He cups my face and his thumbs caress my cheeks in a lovingly manner. The stir of anxiety swirling in me starts to slow down as he speaks. “Maybe you don’t, butIdo. I want you to experience everything you’ve read about in books. The magic oflove that you believe in.” He pauses. “I’ve seen the way your eyes light up when you tell me those stories. You look enchanting, as if that kind of love can only exist in books. I want to change that. I want to be the guy you compare your book boyfriends with. Not the other way around.”
When I don’t say anything, he adds, “As for sex, we’ve got all the time in the world. Let’s take things slowly.”
“Slowly?” I whisper.
His lips twitch. “You can barely breathe when I kiss you. What will happen when I get you naked, kiss you everywhere and use my fingers to make you?—”
I put my palm on his mouth and muffle his words.
Blue eyes fill with amusement and he stops talking only to grin underneath my hand.
My whole face has turned red. I must resemble a red chili.
Taking my palm down, I refuse to look at him as I say. “Let’s build this bookshelf.”
“Sure, Rose. Whatever you want.” He teases me.
For the next hour or so, we work together to build the tall, white bookshelf. The smell of wood is addicting and reminds me of books. Heath does most of the work and barely lets me do anything. I only read the instructions, show him the images and hand him whatever he asks of me.
Seeing him work on something that is for me makes my heart pound like it has never before. I can hear his name echo in every beat of my heart.
I’m falling in love with him more with every little thing he does.
The worst part is, it makes me so scared.
I’ve felt fear before, but this is different.
The way I feel for him so strong and addictive that it has the power to destroy me.
I never thought I wanted love watching how complicated my parents’ relationship was. I didn’t want it because to me love is pain. It’s not beautiful or sweet.
I was going to stay away from this particular emotion, but then a blue-eyed boy entered my life and changed everything.
“I think it’s ready,” Heath says as he aligns the bookshelf against the wall. It looks perfect next to the ceiling-to-floor windows that offer a spectacular view of the outside — a perfect spot for reading.
“What do you say?” Heath asks as he stops twisting it.
Running over to him, I throw my arms around his neck and pull him down for a kiss. I pour all my gratitude, happiness and all the emotions that I’m feeling into that kiss, letting him know how I feel.
“Thank you,” I say.
“You’re welcome.” He smiles down at me.
Ilovehis smile.
“This looks amazing.”
“Wait till it fills with books.”
“I have my Harry Potter collection. I’ll bring it over to fill these empty shelves.”
He shakes his head. “No need.”
I pull back. “What?”
Untangling himself from my arms, he strides towards the other three boxes. “All your books are here.”
“What books?” I’m baffled.
