Perfect for You(11)

Another relationship I’ll have to patch up thanks to my little excursion. “I did. It was stupid. I guess after all the training, trying to get her ready, trying to get myself ready, I needed a day away from it all to have fun.” I reach for his hands, and he drops his gym bag, lacing his fingers through mine.

“I don’t like him. I’ve seen the way he uses girls. The guys on the team think he’s hitting on you. Do you have any idea the crap I just took from them in there?”

“I’m so sorry, but he knows I’m with you. He gets it. He just makes comments sometimes because he thinks they’re funny. I told him they’re not. He won’t do it again.” I hope.

“The guys are going to give me hell for this tomorrow.”

“For what? Noah? I’ll make sure he doesn’t—”

“No.” He lets go of me and takes my face in his hands. “For this.” He presses his lips to mine. His kiss is hungry, and I give in to it. He’s letting me off easy after what I’ve done. I kiss him back with everything I have. My hands are in his hair, pulling him closer. I can’t breathe, but I don’t care. I’m not letting go of him. My head spins as his arms wrap around me and lift me off the ground. We don’t pull away until a crowd of football players emerges from the locker room, hooting at us.

I let go of Ash and discreetly wipe the corner of my mouth.

“Way to put her in her place, Davidson!” one of the guys, whose name I don’t know, says.

Yeah, they hate me, but they’re okay with Ash’s tongue being down my throat.

“Keep moving, Tucker,” Ash yells, his eyes never leaving mine. He smiles. “That was amazing.”

Yes, it was. “You’re amazing, and I’m really sorry—”

He presses his finger to my lips. “Just promise me you won’t ever be in a bikini around him again.”

“Done.”

Ash drives me home since I don’t have my car. Only we decide to go past my house and up to the top of the mountain. There’s a clearing where a house used to be. It was knocked down a few years back, and now it’s one of our favorite places. The moon is full and Ash opens the sunroof so we can have a better view. In the daytime, the view from up here is incredible. It overlooks the ski slopes, the valley, and the center of town. But now all I see are stars, a full moon, and Ash. It’s perfect.

“Okay, so look, Jackson’s having a beginning of the school year party at his house Saturday night. I was hoping you’d go with me.”

Jackson, the same guy who stopped Ash from beating on Noah. The same guy who made rude comments about me not being worth Ash’s time. “I’m not so sure he wants me at his house. He doesn’t like me all that much. Not after…” I can’t bring myself to say it.

“Don’t worry about him or any of the other guys. I’ll set them straight. You didn’t do anything wrong. Noah’s a tool. They get that.”

He’s blaming everything on Noah. I’m glad he’s not mad at me anymore, but this isn’t all Noah’s fault either. Still, I let it go, knowing that defending Noah would only make things worse.

“Okay.”

“You’ll go?” His eyes brighten.

“Of course.”

“Oh, I should mention it’s an overnight party. Think your parents will let you? I mean, I could drive you home early, but—”

“I’ll work it out with them.” Overnight with Ash? I can’t think of anything better.

“Great. I’m bringing a sleeping bag big enough for the two of us. Of course with everyone else there, it won’t be private at all, but at least we’ll be close.” He brushes my cheek with his index finger.

“Sounds perfect. Well, not the surrounded by guys who hate me part, but the being with you part.”

“They don’t hate you.” He leans over the middle console and kisses me. It’s uncomfortable having part of the car between us, but I’m not about to complain.

***

Two hours later, Ash drops me off at home. “Good luck tomorrow,” he says, leaning over and kissing me goodnight.

“Thanks. You too, Mr. Football Challenge Champion.”

He blushes a little. That’s the great thing about Ash. He’s amazing, but he never flaunts it. “Sweet dreams, Meg.”

“I love you.” It’s only the second time I’ve said it out loud, so I’m still a little nervous using the L-word, but after the day I’ve had, I have to tell Ash how I feel.

“I love you, too.” He pulls me in for another kiss, and I can’t helping feeling that if we weren’t sitting in my driveway with my parents’ bedroom light on right above us, he’d be over the middle console and in my seat with me.

I pull away breathless. “Goodnight.”

He moans in protest. “Goodnight.”

I get out of the car and linger in the doorway. “Just think, on Saturday night, we won’t have to say goodnight.”

“No, we can say good morning instead.” He smiles, and I decide to end the night on that thought.

I close the car door and walk up the front porch. I give him a small wave as he backs out of the driveway.

Mom is waiting up for me as usual. It’s always the same. She pretends she’s reading a really great book she can’t put down—that is, until I walk through the door and somehow sleep suddenly overtakes her. “Have a good time?” She’s already closing the book and shutting off the living room light.