“Green apple flavored gum,” he replies matter-of-factly.
“Yeah, but why?”
“Right?” I chime in.
Connor rolls his eyes. “Why does everyone hate my gum so much? It’s delicious.”
Kristen sticks out her tongue in disgust. “I think I’d prefer black licorice, and that crap is gross.”
“Well, there go the wedding plans.” I snap my fingers before smirking at Connor. “Guess you’re going to need to find a girl that likes apples as much as you, huh?”
Noah pulls me into his side. “I don’t think anyone could love apples as much as Connor does.”
The room erupts with laughter and it almost feels like we all have a clean slate.
It’s been a long day and as Noah and I get ready for bed, an electric sexual tension flutters around us. This is the first time we are truly alone in our own space. It’s about damn time.
I slip into his bedroom wearing one of his T-shirts over a mostly sheer black bra and underwear set, but seeing him on the bed in just his boxers has me slipping his shirt over my head confidently. When it lands on the floor beside me, his eyes scan my body. “Auddie.”
We stare at each other for a long time, unmoving.
“I’m sorry I’m so late,” Noah whispers, approaching me. “I’m choosing you, you hear me?”
He brings my lips to his and as we make out tears start to fall from my eyes.
“Hey, what’s wrong?”
He pulls me onto the bed.
“I don’t even know why I’m crying,” I tell him, wiping my eyes.
“It’s a lot, isn’t it?” he replies, covering me with a blanket.
I sigh. “I don’t want to mess this up.”
“Baby, there’s nothing you can say or do to mess anything up. Trust me.” His hand presses into my cheek, brushing away stray tears.
“I just ruined our first time!”
“Auddie, I’ve wanted you for a long time, but we don’t need to rush it, okay? Present-day gentleman Noah who loves you is battling with sixteen-year-old horndog Noah right now. But you’re the boss here.”
My eyes pop up to meet his. He gives me a shocked expression as if he didn’t mean for the words to slip out.
He sits up with the biggest smile on his face. “I didn’t mean to say it so soon, but it’s how I feel—how I’ve always felt.”
I shift so I’m sitting on his lap. “I love you, too. I never stopped. I just put you in a box in the back of my head and pretended I didn’t feel anything for you. It’s you Noah. It’salwaysbeen you.”
Fresh tears fall from my eyes and Noah tears up right along with me, pulling me against him.
I rest my forehead against his. “Can we pretend for tonight, that there’s never been other people, that this is both of our first times?”
His eyes close and he lets out a long breath. “Yes, please.”
My fingers trail along his firm chest. “Have you always used condoms?”
His eyes snap towards me. “Yeah. Safety first.”
“Me too … and I’m on the pill. Also, not to expose myself, but it’s been many months without sex … like almost nine.”
