“I love you, too, Coby.” I’d said those exact words more times than I could count, but never had they felt the way they did today. The nervous flutter of uncontainable love flowed through me, pulsing in my veins. The high was exquisite, and somehow, I was certain it was one I’d never come down from.

Coby and I had navigated this relationship for twenty-two years, and it had always just been. There were never any questions, and it was always flawlessly natural, but something about hearing those three words in the context of a lover versus my best friend had me floating. I had no idea how either of us had missed our souls connecting, but maybe it had happened so long ago that they’d never been lost without each other.

My heart had always beat for Coby Kyler, and there was no doubt in my mind it always would. And as amazing as it would be to ride out this wave of nirvana, there were still some things we hadn’t dealt with. Which he guessed the moment I pulled my smiling face away from his.

He eyed me suspiciously. “I knew this had gone too well. What’s still on your mind?” His tone was playful and teasing.

“I need to make sure you believe me. You didn’t see what you thought you did last night, Coby.”

“With Gage?”

I nodded. “He leaned in to kiss my cheek just as you opened the door.”

“It doesn’t matter, Ellie.”

“But it matters to me. Gage is a great friend. He didn’t cross some invisible line you had drawn in the sand when you puffed your chest out and peed on my leg without telling anyone.”

He shook his head just before he started to speak. “If he were such a great friend, he wouldn’t have taken that step with you, E.T. I understand I never told him how I felt about you, but that doesn’t matter. It’s guy code—you were off limits.”

“Stop. Please. That’s what I’m trying to tell you. Gage took me to a really nice restaurant, but before we even got out of his truck, he told me there would never be another date. He didn’t touch me other than to escort me into the building. And after we left there, he took me to his Granny’s land to tell me what a mistake you and I were making by denying that there’s more between us. Gage convinced me to tell you how I feel.”

His jaw dropped just slightly, and the bewilderment shone brightly on his face.

“Gage Nix helped me see that never experiencing what we could be was risking far more than the chance we were taking with our friendship. He knows you love me. He fought for you—for us.”

“Then why did he kiss you?” His brow furrowed, causing his eyes to narrow. The step he’d taken backward further illustrated his frustration and inability to understand.

“Don’t pull away.” I tugged on his hands, keeping him close. “I know he tried to talk to you last night—he told me this morning that he sent you texts and left voicemails. Have you read any of those?”

“I don’t owe him anything.”

“No, but if you would’ve answered one message, or read one text, you would’ve known the truth then. And maybe you wouldn’t have felt the need to drink so much.”

“I saw him kiss you, Ellie. My eyes may be messed up, but I know what I saw.”

“It wasn’t intentional—I swear.”

He gave me a look that said he wasn’t buying it, and I rolled my eyes.

“At least not the way it happened. Gage leaned in to kiss my cheek when you jerked the door open. It startled me, and I turned toward you—that’s when it happened. But it was platonic. Please don’t think it was anything different. That misconception doesn’t need to linger in the back of your mind.”

Coby didn’t bother responding with words; instead, he showed me with actions that he wouldn’t let whatever had or hadn’t happened with Gage stand in his way. He dropped my hands in favor of grabbing my hips to pull me closer to him, and sealed his lips to mine in a deep, passionate kiss that made my toes curl. I fisted one hand in his shirt, slid the other around his neck, and roamed my fingers through his overgrown hair.

With each swipe of his tongue with mine, I lost a little more of my grip on reality, falling prey to the world where only the two of us existed.

Before I knew what was going on, Coby lifted me, and my legs instinctively wrapped around his waist as he moved. Down the hall, his long legs strolled toward the master bedroom—his bedroom. And when he laid me down on the bed, he stopped just long enough to lose his clothing. Seeing Coby in nothing but the skin God gave him, my heart flipped and butterflies launched in my stomach that produced a smile so wide it made my cheeks hurt. Everything about him was perfectly flawless from the way his muscles flexed in his chest to the deep V etched in his waistline, all the way up to his soft-brown eyes that radiated with love. I took his extended hand and stood. He studied my face as his fingers found the hem of my shirt and lifted it over my head. And then he tucked his thumbs into the waistband of my shorts, removing them and my panties in one movement. He swept me back into his embrace, and I laughed when we bounced on the bed.

