Page 21 of Scoop Me Up (Love in Maplewood #7)

Sam

We sat side by side for a few moments, shoulders touching, looking up at the stars. I stood after a while and when Gabe moved to get up, I put a hand on his shoulder. “I’ll be right back. Don’t go anywhere.”

I went inside and to the kitchen before pulling two spoons out of the drawer and a pint of homemade ice cream from the freezer. It wasn’t anything fancy, just a caramel swirl, sweet and simple, but with a richness that I loved. I hoped Gabe would enjoy it as much as I did.

When I returned to the porch, he’d stretched out his legs and was leaning back to look up. “It really is beautiful here.”

“I’m sure you have stars in Burlington.”

He scoffed and shook his head. “Not like this. Light pollution is too strong.” Gabe sat up again, smiling softly.

I settled down next to him again and handed him a spoon. “Cheers.”

He clinked his spoon against mine. “Cheers. Is this another Sam Special?”

Pulling the lid off of the pint, I offered him the first taste. “I wouldn’t say it's special, but it is homemade.”

“Please. Everything you create is special. You know that.”

My cheeks warmed, pleased by the compliment, and I dug in without another word. The ice cream was smooth and delicious and next to me, Gabe let out a soft little groan of pleasure that went straight to my groin.

“This is good.” He leaned closer and kissed me, our cold tongues moving together, warming quickly.

The kiss was short but it made me want more.

A lot more. I shifted where I sat and let my mind wander to the possibilities while we shared the ice cream.

I didn’t know if Gabe was ready for more, if he would ever be ready for more than just kissing, but I wanted him and I hoped he knew it.

When we’d had our fill of the caramel swirl, I set it aside to take in later, knowing it would probably melt to oblivion if I didn’t take it inside soon, and also not caring one bit. I didn’t want to break the moment.

“Look,” I said after a little while. “It’s Scorpius. My favorite.”

“I don’t know what I’m looking for,” he confessed.

I pointed out Antares, the star that represented the scorpion’s heart.

“I’ve always liked it. Mythology says that Scorpius stung and killed Orion, which you can only really see here in the wintertime.

Now he’s half a world away, and Scorpius shines bright.

Plus, Antares is a red star. I’ve always liked the color association. ”

Gabe chuckled softly and shook his head.

“What?”

He reached out and stroked my hand with his thumb. “Nothing. I think it’s adorable that you know all this. I… really like that about you.”

It had the potential to sound derisive, but instead, it was tender and fond in a way that made my heart ache and my breath hitch.

I didn’t know how much longer I could sit still and not say something entirely too revealing, so I reached for the ice cream again.

At the same moment, Gabe also reached for the ice cream.

Our fingers met and we both laughed a little.

Gabe took my hand in his, pulling it to him before kissing my knuckles.

I melted more than ice cream on a hot summer day.

My exhale came out shaky, emotions threatening to overwhelm me.

He pulled my hand closer to him, twining our fingers together, and looked over at me.

We locked gazes for a long time, just watching one another.

My stomach fluttered and I realized all at once that while I was falling for him, I was also terrified.

There were so many changes, so many what-ifs in my life, and they threatened to overwhelm me.

I looked away first, fear and desire battling inside me.

“Tell me something,” Gabe said. “Tell me your favorite childhood memory.”

I swallowed hard, the pivot catching me off guard.

“Okay.” It only took me a moment to conjure up a memory to share.

“It was summer at my grandma’s house. I was running around with a friend and we were chasing fireflies as the sun set.

We pulled fresh figs off of the tree and ate them, juice running down our faces.

Without warning, he kissed me. Just once and then he ran away laughing. That was my first kiss.”

Gabe grinned at me. “How old were you?”

“Maybe six? I don’t remember exactly.”

“Wow. What happened to the boy?”

His question made me laugh out loud. “His name is Cooper.”

He laughed along with me, nodding. “I get it now.”

“How about you?”

He hummed softly. “First kiss or best childhood memory?”

“Kiss,” I said after a moment’s consideration.

