For a heartbeat, I swear I catch him staring at my lips. If only—if only I could...
“Cooper, I—” I start, but the words catch in my throat.
Vincent flicks water at me, breaking the tension with a playful grin. Relief floods me, and I laugh, splashing him back. Soon we’re chasing each other through the waves, laughing and shrieking under the star-strewn sky as if we’re still the children who grew together, as if my heart isn’t holding its breath every second it beats next to him.
-*?? . ??? ? ?.-*??
I keep digging through my purse, but my house keys are nowhere to be found. With a heavy sigh, I lean my forehead against the front door, burrowing deeper into the sweatshirt Vincent lent me on the drive back from his aunt’s car.
“Can’t find them?” he asks gently.
I shake my head and let out another sigh. “I’ll go in through the window. I must’ve left them—”
“You can sleep at my place,” he interrupts, his voice warm and matter-of-fact. “Come on.”
I hesitate. “Maybe that’s not the ca—”
“Aunt Evelyn made chocolate donuts.”
“Really?”
His grin says it all, and less than five minutes later, I’m sitting on his bed, holding a chocolate-filled donut that already has a bite missing, while he showers.
I glance around his room and exhale, nerves twisting in my stomach. I’ve been here countless times, but always as a friend. Even now, technically, I’m here as a friend.
Only... it doesn’t feel the same. Not anymore. My feelings have changed—deepened, sharpened—and I can’t even look at his bed without imagining us lying side by side, kissing.
What do I do with this? I’ve probably loved Vincent from the very beginning, but knowing it now makes me helpless. If it were up to me, I’d melt into his arms and never move again.
The bathroom door opens, and my best friend walks out with only a towel wrapped around his waist, damp hair curlingagainst his forehead. Vanilla-scented steam follows him, filling the room. My breath catches.
He told me recently he’s been working out with his aunt, and the proof’s right there in front of me. Vincent Cooper isn’t just hot—he’s magnetic. And I can’t stop staring at him.
I can’t even imagine what he’ll look like in his twenties. He’ll break hearts without trying.
He rummages through his closet before turning to me. “I grabbed you a T-shirt and a pair of my boxers. Leave your wet clothes outside the door—I’ll toss them in the wash. Take your time. I’ll get more donuts while you shower.”
I nod quickly, hugging the bundle of clothes to my chest as I duck into the bathroom.
Breathe, Nova. It’s just Vincent. Your Vincent.
I peel off my damp clothes and leave them where he said. Sitting on the shower floor, I let the hot water thaw my frozen skin. His vanilla soap lingers on my hands, his shampoo in my hair. I smell like him now, wrapped in his presence even when he’s not here.
When I emerge, hair still damp, he’s cross-legged on his bed, strumming softly on his acoustic guitar. The ukulele I gave him rests above his desk, and the walls are covered with band posters and the glow-in-the-dark stars and planets stickers I stuck up over the years.
He looks up at me and gives me that smile that always makes my chest ache. Scooting over, he pats the space beside him.
To calm my racing heart, I run and flop onto his bed like I used to as a kid, making the mattress bounce and him laugh. “Having fun?”
He sets the guitar aside and leans back against the headboard. I lie down beside him and nod. “I had the time of my life.”
“Still hungry? I brought donuts, strawberry cheesecake, and a can of lemonade.” He points to the nightstand, where the plate waits. “You wanna eat while I dry your hair?”
I shake my head quickly. “Not tonight. I’ll let it air-dry.”
Usually, he insists on blow-drying it for me, but the thought of his fingers brushing my neck right now’s unbearable. It’s too much for my poor heart.
My eyes dart to the framed photo on his nightstand—us on the beach as kids—but I force myself to focus instead on the CD he gave me earlier, resting by the plate of donuts. I reach for it, not realizing until it’s too late that my hand has landed squarely on his bare chest.
