Page 64 of Unsupervised
She looks away as I slide my hand into hers, but she squeezes it. “I’ve missed you too.”
There’s no resistance when I take her chin in my hand and turn her head until she faces me. The tears standing in her eyes shatter me. “I understand why you didn’t want to talk to me, and I wanted to give you some time. There hasn’t been a second I was away from you that I didn’t miss you. I know I screwed things up and I probably don’t deserve another chance, but I’m asking for one.”
Tears overflow, and she sighs. “Layton, nothing has changed. I’m still a virgin.”
Relief rushes through me. She may have dated, but she hasn’t gotten serious with anyone else. “I don’t care about that.”
“You do,” she exclaims, vehemently. “I saw your face when I told you. You looked disgusted.”
In all of this, I failed to realize how my reaction may have appeared to her. “Oh, sweetheart, not with you. I was disgusted with myself. It wasn’t that you were younger or a student, but once you said you were also…inexperienced—”
“A virgin. You can say it. It isn’t a dirty word.”
“Once you said you were a virgin, I felt like I was taking advantage.”
Her gaze challenges mine. “You freaked out.”
“I freaked out.” I brush a lock of hair off her damp cheek. “Do you still have feelings for me?”
Lips pressed together, she nods as if she hates to admit it. “I do, but I don’t know if I can trust you again. After you left like that, it made me feel so…ashamed. Ugly.”
“No, Kelly.” I pull her into my arms, and she goes willingly, hugging me and burying her face in my neck. “You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. It was my own bullshit in my head. My reaction had nothing to do with you. I’m so sorry I made you feel that way for even a second.”
I hold her tighter, breathing her in as the next words fall out. “I’m falling in love with you. There’s nothing I want more in the world than to have you back. I don’t expect you to trust me again right away. We can work on it.” Her glassy eyes stare into mine as I let her go. “If that’s what you want, too.”
The few seconds until she replies are a week long. “It’s what I want.”
Her lips are warm and soft, and she grins against my mouth when I kiss the hell out of her for what seems like eternity. Once we part, she says, “The whole school thing won’t matter anymore. I dropped out. All except the music class, and this was my final project for that.”
My stomach drops into my feet. “Did you drop out because of what happened with us?”
“No.” Her reply is instant. “I finally figured out what I want. I’m working at Cooper’s full time and giving piano lessons. It didn’t have anything to do with you.”
“I’m glad to hear it, especially because I don’t work there anymore.”
Her eyebrows shoot up. “You quit?”
“Let’s just say they don’t require my presence anymore.”
Her face is stricken. “Did they find out about us?”
I kiss her again. “Yes, but that’s all on me. To be honest, it was a relief. Teaching wasn’t making me happy. I’m going to go freelance and I’m excited about it.”
She smiles up at me. “I guess we both found where we belong.”
Wrapping her in my arms again, I murmur in her ear. “Together. That’s where we belong.”
* * *
The past weeks with Kelly have been amazing. We’ve been taking things slow with date nights and just hanging out together, instead of rushing back to overnight stays. Tonight will be the first time for that. It will also be another first since she’ll be meeting my friends.
We’ve planned an overnight camping trip together, and it’s adorable how excited Kelly is about it. Travis will be meeting us there with his wife and two kids. Dalton is also bringing someone, last I heard. We’re only staying one night. It was hard enough to find a night where everyone didn’t have to work, plus the weather is supposed to turn chilly soon.
“What are your friends like?” Kelly asks as we pull into the campground next to the lake.
“Dalton is fun to be around and he’s a good friend. Chances are he’ll have a woman with him that none of us have met because he’s not one to settle down. Travis is a bit older than me, and he works as an economic consultant as well, but not as a freelancer. He and his wife, Diane, have been together for about ten years. She’s a saint,” I chuckle. “They have two kids who are five and six, I think, Seth, and Winnie. The kids are great. Loud, but fun.”
“I like kids.” Kelly smiles at me.