“Okay. Are you ready for bed?” I drop the clothes into the washer, adding some soap and pressing the start button. “Or did you want to finish the movie?”
Hannah is yawning when I turn back to face her. “Never mind,” I answer my own question, leaning forward to take her hand and kiss her cheek. “I think it’s time for bed.”
She only nods, yawning again as she heads up the stairs. With the washer running, I head into the bathroom one last time myself, taking out my contacts, putting my glasses on and brushing my teeth. I give Hannah a few more minutes upstairs to herself before loudly clomping up the stairs, giving her ample warning that I’m on my way up.
It’s moments like these that I wish I had my phone, or a camera of some sort. Hannah is already under the covers, and Arson is tucked up into her. They’re basically spooning, and I’m man enough to admit that I’m jealous of my dog.
“Arson, you’re in my spot,” I say, and Hannah laughs.
“He’s fine,” she says, petting his belly.
“No, he’s not. I’m officially kicking him out.”
Hannah looks up to me, her eyes softening as she takes me in. “I should tell you something,” she says.
I wait for a moment. I have an idea of what she might say, but I want her to feel comfortable enough to say it.
Her eyes are downcast, but peek up at me with uncertainty as she speaks. “I’m a virgin. I’m sure you knew, what with you being my first kiss, but I felt that you needed to know… officially, before things go any further.”
I take in the flush of her cheeks, and offer her a smile. I’m not going to make a big deal out of this, becauseit’s not. It’s a silly label that society has made feel like a curse if you are a virgin past the age of twenty-one.
“Thank you for telling me,” I reply, feeling honored that she feels safe enough with me to divulge that to me. “I like that I get all your firsts. It’s an honor, and I won’t take it for granted, freckles.”
Instead of dwelling on it, she changes the subject. “I love when you wear those glasses,” she admits, and I about melt.
“Lucky for you, I need them to see,” I say with a laugh, shooing Arson to the end of the bed.
“You look hot,” she murmurs. “I like you without them, too. But there’s something about them that I love.”
I get into the bed, tucking myself under the covers and shifting so I can pull her into my chest. “You could wear a paper sack and I would love it,” I tell her, and she giggles, smacking me on my chest.
“Stop it.”
“I’m simply telling you the truth.” I let out a sigh, sinking my head into the pillow as I hold her closer. “This is where you belong. In my arms.”
Hannah tilts her head up, her fingers trailing circles on my bare chest. “I think you might be right.”
I kiss her, hoping I can convey all my emotions in one simple kiss. My feelings are so strong for this woman, that I would do anything to keep her as long as possible. And I hope it’s forever.
31
THOMAS
“When do you think we can contact our families?” Hannah asks once I join her on the wooden swings after taking a dip in the pond with Arson. She closes the book she's been reading and sets it on her lap, looking over at me with a soft smile. Arson lounges in the grass in front of us as he dries off, his fur glistening with water droplets. He’s shaken out quite a few times, but he has so much fur that he’s still pretty wet.
My stomach twists. “I checked the burner phone this morning, and there is still nothing,” I admit. We’ve been here for nearly two weeks now, and while they never gave us a concrete answer on when to expect news, I’d hoped we would have heard something by now.
Hannah sighs, her body deflating.
“I’ll text Elena when we go inside. Surely, they have information for us by now,” I say, wanting to rid the look of sadness off of Hannah’s face.
“Okay. I’m just worried. I mean, what if something happened?”
“If something happened, they would have contacted us, no question,” I reply, reaching out to take her hand. Her palm is warm, the heat sending a zing up my arm.
“You’re sure?”
“Positive.”
