“I’m not sure how many more I can take.” It’s a struggle to get my dress back on, especially because Vaughn keeps stealing kisses.
When we’re both finally clothed and not shivering, he says, “You’ll like this one.”
“I liked the last one.”
He grins and I sit back in the passenger seat while he drives us to our next location: the high school. There areseveral cars already parked when Vaughn pulls in behind the football field.
“Number four,” he says as he kills the engine.
I pull on one of his sweatshirts over my dress as I get out. Vaughn comes around to my side and takes my hand.
Many of our friends are already here. Some of the guys have already found a soccer ball and are kicking it around, and others are stretched out on the blankets, facing east. The sky is still dark, but there’s a sliver of light that promises the sunrise won’t be too far behind.
“Watch the sunrise from the fifty-yard line,” I say, then I just stare at him. He has that smug, happy smile still splashed across his face.
“Real romantic shit.”
He frames my face with both hands and drops his mouth to mine. The kiss is quick, and then he’s pulling me toward the others.
“And number seven. And ten again. Better do it again just to be sure.” With a wink he pulls me to the field.
A surge of happiness has me too jittery to sit still any longer. I kick off my shoes and jog toward the guys kicking the soccer ball. They stop when they see me coming, probably confused by what I’m doing. I swipe the ball from them and loop around.
Vaughn stands watching me with an amused expression.
“Think you can handle this, Cap?” I mock him playfully.
The other guys heckle and laugh until Vaughn really doesn’t have any other option but to come after me. Even the way he prowls toward me is sexy. I really don’t stand a chance. Especially when, instead of going for the ball, he grabs me around the waist and hauls me up into the air.
“Hey, that’s cheating!” A laugh bubbles up with my screech.
“Obstruction!” Rowan cups his hands around his mouth.
Vaughn puts me down, but when his lips press to my neck, I’m happy to be trapped in his arms.
For the next hour, we kick the soccer ball around, and then Claire and I decide to do cheers on the sideline, and eventually we all end up sitting at the fifty-yard line, eyes heavy but hearts full.
I’m sitting between Vaughn’s legs, leaned back against his chest. His chin rests on top of my head, and we’re cuddled up in one of the blankets. Not even the chill in the air is going to ruin this night.
“Look!” Claire shouts, pulling us all from our quiet daze.
At once, we all sit straighter. The very smallest bit of light spreads along the bottom of the sky.
Rowan’s flask is long empty, but someone passes around a bottle of Fireball. Vaughn passes, but I take a drink for the both of us.
Laughing, he gets to his feet and pulls me up.
“Thank you,” I tell him.
“There aren’t many items left on the list.” His hands wrap around my back, and he tips his face down to look into my eyes. “What are you going to do when they’re all crossed off?”
“I’m not sure,” I say honestly.
“You could make another list.”
“I thought about that, but I’ve actually done a lot of the things I wanted already.” The list was fun, but I want to live every day crossing off new adventures and making lifelongmemories. Maybe that’s why Mom didn’t finish—she was too busy living.
“Well, then it’s good I made one then.” He pulls a folded piece of paper from his pocket.
