Page 52 of Flame After the Fumble

“I’ve got it!” Violet yells as she flings the door open, allowing the cool night air to trickle inside.

“I’m here!” a sassy voice booms, and my shoulders relax at the squeaking of Willow’s entrance. She pops around the door into view. “I can’t wait to be here with you guys next year.”

Violet’s eyes bulge in shock and excitement. “You’re coming to Springs U?!”

“Yes, ma’am.” Throwing her hands on her hips. “And you are?”

“Oh.” Red flushes Violet’s cheeks in embarrassment. “I’m Violet. I’ve heard so much about you. I feel like I already know you.”

“TheViolet who was a total queen in truth or dare?!” And that’s my cue to plug my ears because if I hear the story of Ryan and Violet’s kiss one more time, I may break something.

“Umm. . .” She bites her lip and behind her dark eyes, flashes the entirety of her and Ryan’s relationship in a matter of seconds. “Yeah. The one and only.”

Willow pulls her in for a hug, and her muffled voice speaks into Violet’s hair, “I want to be you when I grow up.”

Clearing my throat, I interject. “Okay.” The last thing I need is Violet having an emotional breakdown about Shane in the middle of Liza’s art exhibition. “Let’s go over the plan.”

Knock. Knock. Knock.Pounds into the wooden door announce Liza and Emberly’s arrival. So much for a plan. Willow’s hands dart over her mouth as she lets out soft squeals and points to the door.

She mouths, “That’s her.”

So I mouth back as I throw up my hands in worry, “You think?!”

I throw my plan of hiding Willow somewhere in the apartment out the window. Instead, I turn off my worried brain and let the pieces fall where they may. Squaring my shoulders, I march past Violet and squeeze past an excited Willow to greet my girl at the door. What surprises me behind the aged wood is pure sunshine. Her hair curled down one side of her shoulder, her brown eyes glimmering with hope as she stares daggers into my heart. Her dress is a deep pink, almost purple color, and her strapped heels are tied off with a satin bow. I’ve never seen her like this, so mymouth runs dry and parts as my eyes continue to slowly rake over her.

“Done staring, Hotshot?”I say with a teasing smile.

Taking a few steps forward, I kiss her gently on the cheek, careful not to mess up her makeup. That time will come later. “Never.” So entranced with Liza, I didn’t even notice Emberly standing a few steps behind her in a navy blue pants suit with her hands folded over her chest. “Oh. Hey, Em.”

“Hey. Can we come in now?” she asks, flipping her watch over to check the time.

“Yeah. Yeah. I have something to show you.” Resting my hand on the small of Liza’s back, I guide her in, thankfully giving Willow enough time to get out of plain sight.

“A surprise?” Liza’s face lights up with mischief.

I shift my weight from side to side and stick my hands in the pockets of my dress pants. “Something you couldn’t get through the night without.”

“SURPRISE!” Willow pops her head up from her crouched position behind the kitchen counter, scurrying to wrap her sister in a bear hug.

Liza's mouth forms a surprised ‘o’ shape as her eyes shoot to mine over her sister's shoulder as she hugs me back. “Willow?! How. . .”

“It was all Hartley’s idea,” Willow gloats on and boosts my ego with every word. “He wanted this to be special for you.”

Liza’s eyes well with appreciation as she unlocks her arms from around her sister and makes her way across the room to me. “Hart. . .”

My hands grip both sides of her hips as I roll the fabric of her soft dress to center myself in the moment. “You deserve to have everything you want, Goldie.”

“This is. . .” Her thumb rubs a rogue tear traveling down her cheek. “Thank you.”

“Not to ruin the moment because I would love to watch this unfold all night—” Violet’s soft voice cuts in and brings us back to reality as she wipes away a stray tear from her cheek. “But if we don’t leave soon, we’ll be late.”

“Let’s go.” Willow ushers us out of the crowded apartment and all of us hop into Liza’s small car. With the amount of people crammed in, Emberly decided to drive, giving me the perfect opportunity to have Liza on my lap for the short drive to the art building on campus. Peppering kisses up and down her neck, forming goosebumps across her arms and legs, my hands wander up the slit of her short dress to squeeze her thigh.

“Mmm. . .” Her soft moans, only meant for me, rattle into my ear, and I begin to question if I’ll make it through this event without gluing my hands to her body every few minutes.

“We’re here,” Emberly announces as she parks in a close enough spot for the girls not to complain about the distance in heels. We get out of the clown car and allow Liza to lead the way to the exposition. Her hand intertwines with mine as we approach the door.

Inhaling a deep breath, Liza turns to the group. “This is it.”

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