He shakes his head. “But I don’t want that anyway. I want…” His fingers reach for my waist, pulling me in. “You.” He grabs my hand and places it on his lips. His lips are warm when he kisses me gently. My heart aches. “Ce, I want you.”
I blink. “But not as a friend?”
He drops my hand onto his shoulder and grabs my other hand, placing it on his other shoulder. “We’ll never be just friends.”
His palm caresses my cheek. I lean into him for just a moment, remembering when this felt simple and fun, not complicated and confusing. And then I gather my composure and look deep into his eyes.
I swallow the lump in my throat. “Friends is all I can offer.”
“Okay, fine.”
“Fine?” I question, not believing him.
He flashes me a smile. “It’s fine.”
Then he leans down and kisses me softly. I inhale, breathing him in. My nervous system is shocked and melting under his lips. I grab onto him, feeling a little dizzy.
He leans back, licking his lips. “That lip gloss drives me crazy.”
I grab the back of his neck and pull him down to my lips again. His tongue snakes into my mouth, and my body lights on fire. I kiss him back like my life depends on it. I’ve missed this, missed him. His hands slide down my backside, groaning into my mouth.
“My truck’s right there,” he whispers.
I look at it, thinking about the first night we kissed in his backseat. How we went from zero to a hundred within seconds.
I grab onto his jacket and say, “Let’s slow down.”
“We’re not going fast anywhere,” he teases, and then he pulls me into a hug. “I’ll do whatever it takes to prove to you I’m not going anywhere.”
I close my eyes, letting myself have this moment. His heart beats against my ear, steady and strong.
“You disappeared for two weeks.”
“I know,” he says quietly. His arms tighten around me. “I panicked when Dane was at your place. I saw the way he looked at you and didn’t want to stand in your way. And then my classes slipped even more, so I’ve been trying hard to figure my shit out.” He pulls back and puts my hair behind my ear. “Give me a chance. A real one, and I won’t fuck it up.”
“Dylan…” I start. I should say no. I should walk away and protect myself from whatever this is between us. But standing here, in his arms, smelling him, looking up at his handsome face, I can’t do it. I can’t say no.
“I need you to actually talk to me when things get complicated,” I say. “Not just run away.”
“I will.”
“And I need you to stop giving yourself the ultimatum, it’s hockey or me. That’s not fair to me, but it’s not fair to you.”
He nods. “You’re right. It’s not.”
I study his face, looking for any sign that he’s going to bolt again. But all I see is certainty, and it scares the hell out of me.
“Okay,” I breathe, leaning into him.
He hugs me back.
“If you disappear on me again––”
“I won’t.”
“If you do, that’s it. That’ll be the end.”
He nods, pressing his forehead against mine. “Deal.”