My giggles silenced when Coby’s eyes met mine. I’d never seen him look at me the way he did at that moment. It was almost hungry, hedonistic, as though he’d waited his entire life to share this moment with me. Even though we’d shared it twice before, this time was different. His fingers swept my auburn hair from my face, and his eyes closed as he leaned down to touch my lips with his. It was tender and slow and it sent emotions through my entire body.

He tipped his forehead to mine as he settled between my legs, keeping his weight off me by propping himself up on his forearms. Without opening his eyes, he whispered, “I love you, Ellie.”

I gasped when he entered me, unable to respond. My back arched, my chest thrusting upward, and my thighs fell open like the wings of a butterfly. Everything about this was different from the last two times. Coby made love to me, finally expressing what both of our souls had known for so long yet our minds had been unwilling to accept. There was nothing left separating us, no outside influence, no denial of what we were to each other, no refusal to embrace what nature had destined us to be…just Coby and Ellie.

He peppered kisses along my neck as he rolled his hips in time with mine. Nipping at my skin, gently teasing me with his teeth. My pulse raced and my heart thumped. My insides burned with desire, longing to get as close to him as possible. I’d never felt anything more sublime. As I began to peak, I desperately tried to keep the rush at bay, not wanting the moment to end. But it dawned on me, this was just the beginning. This wasn’t a one-time thing where we were both exploring, this wasn’t a sleep-induced mishap…this was the start of an affair with Coby that would stand the test of time. And when this ended, we had our entire lives to keep doing it—to perfect the way we showed each other adoration and devotion.

Coby could tell I was close. “Let go, E.T.”

And just like I always had where Coby was concerned, I came home. Calling out his name, I gasped for breath as every cell in my body soared with pleasure, my mind going blank while Coby brought me the greatest pleasure I’d ever known.

He followed shortly afterward, and watching the expression on his face as I saw him experience what I just had, filled me with love and pride. This man belonged to me, and I to him. He rolled to the side, taking my body with his as he pulled out. The sated glow in his eyes kept my high going. The tender way he kissed my lips left me never wanting to leave the comfort of this sanctuary.

I stroked his jaw with my fingers and smiled subtly before admitting, “I’m so glad we never shared this with anyone else.” My cheeks flushed with heat when I realized what I’d said. But while my mind wanted to be embarrassed, my heart wouldn’t allow it.

“Me too.”

Unlike the times before, we didn’t fall asleep tangled in each other’s embrace, and there was nothing awkward about being exactly where we were—completely exposed, both literally and emotionally. We began to talk while our fingers caressed exposed skin and learned the details of our bodies. I allowed my eyes to close, not from exhaustion but just to enjoy his touch and the feel of Coby near me.

“Ellie?”

His voice was soft as though he was afraid he might wake someone. I loved how deep and almost scratchy his words became when he spoke in a hushed tone. It was raspy and husky…and likely the sexiest sound I’d ever heard.

I opened my eyes to see his gorgeous browns staring back at me. “Yeah?”

“You’re never sleeping anywhere but next to me again, understood?” It wasn’t so much a question as a statement he needed to make sure I understood.

“I hadn’t really thought about it.”

“Well, think about it.” He situated himself above me, forcing me to my back. “I don’t want you having your own room or going to bed alone. You should be by my side every night. I didn’t know what I was doing as it was happening, but I saved myself for you, and now that I have you, I refuse to let go.” His lips split into a teasing grin. “I realize my bed isn’t a board floating in the ocean, but there’s enough room on it for the both of us all the same. When I say I’ll never let go, I mean it. Unlike that bitch from your period movie.”

I laughed and tried to shove him away, knowing he was making fun of me without being cruel. But he refused to budge, only wagging his brows before dipping to place a kiss on my nose.

While I hadn’t thought about it, I certainly wasn’t opposed to the idea. But giving in without a little bit of a struggle just wouldn’t be me. “But your room is so masculine. We could be like those TV couples in the fifties and sixties who have separate beds. Although, I’m not sure how they ever had kids sleeping alone on twin mattresses with a nightstand between them.” I pretended to ponder that thought while Coby’s chest began to heave in frustration.

“You can redecorate.”

“What about the closet?”

“What about it?”

“Won’t your clothes get offended by the presence of my clearance-rack bargains?” I teased him with the same words he’d used so often to describe my wardrobe.

His eyes dropped to my chest, and he spoke to my breasts instead of my face. “How about a no-clothing rule in this room?”

