“It’sbeautiful.” The fingers of one hand grazed over my cheek and into my hair. “Andso are you.”
Mygiggle was cut with the full lift of my heart. “Are you going to write a songabout it?”
Hechuckled, awakening every happy nerve in my body. “I’m always writing a songabout you,” and he sang a few sleepy lines of my favorite of his songs, “Daisies& You.” He wrapped his tattooed arms around me, ensuring my body wassufficiently imprinted to his skin.
Tearsaccompanied my smile.
Happinessand serenades. I realized there was no better way to start the day with thelove of my life.
“I’llgive you one last chance to turn back. We’ll chalk it up to a vulnerabledrunken night and never speak of it again.”
“Weweren’t drunk.” My eyes narrowed, and I tugged my lower lip between my teeth.
“Ifwe lie to ourselves long enough, we might believe it,” he said with a quickjump of his eyebrows.
Ismiled with everything I was, my eyes crinkled and watered, and I scooted upover his body until my lips were over his. “There’s no going back from that,Dev,” I said, tugging at his hair. “I don’t want to.”
Hissmile was softer, as he gazed into my eyes. “Good, then I’m going to tell yousomething.” His voice was gruff, lazy with sleep, and sexy in a way I had nevernoticed before.
“What’sthat?” I asked, grazing his nose with mine.
“Ilove you, Kylie,” he whispered, wrapping his arms around my waist as my lipsparted with a gentle gasp. His smile widened, and his teeth scraped over hisfull bottom lip. “I’ve never said that to anybody before.”
Ipulled a hand from his hair to touch my lips, to allow myself a second to getteary-eyed. “Well …” I said sniffling, “I’m glad I could be your first, becauseI have been in love with you since college, and … fuck, why didn’t you kiss methat night by the lake?” I laughed, smacking my hand against his shoulder as Iblurted out a question I had harbored for years.
“Well,first of all …” He pressed his lips against mine, and he smiled. “Thank you forloving me back. That would’ve beenreally awkward,”and I laughed, pressing my hands to his chest and pushing to sit up, straddlinghis waist. He smiled up at me. “You are fucking gorgeous, you know that?”
“Youtold me three times last night,” I teased, and his hands slid over my thighsand up over my waist as he also sat up, pressing his chest to mine.
“Well,prepare to hear it a lot, because it’s true,” he said softly, before whisperinghis lips over mine. “And,second of all, Iwasgoing to kiss you that night, if my fucking cousin hadn’t called me and ruinedit all. I had it all planned: I was going to sing to you, confess my undyingdevotion, and steal your virginity.”
Igiggled wildly. “I wasn’t a fucking virgin!”
“Yeah,well, whatever,” he laughed. “Anyway, I kind of took it as a sign that maybe itwasn’t meant to be. Like, maybe I was destined to be that weird guy friend youcuddle with and use to scare other guys away.”
Inodded, laying my hands over his shoulders, feeling oddly and suddenlyemotional. “I wish I hadn’t been so distracted then. I would’ve … I would’vemade a move, if I wasn’t so focused—”
Heshook his head. “You’re never allowed to do that, okay?”
Ipulled my lips between my teeth and nodded. He never liked me to dwell onmemories with anything other than fondness and love. My eyes looked over hisshoulder to the daisies on the table, and I bit back the tears.
“KJ,”he said, running his hands through my hair.
Mylips parted with a water-logged sigh. “I’m sorry. I’m happy, I really am, but …I just wish you could have met him. He really would’ve liked you.Sofucking much.”
Devinnodded, tucking strands of my hair behind my ear. “I know,” and then, hefaltered, hesitating before asking, “Did he ever know about me?”
Ilowered my gaze, smiling a little as I nodded. “Yeah, he did. I told him I’dmet a guy. He assumed immediately that you were my boyfriend and I nevercorrected him. He would ask me questions about you sometimes—how you weredoing, how you were treating me, and when was I going to—” The sob bubbled upunexpectedly and I clapped a hand over my mouth.
Hekept combing his fingers through my hair. “Oh, come on, Kylie … it’s okay.”
Ishook my head and lowered my hand. “I was so fucking embarrassed. I thoughtyou’d judge him, and—”
“Iknow, baby,” he said, and through my bout of sadness, the pet name stilltouched my heart. “I know.”
“Iwill always regret that, Devin,” I said with an affirmative nod. “I willalwaysregret being too ashamed of him, to let him get to know you.”
Witha sigh, I smoothed my hands over his hair and stepped off the couch, walkingtoward the kitchen. Feelingsad, andfeeling amazing.Feeling like a whole new person. I spotted the bouquet of daisies, still lyingon the counter, forgotten with a dirty vase standing next to them. I grabbed itand turned on the sink, when I felt warm hands slide around my middle and apair of lips nuzzle against my neck.
