Page 61 of Spotlight on Poppy

Poppy reached up and kissed him. It started slow, but quickly escalated. She needed this. She had felt lost for the past few days, but now that she knew what she wanted, she needed to kiss him and feel whatever it was that existed between them. And it was there. That magic pull that made her want to be as close to him as humanly possible.

She bit at his bottom lip and then slipped her tongue in his mouth. His hand fisted into her hair and pulled her slightly giving him the access he wanted to deepen the kiss. Poppy felt her need for him intensify. She pushed herself into him and he splayed his hand over the swells of her ass and pulled her into him.

He broke the kiss. "We shouldn't do this here."

"Oh, no we should totally do this here," Poppy said as she went back in to kiss him again. "Wait, I need to talk to you."

He looked down at her and cocked his head. "What's up, princess?"

"This might not be the right time or place, but I think we need to talk about what exactly is going on between us."

"Okay," he said as he took her hand and sat on the couch. He looked at her waiting for her to start.

Poppy took a deep breath. She wasn't sure why she was so nervous. She knew what she wanted. She wanted him, and he had made it pretty clear that he felt the same way. But he deserved to know why she kind of freaked out in the house the other day, and then went radio silent the next day.

"I'm not sure if you could tell, but I kind of freaked out a little after we saw the house."

Josh nodded and put his hand on her knee. It helped to ground her and she needed it in that moment.

"So, I'm just gonna get this out. You’ve known me my entire life. I never planned to live in Mystic Falls this long and I was disappointed that I was still here. I think that may be why I was so easily fooled by Damien, because he represented something to me. He represented a way out, and to me you represent the town and I'm not sure how to reconcile that."

Josh's shoulders slumped and he looked away from her. His eyes glazed over.

"Fuck. I’m messing this up. I’m scared because I’m letting go of something I always thought I wanted for something that is everything I never knew I wanted."

He looked back at her with a glimpse of hope dancing behind his eyes.

"Look, I don't know if you believe in Bridget's magic or not, but I do. And when we went into the Whitney house something felt so familiar about it." His thumb started to trace small circles on her leg. "And when I was up in the bedroom, it was like I caught this glimpse of what our life would be like. It was a clear vision of me rocking a child watching you push this perfect little girl on the swing in the backyard. It made me feel such peace and joy. And then I kind of freaked out."

He gently tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and let her continue.

"I wasn't sure I even wanted kids and I knew that I didn't want to stay. But that day with you when we were running errands, it was almost like I was falling in love with the town just as much as I was falling in love with you." She could feel the tears welling up behind her eyes, but she just let them come. She needed to get this out.

"I mean, that's not quite true, I love you way more than I love the town, but then there's that. I'm not even sure what is going on between us, it hasn't even been two months and I am so fucking in love with you, Josh. I don't even know how you feel. If you want any of this. It’s all so intense and it just feels like a lot.”

He wiped her tears away and waited for her to continue.

"So yeah, I've been kind of a mess, but I know what I want. And that's you, and whatever life we can have together. And now I'm going to need you to say something because I am flailing out here."

"Don't worry, princess, I’ll never let you flail by yourself." He gave her a reassuring kiss. "I have to apologize if my intentions for you were ever unclear. I am in, Poppy. I am all in. You are it for me. You've been it for me for years and now that I have you, I am never letting go.” he said, tenderly stroking her cheek. “I can't believe you said I love you first. Because you must know, Poppy. I love you more than anything."

At that, his mouth found hers and pulled her close. She moved to straddle him on the couch and deepened the kiss. His hand firmly grabbed her ass and pulled her into him. She moaned and he started to kiss down her neck. She ground herself against his growing erection in his jeans, it felt delicious against her through her thin pajama pants. She reached to the hem of her shirt and went to pull it off.

He stilled her hands. "Should we do this in Hannah's living room?"

No sooner had he said that, then out then a loud crash and a thud of boxes came from her room and a moan from Hannah that then got stifled.

Poppy started to laugh. "I think they are occupied, but if it would make you feel better, we can turn off the lights and get under the covers and I will be as quiet as I can." She looked up at him with innocent eyes that made his eyes flash with hunger.

"I’ll have to keep track of how noisy you are and punish you next time I get you home and you can be as loud as you want," he growled as he gave her ass a little spank.

They both got off the couch and settled down onto the makeshift bed Josh had made.

"This is surprisingly comfortable,” she said, settling herself on the makeshift bed on the floor.

"I got you, princess. I'm gonna make sure you are happy and well taken care of for the rest of your life."

Poppy waited for the panic to set in, but it didn't. She loved him and she wanted a life with him.

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