Our kisses are more frantic until even that feels like not enough.
Vaughn’s mouth trails down to my neck, and I lean back to give him better access. In the process, I must hit the horn because it sounds, and we both freeze. We’re both panting, and I have no idea how long we were making out. Slowly the world comes back into focus. In the back of my mind, there’s the tiniest voice telling me we just went from friends to something very complicated in a very short time span. Taking a beat is probably not a bad idea.
Glancing out the window, I spot a woman walking down the sidewalk with her dog. She shoots me and Vaughn a dirty look as she passes. As soon as she’s gone, we burst into laughter.
When we finally stop, I let out a long breath.
Vaughn’s hands move back to my hips. “I guess we should get out of here, huh?”
I take comfort in the fact that he sounds as sad as I am to stop. I know it’s for the best until I can wrap my head around what’s happening, but it doesn’t make it any less disappointing.
He helps lift me off his lap and back to my seat. My lips are swollen, and my bra is off-kilter. I adjust myself as Vaughn does the same. He lets out a breath, then shoots me a half smile.
“Do you need to be home, or can we drive around for a bit first?” he asks, then says, “I feel like we haven’t really talked today, and I’m not ready to stop hanging out just yet.”
His admission makes my stomach flip. I swear it’s on a Tilt-A-Whirl lately.
“I have time.” And I think I’m going to need it to cool off.
I relax into the passenger seat as Vaughn drives. I don’t pay any attention to where he’s going. His right hand holds mine and his left rests on the top of the steering wheel. Soft music plays from the speakers, and we ride in silence. It’s nice. I never thought we could hang out like this, so comfortable without talking.
When he pulls into a dark, unpaved parking lot and stops the SUV, I assume he’s taken me somewhere to make out more. Instead, he shuts off the vehicle and opens his door.
“Where are we?” I ask as I tentatively follow him.
Outside, I glance around. It’s almost eerie out here. We’re somewhere on the outskirts of town and there isn’t another car or building in sight.
“You’ll see.” He comes to me and takes my hand again.
My heart races with nervous anticipation as gravel crunches under our feet. The wind blows my hair and a cold chill rolls down my spine. I step closer to him for warmth and comfort.
There’s a large, white tower with the words FROST LAKE stamped in blue block letters. I assumed it was coincidental to our stopping here, but as we get closer it becomes more obvious that is our destination.
“Why are we here?” I ask as he places his free hand on a ladder on one side of the tower.
“Isn’t it obvious?”
My brows pinch together. Is it possible that this is some sort of make-out spot that I’m not cool enough to know about?
“The list.” His smile is full of confidence and charm.
“Number eleven,” I say quietly. Do something scary.
I’m continually surprised by his thoughtfulness, but I shouldn’t be. He’s always thinking of other people. His team. Me.
“You remembered.”
“Of course.”
“But I’m not afraid of heights.”
“Then that makes one of us,” he says before starting up the ladder.
I eat my words about ten feet up. The wind feels like it’s blowing a thousand times harder, and my fingers hurt from gripping the rungs of the ladder so tightly.
“All good?” Vaughn asks.
“Yep,” I say, infusing more confidence in my tone than I feel.
