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“Hey yourself,” I say, making sure to kiss his lips this time. He feels like heaven, and I sigh into him. “You busy?” I ask at the same time that he inquires, “What are you doing here?”

“I wanted to surprise you. If you can, put some shoes on, and let’s go.”

Dare is in a pair of black sweatpants and a long-sleeved black T-shirt that says Dead Inside on it in red letters. My heart seizes for a short second when I find myself hoping it’s just a T-shirt and not a message he’s sending anymore.

“Just shoes? Should I change?” he asks, looking slightly confused.

I smile at him. “Just shoes.” I go to the kitchen and lean against the island. “And hurry.”

I wink at him as he beams at me. Then he runs up the stairs to do just as I asked. No more than a minute later, Dare jogs back down the steps in his checkered Vans.

“Perfect,” I tell him, extending my hand to invite him to me. He falls into my open arms, and I wrap them around him and hold him tightly. I’ve tried hard to meet Dare’s need for hugs and touch, and I know it makes him happy.

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy it, too.

He sighs contentedly as I feel his body go lax and lean against me more. “What are we doing?” he asks, his lips against my neck. He pops his tongue out and gives me a little wet kiss.

I shiver, kissing his temple. “I want to go look at Christmas lights.”

Dare keeps our bodies together but bends back so he can look at me. “Are you serious, Lev!?” His emerald-green eyes dance in the light of the kitchen, lit up with a childlike excitement.

I smile involuntarily. “Yeah, really. I know how much you like it, and I want to take you. It’s about us and our memories now.”

Dare stares at me for a second before he squeezes me tightly with a little happy squeal. “Oh my god!” he exclaims. “I’m so excited, I can’t wait!!” Pulling away, he grabs my hand and leads us out the door and to my car. I can’t stop smiling as he drops into the passenger seat. “This is awesome, Lev!” he tells me, looking up at me as I close the door.

I round to my side of the car and get in, then start it up and crank the heat on. I hand Dare one of the hot chocolates I bought on the way over, and he looks like he might cry.

“Hot chocolate, too?! You’re the best boyfriend ever!” he declares as he leans over and kisses me on the cheek again.

I chuckle and kiss him back.

“Hot chocolate was all it took, huh?” I tease, squeezing his thigh. He squirms against my grasp and pushes my hand away.

“Stop it. I need to drink.” He takes a swig of the warm drink and licks his lips as I back out of the driveway. “Where are we going to look? Mom and Dad used to take us to Briarwood and Hunters Gate when we were kids.”

I make a left turn and head toward one of the housing developments Dare just mentioned. “Let’s go to Briarwood first, then.” I glance over at him. He’s still smiling and looking out the window, sitting up straight in his seat. I reach my hand over again and put it on Dare’s thigh. I don’t squeeze this time. I just set it there, warm and soothing on his upper leg, as I navigate toward the first neighborhood we’ll drive through.

As I pull into a section of medium-sized houses, all decorated to the brim with lights, moving decorations, and puffy air-filled Santas and snowmen, I slow down so we can look.

“Ohhh, see that!” Dare exclaims, pointing to a house that has a full Santa sleigh with eight reindeer and packages made to look like they were falling off the roof. It’s really magical.

“Ohh, I like this one.” I slow to a near stop behind a line of cars whose passengers are clearly doing the same thing we are. The house has a projection screen and music playing loudly. I roll the window down more to hear the music, and we watch the lights blink and change with the music’s rhythm. It’s really elaborate and super cool.

We have to keep moving because there are other cars behind us, but I think we both agree that it’s our favorite one so far.

We drive around this neighborhood and then another for nearly two hours. Time passes so quickly that it seems like no time at all. It was totally worth it to see Dare’s face lit up and to see him so happy the whole time.

When I pull into my parking lot a few hours later, our hot chocolates empty and our hearts full, Dare turns his body sideways in the seat and looks at me. From what I can see in the illumination of the dashboard lights, he still has that same smile on his precious face, and his eyes are twinkling.

“I’m . . . Lev, that was . . . just . . . thank you.”

He leans forward, bracing a hand on the center console, and I meet him as we kiss. It’s tender yet firm, gentle yet full of heat and want. His tongue slides along my bottom lip, and I open for him, meeting him in a joust of tongues and warm breaths. He leans up on his knee to kiss me more deeply, and I moan at the feel of his lips and ring on mine. My hand comes up to the back of his head, and I thread my fingers through his hair. It seems to be his turn to moan now, and as we finally need to pull away to breathe, Dare rests his forehead on mine.

We’re breathing a little more rapidly than we had been a few minutes ago, and I’m not even trying to hide the fact that I’m hard.

With his forehead to mine, Dare whispers, “Did you want me to stay tonight?”

He doesn’t have to ask me twice, and I give him a quick peck.