Page 100 of From Drummer to Gamer

We were living in two thousand twenty-five, and here I was with my parents, while the man I liked asked their permission to date me. I wonder if he would write a full-blown contract when he wanted to marry me.

My eyes widened. I was only freaking eighteen, and Matty and I hadn’t even started dating, so I’d leave that little thought for another day—a day far, far in the future.

I knew how traditional and old-school my parents were, and I knew how much they appreciated him asking their permission and doing the right thing rather than taking advantage of the girl under his roof. In such a short time, Matty figured them out well. He was earning an extra space in our little family without even trying so hard.

But then that was who Matty Evans was, right?

Even a red freaking marker wouldn’t work if someone were to write something bad about him.

I didn’t know him for long, but his silent presence and tiny gestures felt like he melted my heart and molded it back into a shape that would fit only in his palms.

Without a doubt, I knew for sure my heart would be safer in his hands than at home in my rib cage.

“I agree, too,” Mom told us after a moment. “I think you would treat my daughter well, but I’d like to wait and see you prove yourself. Sierra hasn’t dated anyone serious before, and this would be her first relationship, so I suggest you both take the time to figure it out. And Sierra is still young, so I don’t want her to lose focus on her academics.”

Before Matty could give her a false promise, I jumped in. “Yes, Mom. I will work hard. I promise.”

She smiled, nodding.

“Okay, are you guys done with all the serious talk? Because I’m so hungry, and you guys are boring me,” Raphy muttered, which earned him a sharp glare from Mom.

But thankfully, the heavy conversation was put to rest as they wound down to the dining room while Matty and I threaded to the kitchen to bring in the food.

A sudden, tense energy shifted between us when our eyes met just as we entered the kitchen. A space too small for him and me. A blush sneaked its way up my cheeks as I averted my gaze.

But a strong grip circled my wrist, tugging me toward his massive form as he lifted my eyes to him. “Don’t tell me you’re all shy now? We haven’t even started yet, firecracker.”

The burn in my cheeks intensified. “It’s just so new to me,” I mumbled. “Like you don’t understand… To be with Matty Evans is like something out of my wildest dreams, and I’m living it. That doesn’t ever happen to girls like me. When was it?” I asked in a low whisper. “When was it that made you start thinking of me differently?”

“I think from the moment I laid eyes on you.”

I suppressed the feelings that climbed up my heart. “Though I’m not usually you’re type. I just imagined you’d like someone more…stiffer?”

He shook his head with a faint smile. “I don’t particularly have a type, but if I did, it would be you.” His finger grazed slowly along the side of my neck, just over my rising pulse. “Everything about you turns me into a man I don’t recognize. For better or for worse, you’re going to ruin me for the rest of my life, Sierra, but I would gladly let you.”

With that, he closed his lips over mine in the softest possible way.

It was brief yet sweet, like a slow, heavy drug seeping into my veins.

He tasted like caramel and heaven.

The taste I wanted on my lips for the rest of my life.

CHAPTER 22

SIERRA

Matty Evans’s love language was physical touch.

It wasn’t hard to learn that since his hand was always on a part of my body.

Either holding my hand like I was going to disappear any moment or gathering me in his arms like I was an extension of him.

I didn’t care. I loved every second of it.

We’d been on two dates already.

On his insistence that wemustgo out because that was what couples did, and he wanted to do everything the right way.

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