Page 63 of This Love
“How is that different?”
“You want me to describe it, or show you?”
“Show me, I think.”
She squished her eyes closed and leaned forward.
I had to smile. She looked like she was expecting a tetanus shot. Instead of kissing her right away, I touched her hair, gently tucking a strand behind her ear. I ran my thumb along her cheek and down her jaw, then cupped her face.
I waited until her shoulders relaxed, and her features were no longer in this pained expression. Then, and only then, did I actually lean forward and softly press my lips to hers.
We’d been kissing for weeks, but they had been gentle and easy, like middle school kisses.
Now, I gripped her chin more firmly. I slid my tongue against her lips, teasing them open.
She parted, our mouths fully engaged, and I drew her tightly against me. My fingers slid through her loose hair to hold the back of her head.
Her body melted against mine. I let go of her chin to drag her from the cushion beside me onto my lap. She turned to face me, knees on either side of my waist, her legs on either side of my thighs.
I released her head to spread my hands across her waist and then down to drag her even closer.
She gasped against my mouth. “Tucker, I feel like I’m on fire. Is this normal?”
“Totally,” I told her. “Do you want to stop?”
“God, no,” she said. “I think you better show me what happens next!”
So, I did.
Chapter 24
Ava
After three solid days in bed where Tucker and I called in sick to everything, we finally felt ready to go out into the world again.
I swear, everything looked different. I saw love everywhere. Old couples, young couples, people on first dates. I could spot the people who were clearly doing all these crazy things with each other and liked it. And I could even figure out when one person liked it more than the other.
It was all in the gaze, the way their bodies shifted toward each other or away. How comfortable they were touching.
Tucker and I had it now.
I wanted my whole life back. All of it.
We started making expeditions to places around town so I could practice with my camera. Austin was so big!
We went to the State Capitol building to photograph the towering trees and intricate architecture. We spent sunset under the Congress Street bridge waiting for the bat colony to fly into the sky to begin their nightly scavenging for food.
Graffiti murals. Kayaking on the lake. Bull Creek Park.
I started taking more photos of people, handling all the families with small children that Vinnie was relieved I could do. I figured out Photoshop and increased my time at my computer.
I only rarely worked shifts at Big Harry’s.
The photos I took began to look like the ones from before. I made more money and worried less.
Tucker moved back into our blue house.
I met Maya, hanging out on her flower-filled porch next to the one where I’d lived with my mother, where Tucker would sneak me out the window when we were teens.
