“I missed you, too.” I wrap my arms around his neck. “Where’s Pars?”
“Clinging to my leg.”
He adjusts his hold on me, grips the back of my thighs and wraps my legs around his waist. My back meets the wall. For a moment I’m worried he’ll try to kiss me on the mouth, and I haven’t even said hi to my toothbrush yet.
But he just nuzzles my neck.
“Are you huffing me?”
“I missed the way you smell.” He jams his nose into my hair. “I’m taking a shirt of yours next away series.”
“Only if you leave one of yours for me.”
“Deal.”
I press my face into his neck and huff him in return. “And I missed the way you smell, too.”
Eventually he steps back from the wall and gently sets me on my feet. Parsnip still clings to his calf.
I slap a hand over my mouth before Flip comes in for a kiss. “Give me two minutes.”
I run down the hall and disappear into my bedroom. Pillow Flip gets tossed in the closet first. Then I give attention to myself. “Oh shit.” My hair is a complete wreck. The rest of me isn’t much better. I brush my teeth and pull my hair into a messy bun. I don’t change out of my oversized sleep shirt and shorts. The heat in the building can be a lot sometimes, particularly in my bedroom.
Flip is standing in the middle of my kitchen when I return. Parsnip is lying at Flip’s feet, grooming himself.
“Okay. I’m a little more presentable and minty fresh.” I link my fingers behind his neck. Tipping my chin up, I pucker my lips and close my eyes. After a few seconds of nothing, I crack a lid.
He smiles down at me.
“You can kiss me now.”
“Did you run to the bathroom to brush your teeth?”
“Yes.”
He presses his lips gently to mine.
I push up on my toes and angle my head, waiting for him to deepen the kiss. Instead, he kisses a path along the edge of my jaw to my ear. “Get dressed so I can take you out for something to eat.”
“Just one real kiss first?”
He widens his eyes. “Don’t you know kissesare the gateway drug to getting naked?”
“Total myth,” I fire back.
He grins and curves his hand around the back of my neck, squeezing gently as he covers my mouth with his.
Our lips part, and our tongues meet. My knees go weak.
He breaks it, but comes back in for another long, lingering kiss.
“I missed you,” I whisper.
“It’s good to be home with you.” He pats my butt. “Get dressed and let me take you for brunch. Then you can lure me into your bedroom and try to get me to do things to you that your dad will want to bury me for.”
Every part of me lights up. “Promise?”
His expression remains serious as he lifts his fingers. “Scout’s honor.”
