“Okay?” I repeat with a little more force.
His body presses against mine, and in a small, broken voice against my ear, he says, “I haven’t wanted someone like this in such a long time.” He kisses beneath my ear. “I don’t want to hurt you, Lucy. What if I’m not enough? What if these feelings fade?”
“I understand your struggle, Stone. I see it. But, let me ask you this: What if the feelings don’t? What if they grow?”
His kisses move down my neck. “That may just terrify me more.”
I moan again, my mind glitching. “Tell me now. Are you willing to try with me? If we go down in flames, so be it. I’m a big girl. I can handle another heartache.”No, really, I can. I promise…
“For you, Lucy May, I will try. I’ll try to overcome my issues.”
Then his lips continue their exploration in the dark terrain of this jungle I find myself in, and I say a silent plea to whoever is listening:Please let it be so…
Chapter 12
Stone
She’s going to murder me for this one…
I splay my hand, take two steps towards Lucy, and smack her lightly on the butt.
She whirls around at tornado speed, her hand up and flying towards my face. She stops mere inches away before dropping a balled fist to her side. “Pebbles, babe. You scared me. Don’t sneak up on me like that.”
She uses one of the many nicknames she has for me, but I’ve learned this particular one is used when she’s upset with me. A few of the older employees snicker and laugh at our antics. It’s not uncommon for the two of us to try and embarrass the other in front of everyone at the community center since we’ve announced our dating relationship.
And yes, an official one.
Who would have thought?
After that night in Dasher Valley over a month ago when I took her to bed with me, I knew that whatever was happening in Dasher Valley was not staying there.
I still don’t know what I’m doing when it comes to an honest relationship, but I’m trying. For her, I’m trying.
Embarrassing each other at work has become a game of sorts, and with that nice little love tap, I think I’ve tipped the score in my favor.
Her eyes blaze with heat, promising retribution in the future, but she can’t say a word right now because it would blow our make-people-want-to-puke-at-how-cute-we-are relationship personas.
Who knew I had it in me?
“Sorry, Lucy May. I just can’t help myself sometimes.”
“Ain’t that the truth,” she mumbles under her breath before fixing a smile back on her face.
“You two are the cutest,” my secretary, Jeanie, says as she pats me on the back before giving me a chilling, stern look only a mother could manage. “You better keep this one. I’m glad you finally came to your senses and asked the girl out.”
“I try my best every day.” That’s not a lie. We ripped up the rules we created two days after we got back from Dasher Valley, and now, with every day that passes, I’ve taken to actively begging God to not let me screw this one up. I have no clue what's going to happen between me and Lucy because fear still grips me when I think too long about the fact we are together in an official capacity. Some days we are good and have the time of our lives together while other days she seems dazed and lost.
And I don’t know what to do about it.
I just want her to be happy.
“Okay, guys. We have to focus. Kids will be showing up for the Back to School Bash at any time. Jeanie, will you sign people in at the door? I’m going to make my rounds to make sure everything and everyone is ready.” Lucy doesn’t give me time to respond before she jets off, her heels clicking down the tiled hallway of offices. I watch her walk away, admiring the sway of her white, flowy skirt and wishing I could take her back to my place right now.
Jeanie pats me on the back once more before departing to heed Lucy’s instructions.
My phone buzzes in my back pocket.
Keaton Welch.
