She spins in my arms, facing me. “You’d get a unicorn tattoo? For me? That doesn’t seem very manly.”
“Does it seem like I care?” I pause. “Who cares what anyone else thinks? You’re all that matters.”
Sure, unicorns aren’t manly, but if getting one shows Amberlee how much I care for her, then sign me up. That way, when she looks at me and sees the tattoo, I can get the same smile that’s on her face right now.
She just cocks her head to the side as she bites her lip with a thoughtful look on her face. After a few seconds, she raises up on her toes and kisses me lightly on the lips. “Thank you.”
The moment passes just as quickly as it came, and she goes back to looking at the snow globes.
“This is the one I want.” She holds it up with pride in her eyes, finally settling on one. To me, it’s just a trinket, but to her, it’s a valuable item. Just as precious to her as she is to me.
“Okay then, let’s pay for it, get some water, and head back.” We head to the register, which has a cooler with sodas and water beside it. I also grab some chips and candy. Just in case she’s hungry.
It only takes a moment for us to check out, and with our bag in one hand, I once again reclaim hers with my other.
“Thank you, Jeremiah. For the snowglobe and tonight.”
“Tonight’s just the beginning. I’m anxious to talk to your brother so I can officially scream to the world that you’re mine.”
She leans closer, resting her head on my arm as we continue to walk to the hotel, each step drawing us nearer to our destination.
When it finally comes into view, her hand pulls free from mine, and it’s as if we are just two people walking side by side now. As if our previous confession was just a figment of our imagination. I don’t like it.
Heading into the hotel, there’s no one in the lobby other than the desk attendant. We head straight for the elevator, and she pushes the button. I can see the change in her demeanor, and I know she’s getting ready to shut down and try to run away.
Only when we’re in the elevator does she speak. “Maybe I should go back to my room.”
She keeps her eyes on her feet.
“No.” There’s no hesitation, it just pops out before I can even blink.
“Excuse me?” She quickly glances up with her jaw dropped.
“I said no. You’re not pulling away from me now. Ryan isn’t around. He’s not in my room. We’re still going to talk. I’m honoring your wish and waiting until we get home to tell him how I feel about you, but I’m more than happy to get on thatelevator and go one flight up and spill my guts to him. It’s your choice.”
She doesn’t move closer to me or take my hand again, but I still feel like this is a win. The elevator comes to a stop, and the doors slide open. I step off and look back to see Amberlee frozen in place. Placing my hand on the door, I hold it open.
“Amberlee, come on.” I sigh when she doesn’t budge. “Please,” I finally beg.
That one word must do the trick. She pushes off the wall and steps out into the hallway. I don’t give her a choice this time. Clasping her hand in mine, I head straight to my room. She’s not going to hers. Not if I can help it. If I have my way, she’ll be with me until the first ray of light in the morning.
Reaching into my back pocket, I pull out my wallet and take out the key, holding it up to the magnetic reader. As soon as the tiny light flashes green, I open the door and step to the side, allowing Amberlee to enter first. Thankfully, I left the bathroom light on, so she can see where she’s going.
She stops inside the room, right at the end of the bed, and looks around before sitting on the edge of it. Oddly, it’s the one I’ve been sleeping on, not Angel.
I make sure the door is locked, flipping the latch, then set the bag down on the dresser. I remove the bottle of water, twist the top off, and hand it to her. She’s more sober than she was at the bar, but I can still tell she’s feeling the effects of the alcohol. Amberlee drinks a few sips, then hands the bottle back to me, and I place it on the dresser.
“Are you sure we should do this?” she whispers as she slips off her flip-flops, rubbing her toes on the carpet as if it holds the answer she’s looking for.
“There’s nothing that can change my mind. I’ve wanted you for ten years, and now that I know you want me, that you feel the same even after all these years, I’m never letting you get away.”
I sit down beside her and take her hands in mine, pulling her towards me. She shifts, following along with the movement until we’re facing each other.
“Amberlee, whether you believe it or not, I’ve had ten years to pine over you. During that time, I’ve gotten bits and pieces of your life from Ryan and Maddy. When you achieved something, I knew about it, and I celebrated that accomplishment with you. I let you slip through my fingers once, but never again.”
With those words, I slide my fingers through her hair, cupping the back of her head, and crash my lips onto hers. She stiffens at first, but loosens up and returns the kiss, her resolve crumbling.
I want her. All of her.
