Page 102 of The Apple Tree

The man who set our popcorn bucket and candy boxes on the floor midway through the movie so he could hold my hand was a million times better than any man I had seen on the big screen.

And that was a tall order becauseTop Gunreleased the previous year, and Tom Cruise had starred in most of my dreams.

“I knew it was my story. Older man. Forbidden love,” I said on the way back to Devil’s Head.

Kyle laughed. “But I teach math instead of dance.”

“Exactly.” I looked at my watch.

“Are you going to miss your curfew?”

“Depends.”

“On?” He shot me a sideways glance.

“If I go straight home when we get back to my car.”

“Then that’s what you’ll do.”

“What? No.” I unfastened my seat belt to scoot across the bench seat next to him, angling my body to kiss his neck. “You can’t take me to a romantic movie and not give me some romance before I go home.”

“I’ll kiss you good night.” He grinned.

I loosened his tie and undid the top buttons of his shirt so I could kiss his chest.

“Eve,” he warned.

“I don’t want just a kiss good night.” I kissed along his collarbone and slid my hand up his leg until I felt the hard bulge in his pants. “Even though I love the way you kiss me like you do.”

“Eve,” his warning came out a little harsher, a little more desperate as he pulled into the parking lot at the lake. “How do I kiss you?”

“Like you want me to know that no other man will ever kiss me again.”

A tiny smirk pulled at his lips.

“By the way, I havenothingon under this dress,” I whispered in his ear.

“What’s your punishment for being late?” His question thrilled me because it meant he was considering it.

“I’m grounded for a week from going out with friends.”

He shoved it intoParkand unbuckled. “Good thing we’re not friends.” His fingers dove into my hair and he paused—of course he paused—a breath away from my lips.

“Then what are we?” I asked.

“You know what we are.” He grinned.

“We’re lovers.”

“Lovers,” he echoed as our lips touched.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

CYNDI LAUPER, “TIME AFTER TIME”

Eve

“You’re late,”my mom said, startling me as I turned on the light in my room a little before one in the morning.

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