“What are you staring at?” I was confused by the dazed and goofy grin on his face.

“Your boobs are perfect. I love the color of your nipples and the way they feel in my hands.”

“What?” I almost shrieked the word, but my surprise was stifled by the laughter that came with it. “What are you talking about?”

“You. I’m just staring at you and thinking about how gorgeous you are and realizing nothing ever worked with other women because they weren’t you. Their eyes weren’t the right color, their nipples weren’t this sexy shade of pink, they didn’t have a butt and thighs to grab onto.”

“You’re delusional, Coby.” I appreciated the sentiment, but I wasn’t blind. None of my assets were comparable to the women who flocked to the guys on Coby’s team.

“Nope, just hopelessly in love with you. All the pieces are falling into place, and as they do, each one hits me like a bolt of lightning.”

I shook my head in disbelief.

“But back to the closet situation, we can have it customized with sliding doors to hide your basement bargains.”

“That’s rude. My hangers take offense.”

“It’s not the hangers that you got on sale.”

I knew he was playing; Coby didn’t care about my clothing any more than I did. “There’s nothing wrong with saving money and living on a budget, Mr. Kyler.”

He poked me playfully in the side and said, “Except there’s no reason for you to. We have more money than we could ever spend. You don’t have to shop in the clearance section of Dollar General.”

I felt him harden between my legs, and the quirky grin he gave me as his erection teased my center made me want to drop the conversation in favor of intimacy, but Coby wasn’t giving up, and neither was I.

“You may have more money than you can spend, but I, however, am a teacher at a private school where the benefits outweigh the salary. So, your clothes can either learn to mingle with the working class or live a life of solitude.”

“Fine. I’ll clear out one side. What other bogus objection are you going to throw my way?”

“Can we get a dog?”

“Where do you come up with this stuff? You talk about me being random.”

“Or maybe a cat?” I tapped my chin as though in deep thought.

“We can get one of each if that resolves the issue.”

He slid his length between my slit, caressing me, testing me, hoping my desire for him physically would override my objections. I moaned with desire, trying to maneuver my way to what I craved most.

Coby was aware of what I was doing and played hard to get. “Uh-uh. Not until you agree.”

“You want this, too.” Just as I positioned myself to be able to use my heels to push him in, he backed away.

“I promise I can wait. How long can you hold out?”

I was punishing us both unnecessarily, just because I could and toying with Coby was fun, but sex had never been at stake when I’d manipulated him to get my way in the past.

My lips met his in one final attempt to silence his demands, and he allowed me to lead, but he held firm on keeping me at bay below the waist. Every time our tongues touched, I wanted more, until the point I finally relinquished my position.

Breathlessly, I tore my mouth from his and settled my heels on his firm rear end. “Fine.” It was more of a moan than a word, but Coby heard it loud and clear. And when I pulled him to me with my feet, he sank all the way in, once again taking away my breath in ecstasy.

“God, you feel good.” The murmured words tickled my ear and riled my heart.

I’d enjoyed sex with Coby the first two times it had happened, but it hadn’t been the earth-shattering experiences today’s encounters had brought. He hit every spot just right, took his time, and made sure this rendezvous was better than the last. The funny thing was, even though every sexual experience had been vastly different, they’d each been unique and special in their own way.

“Coby…” I begged for the release only he could provide. “Please.” I moaned the word in his ear. And with one final thrust, he sent me over the edge. My teeth dug into his shoulder and my nails into the skin of his back, and I flew into sensual bliss as though I had wings.

He collapsed on the bed next to me, both of us completely spent and virtually spread-eagle on his king-size bed. I watched his chest rise and fall until his breathing returned to normal and a goofy smile spread across my face. He then rolled out of bed and made his way to the bathroom. My eyes never left his butt—I admired the way it flexed with each step he took. When he disappeared behind the door, I took the time to sit up and pull my pajamas back on.

“Why’d you get dressed?” He startled me with the abrupt question, and I giggled when I turned to see him staring at me with a confused look on his face and his penis dangling in front of him. I wasn’t accustomed to seeing him act so comfortable naked, but he’d settled into the role like he was born for it.

“I’m starving. I didn’t think cooking nude would be such a great idea.”

He wandered up to me, securing my hips in his hands when he reached me. “Let me take you out…on a date. I want to do all the things with you I’ve never been able to with a girlfriend.” He left out the part about having never had a girlfriend, but I didn’t mention that. “We can go anywhere your little heart desires. I’ll even go to the front door and ring the bell to make it more authentic.”

