Page 54 of Scoop Me Up
“Nothing,” I said. “I’m just… I’m glad I’m here.”
Sam’s smile was bright, making my heart skip a beat. “I’m glad you’re here, too.”
I wondered if they knew how I was feeling, if they were feeling the same. I wondered how they’d react when I finally told them and whether it would change things.
A moment later, Sam scooted closer to me, resting their shoulder against mine. I’d never felt more at home in my life.
Chapter 21
Sam
We sat side by side for a few moments, shoulders touching, looking up at the stars. I stood after a while and when Gabe moved to get up, I put a hand on his shoulder. “I’ll be right back. Don’t go anywhere.”
I went inside and to the kitchen before pulling two spoons out of the drawer and a pint of homemade ice cream from the freezer. It wasn’t anything fancy, just a caramel swirl, sweet and simple, but with a richness that I loved. I hoped Gabe would enjoy it as much as I did.
When I returned to the porch, he’d stretched out his legs and was leaning back to look up. “It really is beautiful here.”
“I’m sure you have stars in Burlington.”
He scoffed and shook his head. “Not like this. Light pollution is too strong.” Gabe sat up again, smiling softly.
I settled down next to him again and handed him a spoon. “Cheers.”
He clinked his spoon against mine. “Cheers. Is this another Sam Special?”
Pulling the lid off of the pint, I offered him the first taste. “I wouldn’t say it's special, but itishomemade.”
“Please. Everything you create is special. You know that.”
My cheeks warmed, pleased by the compliment, and I dug in without another word. The ice cream was smooth and delicious and next to me, Gabe let out a soft little groan of pleasure that went straight to my groin.
“This is good.” He leaned closer and kissed me, our cold tongues moving together, warming quickly. The kiss was short but it made me want more. A lot more. I shifted where I sat and let my mind wander to the possibilities while we shared the ice cream. I didn’t know if Gabe was ready for more, if he would everbeready for more than just kissing, but I wanted him and I hoped he knew it.
When we’d had our fill of the caramel swirl, I set it aside to take in later, knowing it would probably melt to oblivion if I didn’t take it inside soon, and also not caring one bit. I didn’t want to break the moment.
“Look,” I said after a little while. “It’s Scorpius. My favorite.”
“I don’t know what I’m looking for,” he confessed.
I pointed out Antares, the star that represented the scorpion’s heart. “I’ve always liked it. Mythology says that Scorpius stung and killed Orion, which you can only really see here in the wintertime. Now he’s half a world away, and Scorpius shines bright. Plus, Antares is a red star. I’ve always liked the color association.”
Gabe chuckled softly and shook his head.
“What?”
He reached out and stroked my hand with his thumb. “Nothing. I think it’s adorable that you know all this. I… really like that about you.”
It had the potential to sound derisive, but instead, it was tender and fond in a way that made my heart ache and my breath hitch.
I didn’t know how much longer I could sit still and not say something entirely too revealing, so I reached for the ice cream again. At the same moment, Gabe also reached for the ice cream. Our fingers met and we both laughed a little. Gabe took my hand in his, pulling it to him before kissing my knuckles.
I melted more than ice cream on a hot summer day. My exhale came out shaky, emotions threatening to overwhelm me. He pulled my hand closer to him, twining our fingers together, and looked over at me. We locked gazes for a long time, just watching one another. My stomach fluttered and I realized all at once that while I was falling for him, I was also terrified. There were so many changes, so many what-ifs in my life, and they threatened to overwhelm me. I looked away first, fear and desire battling inside me.
“Tell me something,” Gabe said. “Tell me your favorite childhood memory.”
I swallowed hard, the pivot catching me off guard. “Okay.” It only took me a moment to conjure up a memory to share. “It was summer at my grandma’s house. I was running around with a friend and we were chasing fireflies as the sun set. We pulled fresh figs off of the tree and ate them, juice running down our faces. Without warning, he kissed me. Just once and then he ran away laughing. That was my first kiss.”
Gabe grinned at me. “How old were you?”
