I blink. "You came all the way here to bring me this?"
He shrugs, smirking like it’s nothing. "Didn’t have time for more, but I figured you could use a sugar boost."
Something warms in my chest, and suddenly, I don’t care if I fail math. I have this. I have him. I pull on his hoodie strings to bring him closer before pressing my lips to his. He’s lucky he’s in a hurry, or this could turn into something heated real fast.
First chance I get during break, I’m getting him in my bed, naked. Or his. Maybe his truck? I don’t really care at this point.
Pulling away, I pick up the Twix, unwrapping it as I smirk. "You just want me to be thinking about you every time I eat one of these now, don’t you?"
He grins. "Maybe."
Lyla fake gags. "Gross. You two are gross."
Jaxon laughs before he glances at his phone. "Shit, I gotta run. Practice starts in ten."
I nod, taking a bite of the Twix as he leans down, pressing a soft kiss to my forehead.
"I’ll call you later, love."
Then, he’s gone. I stare after him, completely still, my brain short-circuiting.
Lyla grins, waggling her eyebrows. "Well, well, well. Look who’s getting pet names."
I roll my eyes, trying to pretend my heart isn’t thumping against my ribs. "It’s just a nickname, Ly."
She hums, flipping a page in her textbook. "Mmm. Next thing you know, he’ll be confessing his undying love for you."
I pause, just barely, but Lyla sees it. She whips her head up, her eyes going wide. "Oh my God. He already did."
I sigh, leaning back in my chair. "Yeah, he did."
Lyla’s mouth drops open. "When?"
I shift, suddenly a little shy. "Thanksgiving."
Her eyes bulge. "You’ve known for almost three weeks? And you didn’t tell me?"
I shrug, unwrapping the second half of the Twix bar, suddenly very interested in my candy. "It wasn’t something I needed to talk about. It was just…Jax being Jax."
Lyla blinks, then leans forward, her voice lower, softer. "That ishuge, Madison! Did you say it back?!"
I exhale slowly, my fingers tightening on the wrapper. "No, I haven’t yet."
Lyla watches me, waiting for an answer I don’t have.
I should know why I haven’t said it back yet, but the truth is—I don’t.
I push my textbook away, sighing as I rub my fingers across my forehead. "It’s not that I don’t feel it, Ly."
Because God, do I feel it.
It’s in every look Jaxon gives me. It’s in every touch, every soft moment that pulls me deeper into him. It’s there. It’s real. But saying it? That’s something else entirely.
Lyla tilts her head. "Then what’s stopping you?"
I pick at the corner of my Twix wrapper, avoiding her eyes. "I don’t know. Maybe I just…need more time."
She hums, studying me like she’s trying to figure out how much of that is actually true. "You’re not scared he doesn’t mean it."