I laughed. “So are we going to pretend like you don’t live with your girlfriend who you’ve never taken out?”

“Well, when you put it that way, it’s not nearly as romantic as it was in my head.”

“I’m just playing, Coby. It was very sweet.”

“Anything for you, my precious little rosebud.” He pecked my lips before smacking my behind. “Get dressed, and we’ll go to dinner.”

I didn’t argue. My insides fluttered with nervous anticipation of what dating Coby would be like. I couldn’t wait for our first date and bounced out of the room to shower and change.

* * *

Coby had seen me dressed up a handful of times, but he was usually traveling when Ryan and I had gone out because I tried to spend time with Coby when he was home—usually on the couch in comfy clothes, no makeup, and my hair in a messy knot on top of my head. But tonight, when I came into the living room, his mouth dropped just slightly, and the stunned expression melted my heart.

“Jesus, E.T., you’re gorgeous.”

The heat of embarrassment crept up my cheeks, but the moment he kissed my lips in a short exchange, those feelings floated away. “You’re not too bad yourself.”

In the last few weeks, my mind had started to allow me to see Coby in a light I never had before. Things I’d taken for granted in the past suddenly drew me to him like a moth to a flame. I couldn’t get over how stunning his eyes were, and truth be told, his forearms made me weak in the knees. Coby was swoon-worthy hot, and for the life of me, I couldn’t figure out why it had taken me so long to see it, and why another woman hadn’t snatched him up while I was blind.

He grabbed his keys off the counter and took my hand in his. I let go to walk to my side of the car, but he followed, attempting to open my door for me. We both reached for the handle, bumping into each other in an awkward exchange. Withdrawing my hand, I allowed him to help me in. The conversation to the restaurant centered on the same crap it always did—who the Titans were playing, Gage, school, and our parents.

It hit me like a ton of bricks. “Oh my God, Coby—what are we going to tell our parents?”

He wrapped his fingers around mine on the console and glanced at me briefly before returning his gaze to the road. “Whatever you think we should.”

“Is it wrong if we keep this just between us for a little while?” I uttered the words hesitantly. I didn’t want him to think I was hiding our feelings. “I just that our relationship has always been on display. Since we were kids, people were always telling us who we were together, and then as we got older, everyone assumed they knew. I kind of like the idea of the two of us sharing a secret no one else is in on.”

His hand squeezed mine. “If that’s what makes you happy, that’s fine with me.”

Regardless of what anyone says, the word “fine” means the same thing coming from a man that it does a woman…and it’s anything but fine.

“Just for a few weeks. Let’s see how everything goes. Give ourselves time to get used to being an us in a different sense than we always have been before letting anyone else in.”

The corners of his mouth turned slightly down, and I could tell he was disappointed. “So how long are you thinking? Thanksgiving isn’t that far off. They’re going to figure it out when we go home. I wasn’t kidding when I said you weren’t sleeping anywhere but next to me.”

“Coby, we’ve shared a bed hundreds of times before. That wouldn’t be anything unusual. But, I was thinking more like Christmas.”

The muscles in his jaw flexed in irritation; nevertheless, I had no doubt he’d give me this. Not because it was what I’d asked for, but we both knew it was what our parents had dreamed of our entire lives. Giving them a glimpse of it only to snatch it away could be damaging to all the relationships involved. And regardless of whether it was what he wanted to do or not, he would do what was best for everyone.

“You’re probably right. But make no mistake, I will steal every opportunity for secret moments with you while we’re home…even if it means we’re in the back seat of my car in a parking lot.”

“Deal.”

He parked, and I hopped out as he rounded the corner. I wasn’t sure what to do with this Coby. I appreciated the courteous gestures, but they were odd in our relationship. I tried to shake off the feeling of discomfort, realizing it would take time to adjust to the changes in our relationship.

He held my hand as we entered the building and then all the way to our table where he pulled out my chair. I smiled at him when I sat down and noticed he appeared just as awkward as I felt. When he asked what I was going to order, he wasn’t satisfied with my answer.

“Get whatever you’d like, Ellie. It’s my treat.” Something about that didn’t sit right with me. It wasn’t that he offered to pay for dinner so much as we’d never talked about a bill before, and he’d never questioned my decisions—especially not about what I chose to eat.

