Page 100 of The Apple Tree

Long and flowing.

I felt like a woman in the dress, not a girl.

That ache in my heart and the fluttering in my tummy, which could only be described as love, never seemed to ease. It didn’t matter that Kyle had seen me soaking wet, naked, tipsy, and everything in between. I still wanted to look my best for him. I wanted to make his heart skip and dance like mine. If he could love me even a little, that was enough.

Just a seed.

I would nurture that seed and wait for it to grow. And maybe, just maybe, he might find a way for us to be together without destroying everything we had between our families. If Josh’s mom came back, Kyle would still choose me.

When headlights shined in my rearview mirror, I stepped out, adjusting my dress and primping my hair one last time.

Kyle hopped out of his truck wearing his navy suit and Robin’s egg blue tie, which he probably wore to school that day since everyone was dressed up for game day.

“Hi.” I grinned.

“Eve,” he drew out my name, gaze slowly taking me in. When he pressed a hand to his chest, a kaleidoscope of butterflies took flight in my tummy.

I lifted my dress, holding it out to the side and turning in a slow circle so he could see the back.

“I’m speechless,” he said.

I blushed. “Thank you,” I whispered.

His hand ghosted along my jaw and cupped the nape of my neck while he kissed me. I gripped his jacket lapels.

“How can I love this dress on you so much yet want nothing more than to take it off ?” he asked, kissing down my neck as I closed my eyes and grinned.

“We’re overdressed for a movie,” I said.

“Not yet.” He reached into his truck and came out with a plastic container.

“You got me a corsage?” I beamed.

He pulled the white rose corsage from the container and slid it onto my wrist. “Nowwe’re overdressed for a movie.”

“If you’re trying to make me not love you, you’re doing a terrible job.”

Kyle smirked, hooking my arm around his as he walked me to the other side of his truck and opened the door. He helped gather my dress, so it didn’t brush along the bottom of his truck as I climbed inside.

“This is the most unforgettable night of my life,” I said.

He eyed me for a few seconds before a slow grin slid up his face, along with a tiny blush. “How can you say that already?”

“No one has ever looked at me like you are now.”

He winked and closed my door.

I picked up the corsage box as we pulled out of the parking lot. “Why does this have Drew’s name on it?”

“In the locker room after the game, he was complaining to his friends that his homecoming date wasn’t as hot as you. And while that’s a no-brainer, I thought he was being an asshole for saying it. So I took the corsage he had next to his suit in his locker. If he’s going to be an asshole, he might as well look like one too.”

As we cruised down the highway, I rolled down my window just enough to toss out the corsage.

“What are you doing?” Kyle whipped his head in my direction.

“You can’t give me someone else’s flowers. I don’t accept it.”

“You steal alcohol, but when it comes to flowers, you’re a purist? I thought we had a Bonnie and Clyde thing going.”

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