Page 37 of If You Say So

Nine

Nate

Two and a half years ago

“We.”

Kiss.

“Need.”

Kiss.

“Mmm…” he hums. “To.”

Kiss, kiss, kiss.

“Talk.”

I pull back and peer down at him. “About?”

He sighs and licks at his wet lips. “Us.”

Sitting up on my knees so I’m straddling him, I feel my brows pinch together. “What about us?”

Blake pushes at me and I take the hint, rolling off him and sitting cross-legged beside him. He sits up and rests his back against the headboard, legs stretched out in front of him. Though his form screams relaxed, he’s anything but. I can see the way he’s working his bottom lip between his teeth, and he keeps flicking his gaze away, not wanting to meet my eyes.

In the last few weeks, we’ve spent more time together, each visit turning into a tangle of mouths and tongues. I’m definitely not complaining, but he is right.

We need to talk about us.

“What are we doing, Nate?”

I shrug. “Having fun?”

He lets his head land against the headboard in a huff. “Is thatallthis is? Fun?”

I let my fingers pick at the comforter covering his bed while I find the best way to answer his question. I don’t want to answer with something that’s going to scare him. I also don’t want to lie to him.

This isn’t just fun for me. This is something…more, something meaningful, and if that’s not what it is for him, I’ll be crushed.

“I want this to be whatever works best for you,” I finally answer him.

“What if what works best for me doesn’t work foryou?”

I glare at him. “Are you trying to make this more complicated?”

He lets out an unamused chuckle. “No, and that’s what sucks.”

“Okay, then let’s figure this out. Do you like ki—”

The word gets stuck in my throat. This is the first time I’ve spoken out loud about what it is we’ve been doing. I have no problem kissing Blake—hell, it may even be my favorite thing to do in the whole world—but talking about it? Fuck, that’shard.

I suck in a sharp breath and spew out the words. “Doyoulikekissingme?”

“Yes.” No hesitation. “Do you like kissingme?”

“I do.”

---