Daring the Bad Boy (Endless Summer)(64)

He chuckled. “I know.” Reaching out, he wiped away the one tear that streaked down my cheek with his thumb. “Let’s spend the rest of the week together, okay? And make the most of it?”

I nodded, and he kissed away another stray tear, his lips lingering on my skin.

The entire room burst into applause and happy laughter, and I tried to untangle myself from his arms but he wouldn’t let me. He just held on tighter and bent his head, his mouth at my ear. “Let them look. Let them think they had a hand in pushing us back together, but we know the truth.”

I lifted my head, my gaze landing on his lips. “What’s the truth?”

“You can’t fight fate. We were meant to be, Annie.” His head descended, his lips brushing mine as he spoke. “We belong together.”

And then he kissed me.





Epilogue


ANNIE

My phone rang, and I frowned when I saw Jake’s name flash across the screen. “Why are you calling me?” I said in answer.

He chuckled, the sound rich and warm and making me wish we were in the same room together instead of hundreds of miles apart. “Nice to hear your voice, too,” he said teasingly.

“I thought we were going to FaceTime each other.” I sounded sort of bratty, but I really liked seeing his face every day, and I was missing him extra hard. This long-distance relationship thing was difficult, yet we somehow made it work. But it was Thanksgiving break and without school filling my days, I was missing Jake even more than usual.

“I’d rather call you.” Something rustled, and I heard the faint tick of a turn signal in the background. “What are you up to?”

“I was watching a movie.” I shut my laptop and set it aside on my bed. I’d stayed locked up in my room mostly for the last three days, and I was already bored out of my mind. I’d never wanted a school break to go by fast as much as this one.

“Anything good?”

“Not really.” I could tell he was in his car by all the background noise I could hear. “Are you driving?”

“Maybe.”

“You shouldn’t be talking on the phone while driving,” I reprimanded him. “It’s against the law.”

Jake laughed. “Thanks for the reminder, good girl.” His voice softened. “And don’t worry about me. I’m almost where I need to be.”

“Where are you going?”

“Hold on.” He must’ve put his hand over the phone because everything became muffled. I waited patiently, wondering what he was doing, why he wouldn’t tell me what he was up to. Maybe he had family to visit for the holiday. We were planning to see each other during winter break, and that couldn’t come fast enough. “Okay, sorry about that.”

“You’re being very mysterious.” I leaned back against my pillows and stared up at the ceiling. It was cold out, and rainy, the weather fitting my mood. I thought back to warm summer days and spending them with Jake. We hadn’t been in each other’s presence since the last day of camp, and that had been such a bittersweet moment. One I relived over and over. I remembered the way he held me, the words he’d whispered in my ear, how he kissed me like he never wanted to stop.

“I’ve missed you,” he said, clearly changing the subject.

“I’ve missed you, too.” I lowered my voice, always worried Mom or Dad was lurking outside my closed door. “I wish it was already Christmas so we could really be together.”

“What would you do to me if we were together? In the same room? Right now?”

I could feel my cheeks go hot. That he could make me blush while we talked on the phone said a lot, especially about what I wanted to do with him if I ever got him alone. “Hug you.”

“Ah, come on, you can be more creative than that,” he teased.

“Kiss you.”

“With tongue or without?”

“Jake.” My cheeks were blazing hot.

“Let me tell you what I’d do if we were in the same room together.” He hesitated for the barest moment, just long enough for me to hold my breath in anticipation. “I’d pull you in for a bone-crushing hug, then I’d push you away from me because I’d want to see your face and look into your eyes.”

Everything inside me melted. He was a closet romantic, I swear. “What next?” I whispered.

“Then I’d cup your face and kiss you. For a long time. With plenty of tongue.”

That sounded positively dreamy.

“Annie! Come downstairs!” Mom suddenly yelled, interrupting my lust-fueled thoughts.

Sighing irritably, I told Jake, “Hold on. My mom wants me.”

“Don’t hang up,” he said as I rolled off my bed and went to the door.

“I won’t,” I promised as I started down the stairs. Mom stood in the living room, a strange smile curling her lips. “What’s up?” I asked her.

“Someone’s at the door for you.” She waved at the still-closed front door before she went into the kitchen.

Frowning, I looked from the door to her retreating back to the door once again. “Why isn’t it open?”

“Open the door, Annie,” Jake gently encouraged.

Oh. My. God.

My heart started to race and I ran for the front door, throwing it open to find Jake standing on my front porch, his phone still clutched to his ear, a giant smile curving his perfectly kissable lips.