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I pull e

"So that was your , satisfying drink

"In the flesh"

I can sense that this is an uncooing on

"She’s beautiful"

"On the outside,you weren’t ready to share with h I have no idea why

"I never wanted you to meet her"

I frown and he speaks quickly

"She’s not normal"

I scoff "Have youword to use She is a vindictive, selfish drunk and I’m embarrassed you had to see that"

I slide off the bench and take a cautious step toward hi briefly "I’ to send you away"

I run to his arainst him I bury my head closer into his chest and he plants two kisses on the top of my head

"My , but then my dad died and she hasn’t been the same since It’s like I’ve beco calls to pick her up from the police station or the hospital and" He exhales "I’m just sick of it, you know"

I pull back to look up at his face The thought of his mother really upsets him and I hate that I’ve made him so uncomfortable, but I need to He needs to see that it’ll take a hell of a lot more to scare me off

"She’s still your mother, Seth" I mumble

"Which is why I put up with her, but I’ve been too lenient--given too many chances She doesn’t deserve it anyround to cover She’s the reason my little sister moved out, the reason why I haven’t been able to completely move on from my father’s death--she re with her" His arh his hair "When you left this afternoon I completely flipped out I felt sick and I couldn’t breatheI juo to the gym instead I ran into your dad and he asked y to think of ways to make it up to you"

His thumb drops to caress s I thought you’d love, but halfway through I reht things to be happy"

I bury my face into his black jacket and a sense of peace washes over me I’ve finally found someone who understands er along e cos to make you happy"

I watch his face and his dark eyes, flare with pleasure like he knows for a fact it’ll make me happy "After today--and especially what you said in the car--I realized there are too ht noe don’t owe each other anything If ant to go separate ways, we don’t even have to supply the other with an explanation and I don’t like that I want to owe you things I want to owe you explanations I want us to be officially together--titles and all, if you really want"

My ive him in return is a wide-eyed stare I’ thatWhat happened to your ‘I don’t do girlfriends’ thing"

His lips twitch "You happened"

Damn it He’s handsouy

"You do realize thathim in the hard stomach The warm, wide palms of his hands cup my face and my breath hitches

"Baby, I’ve been off the market since the moments these cheeks turned the sexiest shade of pink"

Heat flares under aze "And as that?"

"When I caught you eye-fucking o of ainst hi at him, but I certainly did not ‘eye-fuck’ hiI want to do to et into the car"

"The car?"

He nods "You don’t have to bring anything Let’s just go to the car"

Seth’s hands rest on my shoulders and he turns ing me closer and closer to the exit

"I’ down at o "My shorts are too short"

He drops his hands frolide along the base of rowls

I feel his breath on my neck and I immediately moisten I open the front door and before I know it We’re in his car and driving away fros and streets we drive past All of h--on the one spot Seth keeps circling with the rough tip of his index finger It’s painfully arousing and I have to bite back a gasp every tih When he removes his hand, my mind clears and I notice the turn off we just took is the exact same one I took earlier this afternoon

"Seth" I say, cautiously "Where are we going?"

We’re heading in the same direction as his house, but he wouldn’t takehis eyebrows at lances sideways atfor hi the thin fabric of my tank top