Boys Like You(42)

“Don’t stop,” I said throatily, running my hand across his jaw.

“Monroe, if I don’t stop,” he said huskily. “If we don’t…”

Something like pain crossed his face, and suddenly I was aware of a few things.

My skirt had ridden up to my hips, and the bright pink boy undies I had on were there for him to see. In fact, one of his hands was on the small of my back, holding me in place.

Holding me against him.

Against him.

“Shit,” I said, wriggling like mad to move away. By the look on his face, I think I made things worse. “I’m sorry.”

I kneeled on the seat beside him, biting my lip and not sure what to do. His arm slipped around me, pulling me into his warmth.

“I just need a minute.”

“Okay.”

So do I.

Holy hell, so did I.

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It might have taken more than a few minutes for our hearts to settle, and by then I realized that it was nearly midnight and Gram was expecting me.

“I have to go.”

“I know.” He kissed the top of my head and I smiled. “One more minute.”

“Just one?” I teased.

“I’d take more, but I don’t want to get on Mrs. Blackwell’s bad side.”

I giggled and snuggled into him. “She likes you. I don’t think you have to worry.”

“Good to know.” I smiled at the lightness in his tone.

“And Monroe?”

I angled my head so I could see him. “Yes.”

“Technically that wasn’t my collection kiss.”

My smile widened. “It wasn’t.”

He shook his head. “Nope. Rules are you have to state the claim before the prize is collected, and I didn’t state my claim.”

I liked this side of him. The light side. The teasing side. And I liked how he made me feel. Coyly, I grinned. “So I guess I owe you at least one more kiss.”

There was a pause.

My heart sped up.

“At least.”

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Chapter Twenty


Nathan


“So, as per the rules, I’m stating my claim.”

It was Sunday night and getting kind of late, but I couldn’t help myself. I had to hear her voice, and I needed to see her even more.

I’d spent most of the day and night at a family thing at my aunt and uncle’s. Yep. The entire day spent with a bunch of cousins who were either too young and annoying to hang with or too old and annoying to hang with.

So I’d pretty much kept to myself. My family thought I was brooding— angsting over my situation— and I was fine with that. Because as long as they did, they didn’t try to talk to me and I could be alone with my thoughts.

Thoughts that went from X-rated to kind of pissed off to confused— and all of them were about Monroe.

I’d thought about how amazing it had felt to hold her and how much I wanted to do more than just kiss her. I thought of her laugh and the way it lightened everything, especially the heaviness inside me.

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And I thought about Malcolm.

Who was he? A friend? A boyfriend?

I wanted her to share her secret with me. To trust me enough to do it. But I was willing to bet that Monroe would only come around when she was ready. And maybe she would never be ready.

“So when exactly are you collecting your prize?”

Monroe’s voice cut through my thoughts and I grinned.

“Tonight.”

“Tonight? But it’s nearly midnight and I’m already in bed.”


“Really,” I said, my grin widening. “And what does Monroe Blackwell wear to bed?”

She giggled, a soft, girlie sound that made my gut churn with anticipation.

“Guess you’ll never know.”

I grabbed my knapsack from my bed and shook my head.

“Don’t count on it. See you in a bit.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Guess you’ll have to wait and see,” I answered before pock-eting my cell and heading out of my room.

The house was dark— my parents had gone to bed as soon as we’d come home— and I crept through it silently. They’d never been super strict with me. I don’t think they’d ever given me a curfew, but considering everything that had happened this year, I was pretty sure they wouldn’t be too happy catching me sneaking out of the house at midnight.

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BOYS LIKE YOU

I still couldn’t drive— my license was suspended until the fall— but that didn’t mean my dad’s bike was off limits. Slipping the backpack over my shoulders, I climbed aboard and set off for Twin Oaks Plantation.

The sky was clear and my eyes adjusted quickly, so traveling the back roads was easy.

Would she like what I had planned? Or would she think it was stupid? Corny.

I thought of the connection we had shared the night before, and I had to believe that she would get it. I had to believe that Monroe would understand, ’cuz if not, I was gonna look like a total effing loser. The fact that I was willing to look like a total effing loser meant something, but right now I wasn’t going to think about it too much.