Page 111 of Heartland

“That was a necessity,” she argues. “Mine can wait.”

“Maybe you’d better hang onto it, then,” I say, slowing the truck down as we reach the winding country roads. “I’m not known for my patience. You can bring it over on Christmas Eve andslip it to me.” I make it sound nice and sleazy, because teasing Chastity is one of my favorite hobbies.

It’s going to be weird pretending to be just friends for three whole weeks. I’m hoping she decides to give up on that charade after a few days of sexual frustration.

“Speaking of your impatience…” She clears her throat.

I wait. But she doesn’t finish. “What? Tell me already.Crap. That sounded really impatient, right?”

“Yes.” She laughs. “But your impatience is one of your best attributes. It’s part of what makes you fun.”

And there it is again—that little rush of happiness that I often have. Because Chastitygetsme.

“So I did something,” she says. “And it might lead to even more fun. The impatient kind.”

“Uh-huh,” I say. “Is this some kind of Chastity way of trying to talk about sex?”

“Yep,” she says. “Well, birth control. That’s even harder to talk about than sex. Because unlike sex, it’s not very sexy. But I got some. Birth control, that is. It’s an implant, and I got it a week ago, which means it’s already working.”

“Oh, awesome!” This is the best news ever. “Way to go.” I don’t spend a lot of time worrying about pregnancies. But it’s nice to know that I don’t have to.

“It’s super-effective,” she says. “So that also means that you could… You know.”

“What?” I ask, because I’m taking care to watch my traction. A thin layer of new snow is the worst kind to drive on.

“Be impatient,” she says. “And impulsive. With me.”

I give Chastity a quick glance and note that her cheeks are pink. And then it sinks in what she’s trying to say. So I apply the brake and stop the truck, right there on the dirt road. “I’m sorry, are you trying to tell me you want to go bare?” My dick is stiffening inside my jeans even as I say these words.

“Only if you want to,” she says, her color deepening. “It was just a thought. We don’t have to.”

“Sweet baby Jesus.” I tip my head back on the headrest. “And you decided to say this now? Before a three-week abstinence fest? Do you secretly hate me?”

Chastity lets out a nervous laugh. “No. I was trying to be brave about it and discuss it with you ahead of time. Like rational adults.”

“Uh-huh.” I put my hand between my legs, pressing the heel of my hand against my boner. “Except you mistook me for a rational adult. Right now I just want to rip off your clothes and do you. But I have to cut down a Christmas tree instead. Fuck my life.”

Chastity laughs. Then puts her palm on my thigh, which solves nothing. “Sorry. Rookie mistake.”

I cover her hand with mine. “I—”love you anyway. I stop myself just in time. “It’s okay,” I say instead. “I’m half teasing. But waiting for second semester just got, uh, harder.”

From the other end of the road, a car appears, so I let my foot off the brake.

“Sorry,” she says again, humor in her voice. “But you still have to think it over. Because it’s only something we can do if we’re, uh, only doing each other.”

Since I’m edging over to the roadside to let my neighbor pass, I don’t react right away. First, I wave at Mr. Connors and then turn to glance at Chastity. “Hang on. Let’s just be clear about one thing. I’m not sleeping with anyone else. I wouldn’t do that to you.”

“Oh.” She blinks. “Okay. Good.”

I stop the truck again. “Did you seriously think I would?”

“No?” She looks uncomfortable. “But you have a lot of high school, um, friends who visit you during the holidays. And you never said…” She clears her throat. And then she falls silent.

“Okay, fair.” I sit still, my foot on the brake. Here it is—the moment I most dread. The big talk. I have a way of fucking these up. “I know I’m not good at planning my life or making promises. But I’m not going to hop in bed with a high school hookup over break, Chass. We’re too—” I choose my words carefully. “—close for that. I think our thing is our thing andjustour thing until it isn’t our thing anymore.”

Chastity flinches.

“Okay, yep. That was the worst sentence ever composed in the English language. No wonder women get frustrated with me.”