulled his grade up so much. He’s nearly acing Mrs. Yates’s class.”
My mom regards me a second and then nods, pulling me into a hug. “Yeah, I guess so.” She leans back. “You really like him, don’t you?”
I take a second to think about my answer because I’m not sure of the motivation behind the question. Does she want yes or no? I go for neutral. “It’s easier to tutor him if I don’t hate him.”
“Very diplomatic, Ginny.”
I smile and shrug. “Gray for president.”
She releases me and tips her chin toward the door. “Go tell Mr. Quinn about our change of plans for the break, and then get home so we can head out. Don’t forget to pack a swimsuit. We’ve got a hot tub to use.”
“A hot tub?” I moan thinking about soaking in the warm water. “I’ll beat you home.”
“You’re on.”
I race out of her office and go to meet Kaleb out front. When I reach him, he’s leaning against the wall, a smile fixed in place. “Hey.”
“Hey.” I nearly skip to him, even though I’m going to miss him. Maybe when I return, we won’t have to sneak around.
He wraps one arm around my waist and kisses me. “You look happy. Or happier since we talked at lunch.”
Because all we talked about was Mrs. Yates’s syllabus change. Mostly it was Kaleb trying to talk me off the edge. I do not want to act in front of anyone.
“It’s not about Mrs. Yates’s class.” I pause a beat. “I won’t be here for Christmas.”
“And that makes you happy?” His face is a blank slate, and his eyes are guarded. I don’t think he realizes how deeply affected he was by his mom’s leaving. There’s still part of him that worries he’ll be abandoned again.
“No, not that part. I think my mom is trying to hear me. She’s rented a place in Galveston, and she’s never done anything like that before. This is maybe the thing I’ve been waiting for.”
The smile slowly returns to his lips. “Oh.”
I take his face in my hands, and his eyes close. “The only thing making it awful is not seeing you during break. I’ll miss this, these eyes,” I say and press a kiss to each. “I’ll miss this smile. And these lips. And everything else about you.” I kiss each part as the punctuation on each statement and then touch my lips to the spot behind his ear that seems to be the only part of him that’s ticklish.
He laughs and jerks away. “I hate that you found that.”
“You like that I found it.”
His eyes pop open, and his gaze holds mine. “You’re the only one I want to know about it too.”
“I would hope so.” I smile and hug him around the chest, squeezing him. “I’ll miss you.”
His cheek comes to rest on the top of my head. “I’ll miss you too.”
We stand like that a few more minutes before breaking apart. “I’ll have a gift for you when I get back. I haven’t been able to find the right one yet,” I say.
“I don’t need one.” He taps my nose with his finger. “I’m perfectly happy with you. Just you.”
Oh, this boy. He makes my heart sing, my head dizzy, and my mouth run dry.
I lunge forward, taking his face in my hands again before kissing him as passionately as I’ve ever kissed him. I’m putting everything I am into it. All my wants and desires and hopes and happiness. They’re tied to him.
The thought is like a slap to the face. My world is tied to him, and when that happened, I don’t know, but it’s flashing neon in my head. I want a career and I want Kaleb, with him edging out the other by a fraction. I don’t want to let anyone down…and that includes myself.
We finally break apart when my lips are raw. I hate leaving him, but at the same time, this trip with my mom gives me some hope that it’ll help my relationship with her.
At least, that’s how I’m approaching it. I hope with all the hope I have that I’m right.
Chapter Twenty-Six
