Page 147 of Love in Riverbend
He turns and smirks my direction. “You are because you like the way I kiss or how I can make you come?”
My fingers go to my face as my cheeks warm. “Both. Could we please not keep talking about the latter?”
“You said if I hadn’t mentioned the kiss at your apartment, we wouldn’t be here.”
“Right,” I say, nodding. “Let’s talk about that.”
His blue eyes reflect the lights of his dashboard as he grins. “Okay. Just to clarify, it’s how sweet you taste that you don’t want to talk about.”
Instead of answering, I collect the daisies. Their petals are closed and the stems limp. “I’ll put these in water when I get home. They’ll be rigid again in no time.”
“I know how they feel.”
“If you say things like that around Ricky, he will punch you.”
“Devan, I’m not a guy who talks about what’s private and what’s his. I enjoy watching you blush. What we do isn’t anyone else’s business.”
“I’ll text you later,” I say as he pulls his truck next to my car. “I need to test the waters, but I think my plan will work.”
When I start to open the door, Justin tells me to stop. I shake my head as he hurries from his side and gets to my door, opening it for me and offering me his hand.
“I also take care of what is mine.” He lifts my hand to his lips. “Are you sure it’s too soon to talk cohabitation? My mom will be thrilled if I move out.”
“Too soon,” I say, ready to brush his scruffy cheek with a kiss.
Justin redirects my face, so instead of kissing his cheek, our lips come together.
After all we shared tonight, the good-night kiss is supposed to be anticlimactic, but it isn’t. My body goes slack against the firmness of his chest, melding against him as his palm tilts my face and my lips bruise.
“Good night, Devan.”
His deep tenor rumbles through me.
“Good night, Justin.”
As I drive toward my house, I’m surprised to see how late it has become. This time of year, the sun sets later at night. I cut my lights as I approach the garages, fearful I’ll wake my parents. My car is the only one missing, meaning everyone else is home. Despite the late hour, the back door is unlocked as I slip into the kitchen, latching the door behind me.
The kitchen is illuminated by the blue light of a contraption Mom says is supposed to catch bugs. Quietly, I open the cupboard above the microwave and pull down a vase. After filling it with water, I begin to put the daisies in when I turn to footsteps coming from the back stairs.
“They’ll do better,” Mom says, “if you cut the ends. Unless they were just picked.”
I go to the junk drawer and find a pair of scissors. “Thanks. They were picked earlier tonight.”
Wearing her bathrobe, Mom comes to my side and helps me arrange the daisies. “They’re very pretty.”
I nod.
“That was nice of Jill to give you flowers.”
I turn, meeting her gaze. “You know I wasn’t with Jill?”
Her lips curl upward. “I do now. Do you want to talk?”
“I could use your help.”
Chapter 19
Justin
