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“Did I do something wrong?”

“No. Never.”

“Is this about,” Sadie lowered her voice and her gaze, “sex?”

Ellie breathed a sigh of relief. “Yes.”

“Thank god.” Sadie’s laugh caught Ellie off guard. “I’ve been wanting to talk to you about it but didn’t know how to bring it up. Then tonight, now,” she grimaced, “we were on the on-ramp to something, weren’t we?”

“Yup,” Ellie nodded with a laugh as she took Sadie’s hand. “I just really love you and I don’t want our first time to be in the back of a car.”

Sadie’s eyes grew wide as they softened, and suddenly Ellie realized what she’d said. Out loud. For the first time. To anyone that wasn’t family.

“You,” Sadie’s voice was low, “love me?”

Ellie knew there was no reason to deny it. She’d been feeling it for weeks, so it was good she’d admitted it to Sadie. Even if it wasn’t in the most romantic way.

“Yeah, I love you.”

Closing the space between them, Sadie pressed her body into Ellie’s until she was pinned up against the side of the car door. Sadie kissed her with as much passion as before, which was a relief to Ellie. At least Sadie wasn’t scared that Ellie had told her she loved her.

Pulling back ever so slightly, Sadie framed Ellie’s face with her hands.

“I love you, too, Eleanor Mackenzie.”

Ellie never knew hearing her whole name like that could be such a turn-on. But hearing Sadie say it after saying she loved her? It was now Ellie’s favorite string of words.

“That’s good cause otherwise this make out session would be weird.”

“Shut up and kiss me.”

She had no idea where Sadie’s confidence came from, but she wasn’t complaining. At least not about Sadie. Ellie was about to complain that they had to stop kissing or something morewouldhappen. Her entire body wanted it and judging by the way Sadie was acting, she did too.

“You know what this means, though, right?”

“That we need to actually watch this movie so our first time isn’t in this car.”

As they both laughed, they climbed out of the backseat and back into the front. They were breathless as they watched the movie and munched on the popcorn. By the time Sadie dropped Ellie off, she had seriously contemplated asking Sadie inside.

But instead, Ellie tucked Sadie’s hair behind her ear and kissed her.

“I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“I’ll text you in the morning.”

“Okay, goodnight.”

“Goodnight, Sadie.”

Forcing herself to get out of the car after another kiss, Ellie waved goodbye to Sadie as she drove out of the driveway. As she walked up the stairs to her room, she texted Isla that she was home. Isla sent two thumbs up, followed by another message.

I love you, baby girl.

I love you, Mom.