Ten: You back in town for classes?

Me: You know I am.

Ten: Pizza at Vi’s?

Me: Free food. I’m in.

Classes were over for the day, and I felt like they’d lasted about fifteen years. Even though I’d stopped in during my lunch break, I was ready to see Aerie’s face again. I wasn’t really sure how it was possible, but I missed her.

I wasn’t a grumpy guy, but I was grumpy.

I parked crooked in the driveway when I got home and burst in the house like maybe my ass was on fire. (I looked to make sure it wasn’t.)

“Princess!” I hollered, shutting the door leading out the garage.

She appeared in the doorway of my bedroom a second later. I forgot about my shoes, about the hat on my head. I flipped the bag that was slung over my shoulder onto the floor as I swiftly closed the distance between us.

Her eyes widened a bit as I went, but I didn’t stop. “If you don’t want me to kiss you, you better run now.”

I plowed into her, wrapping my arms around her waist and swooping down to claim her mouth, growling as my tongue swept inside her. My hands glided up her back.

All my attention condensed down into her. The way her full lips were soft pillows against mine. The way her tongue was slightly rough but also sweet.

I started to draw back, but she made a sound, and I crashed into her again, both of us kissing with renewed force.

When she finally pulled away, she compensated by reaching up to flip the hat off my head and run her fingers through my hair.

I nipped at her lower lip, and she giggled.

Suddenly, I wasn’t so grumpy anymore.

Retreating out of the doorway, I went back into the kitchen and found an unopened box of cereal, then poured half of it into a bowl. Crunching as I went, I said, “We’re invited to pizza with Ten tonight.”

“When?”

I shrugged. “Now.”

“But you’re eating,” she pointed out.

I stopped mid-chew. “There’s always room for Fruity Pebbles, princess.”

She came forward and looked into my bowl. “Is that stuff magic or something?”

My spoon clattered. “You haven’t ever eaten it?”

She shook her head.

“I’m shook!”

She burst out laughing. “You’re shook?”

I nodded, my eyes wide.

“Do you even know what it means?”

I shrugged one shoulder. “Girls say it all the time around campus.”

She laughed again.

I scowled. “Listen here, princess. No girl of mine is going to be walkin’ around without ever tasting the greatest food ever bestowed upon man.”

Her laugh died, lips pressed together, and then her dark eyes found mine. “Your girl?”

Nervous energy zapped me, and I hoped my cheeks weren’t betraying me by turning red. Curse of a ginger… My face always gave me away. I hadn’t really meant to say that out loud. I didn’t think she was ready. Or know if she ever would be.

So I did what I always do. Made a comeback.

“Well, you aren’t now. Fruity Pebbles traitor.” I hugged the bowl into my chest and shoveled some into my face.

Aerie pursed her lips, then took another step forward, opening her mouth.

“Oh, you want a bite, do you?”

Her eyebrows waggled at me.

“I don’t really like to share.”

She poked me in the stomach. Hard.

I made a sound, then scooped up a giant bite and held it out.

She recoiled. “My mouth is not that big!”

I ate half off the spoon, then pushed it toward her again. I thought she would refuse it ‘cause, ya know, I just ate off it.

Without hesitation, she took the bite. I was transfixed as her lips slid off the spoon as she drew back.

The spoon stayed suspended between us as I watched her mouth while she chewed. I wasn’t thinking about the cereal anymore. I was thinking about kissing her and how I wanted more.

“Crunchy,” she said, bringing me back.

I shoved some more in my mouth. “You gotta chew it like this,” I said, smacking my lips and keeping my mouth open. “Enhances the flavor.”

She mimicked me, then giggled. “It tastes the same.”

“I know. I just wanted to see if you’d do it. No manners.”

She gasped, then lunged forward and stole another bite.

“I knew it! You love it!”

She stepped back and made a so-so gesture with her hand.

“Cereal is no laughing matter,” I told her, quite serious. “Tell me you love it.”

“I like it,” she allowed.

“Boo,” I said and inhaled the rest of the bowl.

Cheeto came over and rubbed up against my leg, so I traded him for the bowl and scratched his head. “What’d you do this afternoon?”

“I used the shower. I hope that’s okay.”

I nodded. “Mi casa es su casa.”

Her nose wrinkled.

I made a sound, then went over and sat on her bed. There was some girly magazine lying there, so I picked it up and started flipping through it. Was this the kind of stuff chicks read? How to braid your hair like a pro! How to make it look like you aren’t wearing makeup! Men: things he will never tell you.

I snorted. “These articles are stupid.” I turned the page. “Ooh, a quiz!” I snagged the pen out of my jeans and started to fill it out.

“So where’s Ten?” Aerie picked up Cheeto and sat on the end of the bed.

