Page 25 of Lessons in Falling
Right before we rounded the last turn of the road, and the Summerhouse would jump into view again, she stopped.Like she hadn’t realized how much time had passed and was surprised to recognize the bush she was now hiding behind.From the house, no one could see us.
That’s probably why she turned on her heels and kissed me again.She stretched onto her tiptoes, crossed her arms behind my neck, and my heart dropped into my stomach even before her lips had been on mine.
Why the fuck did she make me so nervous?
This wasn’t my first kiss, and it certainly wouldn’t be my last—and yet, a single taste of Valentina’s lips against mine, and I had to stifle a groan.The taste of cherry lip balm and toothpaste mixed on my tongue, and her satisfied sigh might send me into a coma if I wasn’t careful.
Caden?she mumbled against my lips, and I nodded, eagerly, desperately.Thinking anything she was willing to give me, I’d take.This changes nothing.You know that, right?
I figured as much,I admitted.
If I had any fucking self-respect, I’d stop kissing her neck.I’d stop my teeth from scraping along her skin, and I wouldn’t be standing on the side of the road with a raging hard-on, still willing to give her whatever she’d asked for, even if I knew she’d go back to ignoring me in ten minutes.
She untangled herself from me, and I managed not to cling to her like an annoying bug might.Only so I could look at her.Figuring out Valentina Rhodes might become my favorite hobby, with how frequently I did it.For the number of times it happened, though, I was still unbelievably bad at it.For the life of me I couldn’t imagine what she might be thinking.How good a kisser I was, preferably.How she’d missed this, and wanted more—hopefully.Probably just that I was a fucking idiot.I tried to snap out of it, and started walking back to the house.
Show some independence, Caden.
So?I asked.The house materialized around the corner, and I could feel Valentina’s guard rising beside me.Walls that seemed almost as high as mine usually were.Got me out of your system now?
She rolled her eyes, but didn’t answer.Which probably meant this little experiment of hers had been unsuccessful.Had probably made the whole thing between us worse.Less bearable.More thought-consuming.
I nodded knowingly, like her silence was answer enough.Yeah,I agreed thoughtfully, stepping onto the gravel leading to the house.Me neither.
Valentina showered, and I thought about myself in there with her.She jumped into the pool—with nothing but that stringy bikini on,obviously—and I imagined none of her friends were jumping in with her, so we could finish what we’d started earlier.In the water.On the deck.The lounge chairs we’d slept on last week.Anywhere she’d have me, really.When her friends split up grocery duty that afternoon, I honest-to-God imagined hearing my name after hers, hoping to get more time with her—not wanting to wait until tonight.
That cool with you, Caden?Iris asked, sitting on the island in the kitchen.On the couch, I blinked out of my Valentina-induced trance to find five pairs of eyes staring at me expectantly.Safe for Valentina’s, who shook her head, not very subtly, from behind Iris in the kitchen.
What?
You and Valentina.Groceries for the bonfire tonight.Is that fine?
Oh.So I hadn’t imagined it.
Yeah.Of course.I almost smiled when Valentina, out of sight from the rest of her friends, let her head fall back with a silent groan.I was tempted to blow her a kiss when her eyes slid back to mine in a glare, but decided against it.For her sake.
Sweet.You can take the Bronco.
The way Iris said it seemed casual enough, but by the way Valentina’s head shot in her direction, it wasn’t.
What?she asked, incredulous.We can take the—what?
The Bronco.I’m not letting you chug along with that thing you call a car.And we’re taking Mike’s actual, properly working vehicle into town.Then, she threw her keys at Valentina.She gracefully caught them.If you hurt her, I’ll be very upset.
CHAPTER 14
VALENTINA
I was too afraid of totaling the Bronco, so I didn’t drive.Despite the fact that I was a good driver, crashing Iris’ favorite car was probably worse than breaking the NFR.And she had enough reason to be mad at me already.
She doesn’t let anyone drive it,I explained to Caden on the way to the store.Apart from firewood, we had to get marshmallows, crackers, chocolate, hotdogs, buns, and whatever Anni needed to make her infamous campfire bread—literally translating to stick-bread from German.
I hadn’t spoken a word to him since we’d gotten back from our run.Out of fear I might say something that would lead us right back to where we’d ended up once today already.But intentionally not speaking to someone was harder than I’d thought, and I’d given up the second we’d gotten in the car.Clearly, I was making up for lost time by sharing every thought that came to mind.For some reason.
I don’t know why she’s just letting us drive it, like she hasn’t fought tooth and nail to keep those keys out of Anni’s andAlfie’s hands—well, no, Alfie’s I understand.He’s an abysmal driver.I trailed off, shaking my head.It doesn’t make sense—
Caden’s eyes flicked to me, then back to the road.Another five minutes until he’d pull up to the store.Has anyone ever told you how confusing you are, Rhodes?
My eyes narrowed at him, and he continued.You don’t speak to me the entire time we’re home, then you can’t seem to shut up the second we’re on grocery-duty.Did you accidentally flick a switch when we got in the car?
