He was blushing.
It took alotto makeFox blush. I was going to learn every possible way.
“Quinn,” Fox said. “That isthe worst coffee I’veevertasted.”
I laughed. I laughed, andlaughed, andlaugheduntil people started to stare at me. They hadn’t done that whenI was kissing Fox, but I wouldn’t have cared if they did.
Everyone else could thinkwhat they wanted. The only opinions I was interested in were Fox’s, and my own.
“It’s awful,” I agreed. “Doesthat mean you won’t kiss me again?”
Fox smirked, reaching out tobrush his thumb over my cheek. My stomach flooded with warmth as he leaned in,a gasp passing my lips before Fox covered them.
This kiss lasted a littlelonger. Long enough to make me squirm, and to think about grabbing Fox’s hand anddragging him back home.
Kissing was one thing, but Iwanted so much more. Things I couldn’t do to Fox in front of all these people.
Not without gettingarrested, anyway.
“It’d take more than that tostop me,” Fox whispered against my lips.
I grinned. Nothing was goingto stopmekissing my boyfriend in public.
I was finally allowed to bemyself, and I wouldn’t give it up for anything.
***
I’d narrowed it down tosomewhere between two and a half and four minutes.
Four cups of tea stood onthe kitchen counter. One steeped for two and a half minutes, one for three, onefor three and a half, and one for four. It was hard to tell whatFoxwould like, but any longer than four and these tea bags started tasting bitterto me. Even with his customary two teaspoons of sugar.
I’d already learned that itwas important to let the water sit for half a minute off the heat after it boiled,since boiling water was too hot. I’d learned that it was better to put themilk—not creamer, not half and half, regular full-cream milk like I’d put on mycereal—in after the teabag was removed so the water had cooled enough not toscorch it. And it was important to add the sugar first because it wouldn’tdissolve properly once the milk was added.
Tea was so much morecomplicated than I’d thought, but I was determined to get it right.
The front door squealed onits hinges as it opened. I looked up to see Fox coming inside…
Carrying a huge, black case.
A guitar case.
I missed the last mug oftea, spilling a few drops of milk on the countertop.
Fox looked over at what Iwas doing, brows knitted together. “Do we have company?” he asked, looking aroundas though previously-invisible guests might show themselves.
“I’m experimenting,” I said.“I was going to taste these myself, but now thatyou’rehere, it’s your job. Tellme which one you like best. Is that, umm…” I nodded to the guitar case, almostafraid to get my hopes up.
Fox beamed at me, holding itup. “Courtesyof Miles,” he said. “He says not to thank him, he’s doing this for whollyselfish reasons. He wants you to make more music, and soon.”
The tips of my ears heated.Miles had been sokindto me. Not in a weird screaming fan way. He’d just beennice. Andunderstanding.
He’d only had nice things tosay about Fox, too. I liked that about him. I liked him, and Gray, and Logan.They’d made me feel like I was family.
I might have lost an uncle,but I’dgained three brothers and a boyfriend, and they were all better people than hecould even have aspired to be.
My parents were taking theirtime to process everything that’d happened, but I knew I hadn’t lost them. I wasplanning on taking Fox to meet them someday soon.
“So that’s at least three ofus who believe in you,” Fox said, holding the case out.
