“They’re early too,” I say, looking towards where his father’s navy Range Rover is parked.
“Probably have to psych themselves up as well.” Tek pulls into an empty space. “Or calm themselves down.”
Unfastening my belt, I spin towards him. “Telling them yesterday was the right thing to do.”
“Arranging to meet on neutral,public, ground was the right thing to do.”
“True,” I agree. “But they’re here. That’s gotta mean something.”
“You didn’t see her face.”
I give Tek a look that sayswell what did you expect?“You told them you found Jin,thendropped thehe’s been with Eden the whole time and they’re in a relationshipbomb. It was never going to go well.”
“Eden really weaseled his way out of that one—”
“Don’t start.” I reach over and dig my thumb into the tender spot above Tek’s knee. “It was better coming from you first. And if he shows up today, he hasn’t weasled out of anything.”
Tek rolls his eyes and lets his head fall against the window. “I love you, Carey, but I just don’t share your enthusiasm.”
“C’mon. It’ll be great. Remember how good it felt to tell Anaise and Austin?”
“They aren’t my parents.”
“But it’ll be off your chest and we won’t have to hide anymore.”
“I know.” Tek reaches towards me. I weave my fingers with his and playfully circle my thumb over his palm.
“I’ve lost count of the number of times you’ve said that I’m the only thing you need to be happy. So it’s time for you to live up to those words. Show me you mean it, because I mean it, too. I don’t need anything else if I have you.”
Tek smiles but tries to hide it by pinching his lips together.
“That’s a shitty start,” I smirk, and dig my nail into his hand.
“You little prick.” He shakes his hand away then grabs my jacket and tugs me towards him for a kiss. “You promise to never leave my side?”
I rub the tip of my nose against his. “Never.”
“Even if Eden calls me names.”
“You’d deserve it.”
“Even if my parents disown me?”
“I doubt that’d happen. Cause then they’d have to disown me, too. And you know how much they love me.”
“Cheeky shit.” Tek pulls me closer until I’m leaning on the driver’s seat for support.
“Careful. Or you’ll be in a very inappropriate situation should your parents walk by.”
He leans in until our lips are touching. “Screw ‘em.”
“How quickly your outlook changed.”
“I just needed to be reminded of how perfect you are.”
“And cute. Don’t forget about cute.”
“Just shut up,” Tek mumbles into my mouth, unable to hold out for a second longer from kissing me properly. Just like every other kiss he’s gifted me, it makes me high knowing that he kept them all for me. Twelve years of them. Twelve years of thinking no one would ever deserve them again until we found each other.
