His Reverie (Reverie #1)(43)

The minute I could make my escape though, I did. Oh, and it was worth escaping for. It was worth the risk of getting caught too. When I showed up at the clearing, Nick was there, looking so unbelievably handsome he made my breath catch. He wore a blue and white plaid shirt and dark jeans, his usually out of control hair somewhat tamed. He was nervous, I could tell from the way he was pacing back and forth and I thought that was so cute.

He brought wine and set up a spot with blankets and pillows. He gave me a present, a pretty little bottle filled with glitter that he labeled dreams.

So incredibly sweet, I almost wanted to cry when he told me the bottle belonged to his mom.

We drank some wine and kissed. I felt very grown up, even though I didn’t like the wine very much. I had a whole cup though and I could feel the alcohol buzzing through my veins. That was kind of weird but it also felt good. The wine helped me relax.

Then we were lying on the blankets and staring at the stars for all of a minute before he started to kiss me. Well, maybe I was the one who kissed him first. His neck…he smelled so delicious and I couldn’t resist.

I think we kissed for at least an hour. Maybe more. I don’t know. I lost count of time. All I know is there is nowhere else I’d rather be than in his arms. He felt so good. So solid and warm. At one point I pushed him onto his back and spent about fifteen minutes just kissing his face. His eyebrows, his nose, his cheeks, his chin, his amazingly perfect lips…

At the end of the night I asked him what this meant. What I meant to him. He cupped my face with his big hands and stared into my eyes. He said he wanted no one else. He just wanted to be with me. I thought my heart would soar right out of my chest, hearing him say that. I told him I felt the same way. It’s not like he officially declared, ‘You’re my girlfriend’ but what else could that mean?

We’re together, Nick and I. I know Mama and Daddy won’t approve so it’ll still have to be a secret. But I’m going to work up the nerve to tell them. I have to.

After all, I’m in love with him.

25

Confession: acknowledgement, admission

July 27th

“Where are you taking me?” Reverie turns her head in my direction, the wind blowing her hair everywhere. We have the windows down, trying out the new truck I just bought yesterday.

I smile at her. “It’s a surprise.”

She settles back in her seat, her hands clutched together and resting in her lap. Looking sexy as hell in a thin pale green sundress that tempts me to slip my fingers beneath the hem and stroke her thigh.

But I keep both hands firmly planted on the steering wheel, staring straight ahead at the road. I’ve spent the last ten days with Reverie, sneaking time with her wherever and whenever I can. Now that she’s so firmly in my life, Reverie has become an even bigger distraction.

One I’m welcoming rather than running away from.

“I love your new truck,” she says again, for about the twentieth time. She’s running her fingers along the inside of the passenger door and I wish those fingers were doing the same thing to me. “I especially like the color.”

My truck is silver. And old. Well, it was made this century, but just barely—I bought a 2000 Chevy S-10 with over 150,000 miles on it. No air conditioning and it has a stick shift but that’s okay. I got it for twenty two hundred dollars so I’m not complaining. The truck is exactly what I was looking for. Now I’ve got Mom’s car up for sale on Craigslist and I’ve already had a lot of calls on it. I’ll get rid of it soon and put more money in my pocket. Money I need because this summer is just flying by and next thing I know, I’ll need to find a new job.

Not looking forward to looking for a new one. Not looking forward to missing Reverie after she’s gone either. My heart pangs just thinking about it.

“Thanks, but you don’t have to pretend you like it.” I give in to my urges and squeeze her knee, caressing her lightly just with the tips of my fingers. Goosebumps follow in their wake, I can feel them. “I know you’re used to your fancy, expensive cars.”

“Oh please.” She settles her hand over mine. “I don’t care what kind of car I’m in as long as I’m with you.”

She says things like that and I never want her to leave my side again. “You tell me that now but some pretty rich boy will come along in his tricked out Mercedes and you’ll leave me in a heartbeat.”

“Do you really think I’m that shallow?” She sounds sad as she starts to pull her hand away. I turn my hand up, grasping her fingers tight so she can’t escape.

“Not at all. You know this. I’m sorry. I’m just being an ass,” I say, feeling like shit. My insecurities come into play every time I’m with Reverie. She wants to be with me and I don’t quite understand why. I’m just a guy. And she’s this beautiful, perfect girl…

She brings our linked hands to her mouth and gently kisses my knuckles. “You don’t have to worry about me leaving you for someone else. I’m not like your ex-girlfriend, you know.”

Yeah, I know. And thank Christ for that. I told her about Krista. Well, not everything. I didn’t tell Reverie I had sex with her not even a month ago. I didn’t tell her Krista lives in the same complex as me. I also didn’t tell her that my best friend double-crossed me and I ended up in jail because of his lies.