Page 38 of Thick & Thin

“What are we doing?” he breathed, his hot breath rushing over my lips and making me ache to kiss him again.

“I don’t know, but I like it.”

He grinned, the dimple on his left cheek winking back at me. “Me too.”

I loved Josh.

I kind of always knew I did, but it was as if his kiss had unlocked the deeper feelings.

“What does this mean?” I asked.

I had never felt like an overly dramatic girl in my life, but at that moment, I heard it in my voice.

The worry.

The need to know and label what it was we were doing.

I hated girls who did that type of shit, yet there I was, asking Josh the same annoying question.

“I’m not sure. I just don’t want to fuck up what we have, you know?”

I nodded, agreeing that our friendship was too special to screw up. “I know.”

Again, he tucked my stray hairs behind my ear before letting his long finger slide down the side of my cheek. He had never looked at me the way he was looking at me or touched me the way he was touching me. I didn’t hate it, even if it was awkward and different.

“I say we figure it all out when we get back and things settle down. There’s no need to start something when we’re both leaving. Does that make sense?”

Again, I agreed.

“Good.” He smiled. “Until then, promise to miss me as much I’m going to miss you. I know I’m going to think about you every second of every day.”

I smiled up at him, feeling feminine and wanted for the first time ever.

“I promise.”

12

Josh

Pulling away from Jennywas harder than I expected it to be, but I was glad I moved away when I did because as soon as I did, my older sister, Genie, came crashing through my bedroom door.

“Are you ready to go, shithead?” she asked, smiling as she fell back on my bed.

“Get off my bed, Genie. I don’t want your crotch crickets infecting my sheets.”

Jenny laughed at that, and I grinned over at her, enjoying the sound of her laughter.

“Fuck you with a big one, little brother. Get your shit and let’s go. Jimmy’s waiting in the car.”

“I’ll be out in a second,” I said, hoping Genie would leave and give me and Jenny a few more minutes alone.

“Half a second,” she said as she stood from my bed and left the room.

“Well, this is it,” I said to Jenny as I grabbed my duffel from my bed.

“Yep. This is it. I guess I’ll see you soon.”

The look on her face was heartbreaking, and I couldn’t help but touch her once more. I reached up and cupped her cheek, feeling the heat of her skin against my rough palm.

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