Page 15

15

JACOB

“Thank you for an incredible day.” Skye tosses her backpack onto the passenger seat of her baby-pink Nissan Figaro car.

I slide her pink suitcase into the small trunk of her unique car, then close it before moving around to the driver’s side and opening the door for her.

“You’re a real gentleman, you know that?” Skye teases, wiggling her hips my way and fluttering her big blue eyes.

“C’mon, get in. It’s late and you need to get home.”

If she doesn’t, I might fling her over my shoulder and drag her to my bedroom, where I will keep her to myself for all eternity.

My sensibility almost snapped halfway through the day. The way she licked her strawberry ice cream seductively was enough to break even the strongest of men.

In between moments of caveman-level desire, I dreamed about walking hand in hand with her. It’s all I’ve ever wanted.

Today felt like the beginning of something new, but it’s a balance of emotions I’m struggling to juggle.

I’m not ashamed to admit I like that she’s aware of what she means to me now, but I’m petrified we won’t get a chance to explore what we possibly could be.

Sharing a bed with her last night, her flirting with me, the intimacy. It was my ultimate dream come true.

Then the shower this morning.

Fuck me, the shower this morning. That’s an image I will never forget.

Her body. Man, has she got the most incredible pair of tits. They fit her slight frame perfectly. The perfect size for my hands, too. Her nice round ass and that little pussy of hers is waxed just the way I like it, bare with a sliver of a landing strip.

Fuck-ing yum-my.

I’m never getting any work done this week if it goes anything like it did today. She’s constantly touched me, not inappropriately or anything. Just little gestures. Like when she laid her hand on my thigh as we watched Hamilton , squeezing it at the emotional scenes. The way she used my arm to balance herself as she threw her head back, laughing when I dropped my ice cream. She seems to like touching me.

I can’t lie. I freakin’ love it.

I’ve waited since I was sixteen for this and I’m now left wondering what would have happened if I’d said something sooner.

However, maybe we just had to wait for our moment.

But is it all too much too soon?

It scares me to think that I have loved her for so many years, but suddenly she’s interested in me after only a few weeks. Could it really be this easy? Although it’s anything but easy because we have an Owen-shaped block standing between us. But knowing she likes me too, that she wants me… it’s enough. For now.

“C’mon, hurry up and get in the car. It’s getting chilly,” I instruct, pulling my attention back to Skye.

“I’ve driven the roads here since I got my license. Stop fussing.” She comes to a halt on the other side of the driver’s door.

This is the moment, if I was on a date with her, that I would lean down and kiss her. Reality is, we aren’t and we can’t.

“Text me as soon as you get in. It’s late and a little frosty. Be careful on the bends.”

“Okay.” She bites her lip and then gets into her car. I close the door and she instantly rolls the window down, so I bend at the waist to meet her face to face.

As she turns the key, her little motor car sputters before humming contently.

“Please be safe,” I say.

“Oh, do stop.” She rolls her eyes.

“I worry about you.”

“I know.” A soft grin tilts her lips upward. “I like how you worry about me. It feels nice.”

She steals my breath when she keeps talking. “It makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside.” Her face turns serious. “If I feel like this now, imagine what it will feel like when we kiss.” She stares at my lips as if picturing that in her mind.

“I can’t wait to find out.”

“I can’t either.” She shakes her head then clears her throat. “Tomorrow is Sunday.”

“And?”

“You don’t like Sundays.”

I love that she remembered my admission.

“I have Sunday dinner with my mom and dad, but afterward, can I video call you?”

Excitement blooms in my chest. “I would like that. A lot.”

“Seven o’clock?”

“Perfect.”

After a moment, she sighs. “I gotta go.”

Please stay.

“Speak tomorrow.” I tap the window opening. “And remember to text me.”

“Okay, big guy.” Her tone is soft.

She pushes the car into drive, making her little car move slowly across the gravel; the crunches echo in the dark.

The red glow of her brakes shines bright, her car digging into the gravel as she comes to a complete halt.

Poking her head out of the window, she looks back at me, and with a beaming smile, she shouts, “Hey, do you know this one?”