I glanced up. “He’s at Violet’s place. She has a dorm on campus. He mostly stays there when he’s in town.”

She didn’t say anything as I continued on with the quiz.

“You up for heading over there?” I asked.

“Sure.”

I finished up the quiz and scowled. “It says I’m gay. Why the hell does everyone always think I’m gay?”

I threw the magazine on the floor and made a rude sound. I should have known better than to read something that advised women on how to wear makeup without looking like they were wearing it.

Its, uh, called don’t put any on.

Aerie laughed. “Who thinks you’re gay?”

I leapt forward, pressing her into the mattress. “You don’t think I’m gay, do you?”

Her eyes bounced back and forth between mine, a smile playing on her lips. “Maybe it’s because everyone wants a piece of you.”

I grinned wide and chuckled. “I like the way you think.”

I rolled again, taking her with me, pulling her on top of me. Her legs straddled my waist. The weight of her above me pretty much proved to anyone who might care that I was most definitely not gay.

I couldn’t not touch her. I barely even thought about stopping myself. I rested my palms flat on her legs, just above her knees. I itched to inch farther up, but I wouldn’t. Not until I knew she wanted me to.

“You gonna tell me what’s wrong?”

She glanced away. “Who says anything’s wrong?”

I gave her legs a gentle squeeze. “I pay attention. Remember?”

She shook her head. “Nothing. I guess dealing with all the phone calls, all the cleanup work of my house, reminded me of what happened.”

“It just happened,” I murmured and pushed up onto my elbows, bringing myself closer to her. “You wanna talk about it?”

“You’re sweet.” She smiled, kinda sad. It was sort of like the kiss of death. “But I really don’t.”

I shook my head, adamant. “I’m not sweet.”

Her lips curved up. Her hair was down. It waved around her face and skimmed her collarbone every time she moved her head. Her face was bare of any kind of makeup.

The girls in that dumb magazine had nothing on her.

“What’s wrong with being sweet?”

“Gay guys are sweet.” I made a face.

She laughed. “You have something against being gay?”

I made a sound. “Not at all. But you’re not a guy.”

Her face softened completely, and her teeth sank into her lower lip. Then she took a page out of my book and tried to lighten things up. “So…” She smiled cheekily. “If I were a guy, would you be gay for me, Nate?”

For once, I wasn’t into making jokes. “Yes.”

Her breath caught.

She wasn’t expecting that, was she? Way to keep her on her toes, Nate.

“We’re gonna have to talk sometime, sweetheart,” I told her, brushing the back of my hand down her jean-clad leg.

Her hand flattened on my chest, and I fell back. Her lips descended right onto mine.

I opened my eyes, not quite sure it had happened.

She kissed me.

All on her own.

I guess telling a girl you’d be gay for her was a good way to get some sugar.

I groaned and followed her lead. It was hard. I wanted to roll and pin her under me. I wanted to do a hell of a lot more than kiss. Again, I held back. This seemed like a big thing, the fact she initiated contact like this.

My hands dove into her hair, fingers flexing to tangle them as much as humanly possible. Tentatively, her tongue slipped across my mouth. I smiled and answered with a lick of my own. Her chest sank onto mine. Through our shirts, I felt the way her nipples stiffened, and my eyes popped open again.

I sucked in a deep breath through my nose as our lips kept moving, as I stared at her in wonder.

One of her eyes cracked open. Then the other. Against mine, her lips stilled, then lifted just a fraction. “Why are you staring at me?”

“Honestly?” I murmured, flexing my fingers in her hair. “Because I can’t believe what a lucky bastard I am right now.”

She pushed up. Her cheeks were pink and her lips were slightly swollen. “What am I going to do with you?”

I wagged my eyebrows and thrust my hips upward. “I can think of a few things.”

Laughing lightly, she climbed off me.

Let’s all take a moment of silence for the moment I just got to experience…

…

…

…

It was beautiful.

“Don’t we have somewhere to be?” she asked.

I reached out, and she towed me up. “I guess if you like pizza,” I muttered.

She laughed. “Don’t you?”

“C’mon, princess. If we don’t get over there soon, Ten will inhale it all.”

She ignored me and snuggled Cheeto.

It was kinda cute, but I made an impatient sound from the doorway.

“Is it cold out?” she said, stopping halfway to me.

I took in her simple T-shirt, jeans, and glitter-covered sneakers. “I got you covered.”

She went on past, and before I shut the bedroom door, I snagged my Blaylock hoodie.

She probably thought she’d gotten out of telling me about whatever was bothering her, because I knew it wasn’t just what happened the other night.

There was more.

I didn’t really want to push her, but I was beginning to think I would have to.