Page 43 of Fragile Hearts

Leaning in, I grip the back of her neck as I pull her close. Brushing my lips against hers, I whisper, “Yes, I promise.”

She nods, and I silence any more of her questions with another kiss. When we eventually pull back, Sloane’s face is flushed, and her eyes are all hazy and sexy.

Chuckling, I pick up my fork again as I say, “Your blush is so adorable, you know.”

“What? I don’t blush,” she says as her cheeks get even darker.

Laughing, I say, “Yeah, you do. It’s really sexy.”

“Oh my god,” Sloane moans, dropping her fork as she puts her hands on her cheeks. “This is so embarrassing.”

I reach over, pulling one of her hands away as I lift it to my mouth and press a kiss against her palm. “It’s not,” I whisper. “It’s adorable, seriously.”

Sloane rolls her eyes, and I laugh again before she changes the subject and asks, “Wanna watch a movie tonight?”

I raise a brow, smirking as I say, “Sure, what are we watching?”

Sloane’s head falls to the side as she watches me, a secretive little smile on her face as she says, “How about the second car movie?”

“The second car movie,” I repeat with a laugh. “You mean Too Fast, Too Furious, right?”

“I don’t know, do I?” she asks, shrugging. “I’ve never seen them, remember?”

“Yeah, gorgeous, you do,” I say with a nod. “But yep, that sounds good.” I take another mouthful of dinner, chewing slowly as I try to decide if I should ask the question I want to ask. As I swallow, I mentally say fuck it and just ask it. “You wanna have a sleepover again tonight?”

Sloane’s lips twitch, like she’s trying not to smile. “Like for Mochi’s sake?” she asks.

I burst out laughing. “Yeah, sure, for Mochi’s sake,” I tell her.

She smiles now, unable to stop it as she rests her arms on the table and leans a little closer. “Are you sure you can handle the little cockblocker?” she asks. “I can’t even imagine what that’s doing to...” She trails off, her eyes dropping to what I assume is my crotch beneath the table.

With a grin, I point my fork at her as I say, “If you are referring to my blue balls, Sloane, then I can assure you, you have nothing to worry about.”

“Oh?” she asks, a single brow raised.

Chuckling, I shake my head. “Nope, all good.”

“You sure?” she asks, a teasing smile on her face now. “Because it seemed like you needed a minute this morning?”

I’m laughing again, shaking my head at this new, playful side of Sloane that I really fucking love. “Yeah, not gonna deny that,” I admit. “But I’ve been managing this blue ball situation for a long time now, so I’m good, I promise.”

“Blue ball situation?” Sloane asks, laughing.

“Uh huh.”

“But you...” She trails off, and there’s that fucking blush I love so much.

With a grin, I lean over as I say, “Yeah, I have jerked off to deal with it,” I whisper, my gaze locked with hers. “But that’s all,” I add, wanting her to know the whole picture here.

“So like...you haven’t...” She trails off again, seemingly unable to ask the question my statement implies.

Closing the distance, I give her a quick kiss as I say, “No, Sloane. I haven’t been with anyone else.”

She blinks at my admission, her eyes wide as she says, “Since, like...?”

With a grin, I sit back in my chair, forking another pile of spaghetti as I say, “Since I fell for you.” Sloane doesn’t say anything, and when I turn back to her, she’s staring at me, a look of shock and surprise and something else on her face. Just before I shove the fork in my mouth, I wink and say, “Told you I’d wait.”

“So, how do you wanna do this?” I ask as we walk hand in hand along the beach.