Every moment in her presence today has been absolute torture.
And yet, I’ve loved every second of it and I don’t want it to end.
“What do you feel like doing until we have to go back?” Phoebe’s voice floats up to me. “We could get something to eat, or maybe just grab something warm to drink and sit somewhere and talk?”
I look down at her, and the sight of her nearly brings me to my knees. How is it possible that we’ve spent all day building, creating and decorating an entire float and she still looks as perfect as she did when I walked into the school gym this morning?
Not a hair out of place, or a paint stain to be seen. Her bright green eyes look like they’re shining just for me, and the small smile on her lips should be every man’s dream to see reflecting at them.
Phoebe squeezes her arm tighter around mine. “Earth to Spence, did you hear me?”
“Uh…I’m sorry. What did you ask?” I give her a sheepish smile back, because I blacked out every word she said the moment my eyes reached hers.
She chuckles softly. “I asked what you wanted to do while we wait? Dad said we have about an hour before we have to be back to line up.”
“I filled up on too much candy while we decorated, so no food. Unless you’re hungry?” Phoebe shakes her head at me. “What about a drink?”
She looks up at me and rolls her eyes. “You have to drive the truck through hundreds of adoring fans while I balance in the bed and toss out treats. Drinking and driving doesn’t sound like a good time.”
Dammit, she’s right.
“Want to go ice-skating?” She asks nervously while her grip on my arm tightens. She refuses to look back up at me, but I know she’s gnawing at her bottom lip.
I reach down and gently grasp her chin, turning it towards me so I can see her face. She’s definitely biting on her lip, and it’s taking every ounce of self control to not bend down and bite it for her.
Instead, I internally calm myself and grin back down at her. “I would love to go ice-skating again with you, Phoebe.”
Her nervous gnawing turns into one of her beautiful, breathtaking smiles. “Really? Even after our last attempt ended so horribly?”
I run my thumb across her cheek softly.
“You know how much I love second chances. I love to work hard until I’ve perfected my craft,” I tell her.
And like the masochistic idiot that I am, I pull her face closer to mine and whisper in her ear, “Any type of craft. Whether it be ice-skating, or using whatever I have at my disposal to bring pleasure to your life, I love to do it until it’s perfect.”
When I pull away from her, I notice that her breathing is slightly heavier and her pupils are wide as she gazes up at me. I smirk at her before grabbing her hand and intertwining her fingers with mine.
What I wouldn’t do to whisk her away and bury myself in her.
She squeezes my hand and we both head towards the ice-rink. As we get closer Phoebe slows down, then stops in her tracks completely. “What if we just go grab a room across the way?” She points at the small Bed and Breakfast across the street, and then flashes me a sultry smile that threatens to undo me.
Is she serious right now?
No. Absolutely not.
She can’t be serious.
“Well?” Phoebe raises an eyebrow at me, making this feel like some sort of dare.
And hell if I’m going to turn down a dare, especially with her looking at me like she wants nothing more than to rip my clothes off and have her way with me.
“Lead the way, Phoebe,” I smugly say. But as soon as the words are out of my mouth, my confidence falters.
“Wait,” I tell her. I reach and take her other hand in mine and I place my forehead against hers. “Don’t get me wrong, this is literally a dream come true for me. But, I don’t want our first time to be like this. We’ve worked so hard on this float, and I’d be so angry at myself if I didn’t get us to the end of this thing. Winners or not. I can’t let you throw all this away for what I can guarantee you will be aquicklay.”
She lets out a small chuckle.
“And I care about you too much. Too damn much, Phoebe. I don’t want whatever this is between us to be just sex. That would devastate me.”