Once I convinced him of my selection, he placed our orders with the waitress, not allowing me to speak for myself. And in some weird way, he ran over me in the conversation. Everything about it was so different from anything I’d ever witnessed from Coby, and I didn’t have a clue how to respond other than grin and bear it. I wasn’t sure if it was nerves or if he had an alternate personality I’d never managed to meet in twenty-two years.

By the time we got back home, all I wanted to do was change clothes and go to bed. The evening had been exhausting trying to play a role for a part I hadn’t auditioned for. There was no way I could endure the strain, and our relationship couldn’t handle it, either.

Flicking on the light in my bedroom, I kicked off my heels next to the door. Coby appeared in the doorway with a huge smile on his face and anticipation in his eyes. I tried to mask my frustration, but I yanked on my dresser drawer a little too forcefully, and the second I realized he’d witnessed my agitation, I took two steps back and sat on the bed in a huff. Before my hands could reach my face, I started to cry.

“Ellie, baby, what’s wrong?” I nearly swooned at the sound of hearing the term of endearment come from his mouth, but all I could think of was screwing this up and losing my best friend.

He raced to my side and pulled me into his lap the way he’d done countless times over the course of our lives. I let him curl my body into his chest and allowed the tears to fall. My arms slipped around his waist, and I held on for dear life. He ran his hand over my hair and kept me close until the emotion subsided.

“What’s going on?” His words were soft and comforting, the way they’d been for as long as I could remember. “Talk to me,” he whispered into my ear.

With no way to eloquently say what I was feeling, I vomited the words, accumulating bile in my mouth. “I hated every minute of tonight. It was forced and not…us. Coby, I want this, I want it so badly, but not at the expense of our friendship.”

“Hey, what are you talking about? So tonight wasn’t perfect. We’ve never done this version of us before. There’s going to be bumps in the road.”

“But not these kinds of bumps.” I hiccupped. “I can deal with the kind life throws at us unexpectedly—we know how to be Coby and Ellie.”

He laughed, but I felt like I had missed something. His fingers found my chin and lifted it so my eyes met his gaze. “I was just trying to impress you. I’m sorry.”

“Coby, you don’t need to impress me. I know all your dirty secrets, all your weird quirks, everything about you. The only thing that needs to change is me sleeping in your bed and someday taking your last name.” That last part had slipped out unexpectedly. “Crap. I’m just adding to the complication.”

“How? By admitting you dream of being my wife? Do you think I haven’t thought about that a hundred times in the last few weeks?” He shifted me on his lap, forcing me to straddle his waist and face him. He held my cheeks in his hands and confessed, “You will wear my ring at some point. And we will figure this out. But there is no way in hell I’m letting you back out of this.”

“Just be you. I don’t need you to throw money at me or show me how alpha you can be. My best friend with a side of romance that’s uniquely us will be perfect. I want to watch movies wrapped up in each other and eat pizza after we have sex and make fun of Gage when he’s around. And then, at the end of the day, I want you to make love to me before I fall asleep on your shoulder, believing with every ounce of me that nothing in the world will ever penetrate the fortress you have surrounding me.”

He placed a soft kiss on my lips before pulling back. “Then that’s what you’ll get. An intimate version of us.”

I nodded, unsure of what else to say. I knew Coby well enough to know that he’d do everything in his power to give me what I’d asked for.

“Why don’t you get your pajamas on and come to our room? We can watch an old movie in bed.”

I climbed out of his lap to do as he requested, and he got up to leave the room. Stopping in the doorway, he turned around. “Hey, Ellie?”

I met his stare with puffy eyes.

“I love you. I’ll do anything to make you happy.” He tapped his palm on the doorframe, but just as he took a step, I stood and moved toward him.

I placed my hand on his chest to stop him and lifted my index finger. “You’re my entire world, Coby. I love you, too.” I waited until he matched my gesture, and then let him go.

* * *

Coby delivered on his promise. We watched Some Kind of Wonderful at my request because it seemed so apropos. Coby laughed at me when Keith admitted how much he loved Watts and I cried, and then I shed tears again when he gave her the diamond earrings. Eric Stolz rocked my world in this role from the first time I’d ever seen it. Looking back now, I wondered if my infatuation was my heart trying to tell me that my Keith had been right beside me all my life. But that was just the romantic in me.

