“Okay,” she breathed. “After Westpoint. We'll tell him together.”
“Together,” I agreed.
She settled back against me, and I wrapped my arm around her, holding her close in the only place we could be ourselves.
“Until then, we have to be more careful,” she said. “No more wearing your hoodies. No more sitting close in public. We have to sell it.”
“I know.” It killed me, but she was right. “Just a few more weeks. We can do this.”
“Can we?” She looked up at me. “Because I almost broke down today when he was questioning us. I wanted to just tell him everything.”
“But you didn't. You were amazing.” I brushed a strand of hair from her face. “We just need to make it to Halloween, through the Westpoint game, and then we come clean.”
She nodded, then shifted to face me fully, her hands coming up to cup my face. “Derek?”
“Yeah?”
“I don't want to wait anymore.” Her eyes were intense, vulnerable, and determined all at once. “Not for this. Not for us.”
My heart stuttered. “Rosie, we don't have to...”
“I know we don't have to. I want to.” She kissed me softly. “Today reminded me that nothing is guaranteed. That we could get caught tomorrow, or next week, and I don't want to have regrets. I don't want to wish I'd been braver.”
I searched her face, making sure this was really what she wanted. “Are you sure?”
“I've never been surer of anything.” Her thumb traced my jawline. “I love you. And I want this. I want you.”
I kissed her then, deeper than before, pouring everything I felt into it. She responded immediately, her hands sliding into my hair as she pressed closer.
“I love you,” I murmured against her lips. “So much.” Shepulled back just enough to meet my eyes, and I tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “We'll go slow. And if you change your mind at any point...”
“I won't.” But her voice trembled slightly, nervous energy mixing with desire.
I stood and pulled her up with me, leading her to the worn couch in the corner. The studio suddenly felt sacred, this space that had been ours from the beginning, where we'd shared music and secrets and our first real kiss.
“Come here,” I whispered, sitting down and guiding her onto my lap so she straddled me.
She settled against me, and I could feel her heart racing as fast as mine. My hands found her waist, slipping under her shirt to touch bare skin. She gasped at the contact.
“Okay?” I asked.
“More than okay.” She kissed me again, less tentative now, more demanding.
We took our time, learning from each other slowly. Every touch, every kiss felt monumental. Her shirt came off, then mine. I mapped every inch of her skin with my hands and mouth, committing her sighs and shivers to memory.
“Derek,” she breathed as I kissed down her neck. “I need... I want...”
“Tell me what you need, baby.”
“You. All of you.” Her hands fumbled with my belt, and I helped her, then took care of the rest of our clothes with reverent slowness, kissing every newly exposed skin, making sure she was a panting mess.
When there was nothing left between us, I paused, making sure she saw how much this meant to me. “You're everything to me, Rosie. You know that, right?”
“I know.” She smiled, that beautiful smile that had first made me fall for her. “Show me.”
I reached for the discarded condom next to me and, rippingthe foil open, I rolled it on myself. The heat of her gaze followed my every move as I covered my length.
Looking up, I saw her swallow at the size of me, but I didn’t want her to feel any fear.