“It’s not as much fun as yours. I took this girl to the movies. We held hands the whole time. At one point, I got up to use the restroom, and when I got back, she was standing in the hallway next to the theater, waiting for me, and she kissed me.”

I nudged him with my shoulder. “That’s not that bad.”

“The next day she told me I was a bad kisser and broke up with me. I was fourteen.”

“Ouch.” My heart ached for young Gabe. “I’m sorry that happened to you.”

He shrugged. “Everyone has to go through heartbreak at some point.”

“Still.” I stayed quiet for a few seconds, my heart beating hard.

The longer we sat there, the more we shared with each other, the harder I felt myself falling.

I didn’t know whether to let it happen or to pull away.

And his story had just emphasized the thing I was most worried about. “Your first kiss was a girl, then.”

He cleared his throat quietly. “All of my kisses before you were.”

I let my eyes close for a second, anxiety washing over me. When I opened them again, he was looking at me intently.

“But that doesn’t change how I’m feeling.”

I could barely stand the intensity of his gaze, my breath coming out shaky and uncertain. “It doesn’t?”

“Sam, I—” Gabe stopped and took a slow breath before lightly placing a hand on the side of my neck. His touch was warm. “I told you, I don’t know where this is going, but I’m not running away from it. It might be my first experience with someone other than a woman, but I’m not afraid of that.”

“You’re not?” I couldn’t seem to make a coherent thought, my mind tangled up in his words alone.

“I’m not scared of being with you, no.”

I nodded slowly. “What if—” I could barely stand to say it out loud. “What if you change your mind?”

“I’m not running away from this. From us.

At least, not yet. If something changes, we’ll talk about it then.

” A moment’s pause. “I don’t want to hurt you.

” He leaned in and pressed the most tender kiss to my lips, so sweet and gentle it made me ache.

A moment later, we parted and Gabe moved to sit closer, until we were touching again, our thighs pressed together, and I lay my head on his shoulder.

I sighed, a soft little sound, and closed my eyes. Just as I did, a metallic crash came from nearby, and I startled, sitting up. Gabe jumped too, letting out a little yelp. After a moment, the sound settled down, and I looked at him.

“Did you just yelp? ” I couldn’t help but laugh as I said it.

He chuckled and looked at me, eyes narrowed. “Don’t make fun of me.”

I held up my hands. “I’m not.” But I couldn’t stop the quiet laughter that still came, my body shaking with it.

Gabe shoved me playfully. “You’re judging me.”

“I would never.”

“You are,” he protested.

A second passed until I calmed myself down, my laughter dying out.

“It must have been a raccoon or something knocking over a trash can. That’s what it sounded like, anyway.

Maybe an opossum.” Another second of quiet.

I settled back into the comfortable position I’d been in prior to the crash, leaning against Gabe, thigh to thigh, head on his shoulder.

Okay , I thought. So he’s not scared of being with me. But… “What happens with us at the end of August?” The silence was thick between us. “When you go back to Burlington?”

He didn’t answer right away, and for a moment, I thought he wouldn’t answer at all. “I don’t know,” he finally confessed. “I might not leave after all.”

“No?”

He shrugged. “Ellie’s here. So are you.”

We fell quiet again, just enjoying each other’s company and watching the stars. The only sounds were the chirping and clicking of bugs and the thumping of my heart, beating heavily in my chest, pushing me closer and closer to a decision I didn’t want to have to make.

There’s no rush , I reminded myself. You have time to figure it out.

A few minutes later, a star streaked across the sky. “Shooting star. Make a wish,” Gabe murmured.

I closed my eyes tightly. Please let this be real.

Gabe exhaled, his breath sounding shaky. “What did you wish for?”

I straightened up and shook my head. “Can’t tell you or it won’t come true.”

He nodded and leaned in to kiss me. My stomach somersaulted, my breath hitching. We kissed, slow and tender, for a long time before Gabe pulled away.

“Sam?”

“Yeah?”

“I’d like to take this inside, if it’s alright with you?”

My stomach dropped. Did he mean what I thought he meant? “Had enough?” I teased.

“Not a chance. I’m just getting started.”