I fell asleep to his fingers stroking my hip and his heartbeat beneath my ear. When I woke up, he turned into me, securing me in his arms locked tight behind my back. A smile broke out on my face as I watched him sleep, barely able to move in his death grip. I couldn’t help my desperate need to reach up to kiss the lips I hoped to get to kiss every day for the rest of my life.

He stirred when I couldn’t let go with just a simple peck, and he opened his mouth to allow me entrance without opening his eyes. I’d never been overly sexual—I’d fooled around with Ryan, yet I didn’t have that drive Melinda had—but maybe it was just because I had been with the wrong person. Now, with Coby, in a matter of less than thirty-six hours, all I could think of was stripping him bare and staying that way until I couldn’t move.

It took all of about thirty seconds for Coby to join me in that thought process and press his hardened length against my thigh. “Ellie Teller, when did you become so insatiable?” He murmured the sentiment against my lips through a smile.

“Are you complaining?” I gave him a coy grin.

“Hell no. You can take me anytime, anywhere. I don’t even care if we have an audience.”

I didn’t need any further encouragement. While I ripped my clothes off, Coby pushed his own shorts down and lost them beneath the blankets. The moment he settled onto his back, I tossed my leg over his hips and hovered over him on my knees. I’d never done this, but luckily, neither had Coby, so my insecurity was lost when I sank down on his length. The way his eyes practically rolled back in his head sent me into overdrive, and Coby and I spent the morning exploring positions and each other.

After our conversation last night, our lives resumed status quo. He gave me everything I asked for—we were still Coby and Ellie, though we’d just added sex to our list of favorite pastimes. And true to his word, I hadn’t spent another night in my room. I hadn’t made a production out of moving my stuff to what was now our bedroom, but little by little, my clothes found their way to his closet, and my personal effects to his bathroom. The knick-knacks that meant something to me moved one by one to the dresser we now shared, and I officially had my own side of the bed.

I hadn’t redecorated because I had helped Coby pick everything in the room when he’d first moved in. He kept asking about it, and today when we were channel surfing from the couch, I stopped on a home makeover show. Coby had gotten up to go the bathroom, but when he came back, the television sparked the conversation again.

“Are you ever going to make any changes in our overly masculine room?” He’d been ribbing me about this since the night I’d given him such a hard time about not making his room ours.

“Nope.”

“Do you want to move?” The question came out of nowhere. Coby wasn’t big on change, so it couldn’t have been a desire he had.

“Of course not. Why would you think that?”

He resumed his spot next to me and attempted to pull me onto his lap, but I held firm and turned to face him, waiting for his response.

“I don’t know. I just wondered if you thought of this as my house and would like to buy one together. One that’s ours.”

I rolled my eyes. “You’re insane. The next thing you’ll do is try to add me to your bank accounts.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

“I don’t guess so, but Coby, we picked this house out together. We bought everything in it together. I realize I didn’t pay for it, but I’ve never felt like it wasn’t mine.” Maybe that was an assumption I shouldn’t have come to, but Coby had never made me feel like a visitor, and I’d lived here for years.

“I just need you to know I’m all in.”

“Adding my name to a deed or a bank account doesn’t prove that.”

A flash of defeat crossed his face.

“Don’t do that. I didn’t mean it that way. You’ve always treated everything you have as ours. Even before I lived here, I never felt like a visitor.”

And just like that, he shut down the topic. He’d gotten really good at using sex to manipulate a situation to give me what I couldn’t seem to get enough of, while also getting his way in return. Silencing me by orgasm had become one of Coby’s favorite games. But I couldn’t complain. Coby loved me exactly the way I’d always dreamed a man would. He was perfect for me in every way, even when he was a total pain in my ass and pitched a fit anytime I left my shoes in the middle of the floor or my purse on the counter.

Somehow, our short relationship seemed like a lifetime. We’d been together for twenty-two years, he’d always given me what I needed, and I hoped I did that in his life, too. We were both perfectly content just being the new version of us. We’d figure out how to navigate adding people into our new fold, but other than Gage, no one—not even the staff at school—was aware our relationship status had changed. The secrecy of our connection had become as much fun as the connection itself.

Neither of us would be able to hold out much longer. With Thanksgiving approaching, we were coming closer to the time we’d have to tell our parents, but sneaking around kept the newness alive. So, until we gave our parents a Christmas present they’d always remember, Coby and I enjoyed being us.

Together.