My chest fills with laughter when the car speakers boom out “Butterfly” by Crazy Town. It’s so fucking loud, it’s just as well I live in the countryside with no one for miles around. She accelerates again, laughing and waving her hand out of the window.

Moving onto the narrow road, she disappears round the corner, off into the pitch dark, and I can still hear her for at least twenty seconds as she drives around the curves of the country roads and down into Castleview Cove.

Stuffing my hands in my jean pockets, I tilt my head back, eyeing the stars for reassurance, praying that it’s all going to be okay because I might not survive otherwise.

Making my way back into my house, I pull my phone out of my back pocket.

Owen hasn’t replied to me yet.

I grab a bottle of water from the fridge and head to my room to unpack, grateful Owen tidied up and stripped the guest bed before he left.

On silent, my phone vibrates on my nightstand.

Eager to see if Skye got home safely, I lower myself to sit on the edge of the bed. Grabbing my phone off the side, I smile to myself as I open her text.

Skye

I am home. Not a car crash or mass murderer to be seen. Although my bedroom looks like a car crash. Kimmy has clearly been raiding my wardrobe and my underwear drawers are all in a muddle.

Me

Did she have a party this weekend?

Skye

Not that I know of. I’ll be having words with her tomorrow.

I take a sip of water from my bottle.

Skye

Thank you for an unforgettable week.

She sends me a blue heart emoji, clouds, and a blue butterfly.

I quickly type out a reply.

Me

I’m sorry it wasn’t the best start.

Skye

But it ended on a high. Thank you for organizing everything, and Hamilton is now my favorite show. I’ll remember it forever. Thank you for buying me my program.

Me

To add to your collection.

Skye

How do you know so much about me?

Me

I watch.

Skye

Stalker.

Me

Pervert?

Skye

Perv away *winking face* What else do you know about me that no one else does?

Me

You want to visit Barcelona, New York again, and that place where the pigs swim.

Skye

How do you know that?

Me

You saved your vision board in a client file by mistake.

Skye

Did I? I’m sorry.

Me

Don’t apologize. I put it back in your own folder on the server.

Skye

Thanks. What else do you remember about my vision board?

Me

A house with a library.

Skye

And?

Me

Buy a house for the library.

Skye

What else?

Me

An axolotl. What the fuck is that thing, anyway?

Skye

It’s a Mexican salamander.

Me

It’s fucking nasty is what it is.

Skye

They have cute little faces.

Me

Looks like a badly circumcised ghost’s dick.

Skye

Well, I can’t get one now, can I? That’s all I’m going to imagine. What else do you remember?

Me

Castle.

Skye

What was happening in the castle?

Me

A cool couple getting married. Looked amazing. Not a frilly white dress to be seen.

Skye

What were they surrounded by?

Shit.

She worked it out.

Me

Snowdrops.

Skye

Like the ones on your tattoo?

Me

You got me.

Skye

Your tattoo is beautiful.

Me

So are you.

Skye

And you are super handsome. You should be on a magazine cover. Ever thought about modeling?

Me

No way. I’m too rough around the edges.

Skye

Stop it. The girls at work drool over you.

I’ve never noticed, but then I’ve only ever had eyes for one girl.

Skye

Girls like the bad boy look.

Me

Are you one of those?

Skye

Never used to be, but suddenly that’s all I want.

Me

A bad boy?

Skye

No.

Skye

Not just any bad boy. Only you.

I smile.

Me

I can show you just how bad I can be.

Skye

I hope you do *winking face*

I position myself against the pillows, getting comfortable. For the next ten minutes, we bounce messages back and forth.

Skye

I need to go to sleep. I can barely keep my eyes open.

Me

Speak tomorrow. Miss you already.

A video drops into the chat and I hit play.

She’s lying on her side, messy buns on top of her head, makeup free; the shine from her screen lights up her elfin face.

Beaming down the camera, she whispers, “Night, Jay.” She blows me a kiss and then says, “Dream of me.”

My heart melts.

I’m so fucking head over heels for this girl.

Somebody pinch me.