“Uh, it is.” But I think she means that someone should be waiting when I open the door. A place where one day if I ever have kids, we pencil their growth on the wall, and right now, I’m stuck because in that thought, it’s with her.
“I mean, I guess. I just can’t help feeling that it could use a little something to complete the puzzle.”
I’ve been formulating theories in my head the whole night. Mostly, that I’ve been living life, following the grind of the world. The times when it hadn’t felt like a routine were when I was around Hailey. Every time she made everyone laugh, every moment when we would shamelessly flirt or the way we clickedwithout thought. Maybe that’s why I’ve been a little mute every time she steers conversations to being about me.
She snuggles closer to me, as the temperature has fallen a few degrees, and her peaceful sigh has me worried that we won’t leave this place tonight, and we need to.
“Want to go swimming?” she suggests, and there is no humor in her tone.
“Nope.” My P is sharp. “I can’t see what the hell is in the water this time of night, nor during the day, either.”
Her fingers crawl up my arm. “But you always talk about going tubing on a river in Texas.”
Creases break out on my forehead. “You remember that?”
“Sure. Like I said, it’s the little things.”
I guess it is, and it’s not a one-way street between us.
“Plus, the moon is out.” She pouts.
I chuckle and hold her closer. “Perfect for snakes.”
“Eww, then no naked swimming.”
“How about you come back to my house, though? Tomorrow is Saturday, so we get a few extra hours in bed.”
She plants a kiss on my arm that’s across her chest. “I mean, I guess. My neighbor down the street is kind of legally married to me, so I might as well hop into bed with him.”
“That you shall.”
We both shuffle in our spots and sit up. “Hey, Oliver.” Her voice is soft, and her eyes shimmer in the candlelight. The sound of locusts are the background noise to our brief silence.
“Hey, Hailey.”
She places her hand against my cheek. “Thanks for making this a special night. I never would have imagined this, and it was perfect.” Her thumb strokes my skin once before she gives me a decent kiss that is worthy of a moan into one another’s mouth.
“It’s easy when the person it’s for is already perfect.” I’m not sure if it’s me trying to be cheesy or if it’s the reality, but her mouth twitches from my reply.
We scurry up, and I grab the flashlights near the cooler and offer her one. “Come on, before the deer or beavers attack us. I heard they get hungry this time of night.”
After cleaning up as much as we can, she follows closely behind me, gripping my arm for dear life. “Seriously, if some animal appears that isn’t cute and fuzzy then this date’s rating drops.”
I halt us and kneel down. “Get on my back.”
“What?”
“On my back,” I order. “I’ll ensure nothing attacks you, including snakes and opossums. Now get on my back.”
She listens and jumps on for her piggyback ride. “You’re crazy.”
I boost her up on my back as I stand. “Someone is speaking from experience,” I rebuke.
She laughs and tightens her hold around my neck. “What a match we are then. I guess there will be a second date.”
Hailey can’t see, but I roll my eyes and half-grin. “Our date isn’t finished yet. We have part two when I take you on the stairs after I rip your clothes off as soon as I close the front door.”
And because I need to get inside of her and not for just physical gratification.
