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I smiled as I placed my hand over his "I know"

"About us The difference? Good or bad?"

"Good Very good"

He tipped his head down and brushed his lips overto have to do better than good"

"We are?"

"Uh-­huh," hedifferent about this kiss Maybe it was because it was taking place in my bed or it was our first real kiss after our conversation Orelse Either way, he sipped from my lips, drank from my mouth The kiss went on forever as he tasted and explored I never kneas possible for a kiss to be so powerful, but it was

"How about that?" he asked, a slight tre up his arh thewith the touch of his, I didn’t--­couldn’t--­think about all the things that rong "That was better than good That was great"

He kissed ain, but this time with a sloeet sweep of his lips It was those soft, dragging kisses that affectedwarmth in my chest that spoke of love and forever and other tender, silly things I didn’t want to adot me on a physical level Even with the constant ache in my knee, the ache in other parts of my body hadn’t diminished I wanted Jase on an al between our bodies, of him inside me, nearly drove me crazy with the desire to explore

Jase lifted his edly as he settled on his side beside me I expected him to touch me My brsts felt swollen and full with his hand so close, but he did nothing

I turned roaned deeply "You keep looking at et so far deep inside you that I’ll never get out"

Everything in htened, and the muscles in my lower sto wrong with that"

He ain, and I burned partly due to my own boldness "You make this so hard"

"I do?" I reached for hiers brushed the visible line in his jeans, he caught aze to his

His eyes squeezed closed "Yeah, youerection around you, but II want to do this the right way"

My fingers curled in as he held ht way?"

When his eyes reopened, a slight pink flush stained his cheeks "The right way You know Us not being just all about sex"

My lips parted, but I didn’t say anything I was stunned by the fact Jase was blushing and from what he’d said

The hue in his cheeks deepened "As hard as it is to go sloith this, because dainable" He loweredhis next words "I want you so badly right now it’s killing irl I’ve been with sincesince a really long ti off Then getting out"

"Like Steph?" I blurted out before I could stop ed "Yeah, like Steph And that was okay with her--­with them Because as much as a dick as this makes me sound like, I didn’t care about them Not like I care about you, Tess I want this--­I want us to be different I want us to mean more than sex I need us to mean more than that Okay?"

As I stared at hied in my throat Tears filled my eyes

His pupils dilated as he dropped my hand and cupped my cheeks "Baby, why are you about to cry? Did I--­"

"You didn’t do anything wrong," I said quickly,perfectly"

Confusion hed hoarsely "It’s okay" Leaning over, I kissed hi out "It’s perfect"

"You sure? Fuck what I think is right and wrong Because I can get nakd in like two seconds flat and be inside you quicker than that"

I nodded and laughed again

Jase rested his forehead against mine and closed his eyes His warm breath danced over my lips "I want to take you out on a date I want to take you horseback riding I want to tell your brother I want to take you hoirlfriend I want to prove this ht way"

My chest squeezed under the pressure of what I felt for him in that moment If I hadn’t already tuht, but I was already lost in hiue, but I kept theled closer, closed my eyes, and allowed myself to just enjoy his closeness and his alht way

In spite of all the stuff running throughup oddly refreshed I’d thought Wednesdayup to a future I hadn’t planned, but if anything, what I really felt was an odd sense of anticipation

As I got ready for classes, I received a text from Jase He wouldn’t be in music but would be there to pickwas okay, he’d replied with a quick text saying everything was cool

Exciteotten that we didn’t have classes Thursday or Friday Fall break--­a four-­day weekend History wasn’t nearly as crowded, but

Syot an eyeful of me and my crutches "What happened?"

As I sat aardly in the chair, I told her I’d lostabout Erik or Debbie Not because I cared what ­people thought about the assle, but I didn’t want Debbie to have to deal with it So and today, I decided Deb and I were going to have a nice long chat the next ti to tell her the truth--­of what happened to ht not ?" Calla asked, and I winced

"My knee is too unstable and it will most likely stay that way" My sto theiven out onher voice "So no dancing?"