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Instead of going inside, Justin leads arden with a bench He takesopen the box and the plastic

"My only thought is: I want a Sa one between his teeth I lean in and snatch it up

"Yum," I say, mouth full

He pops one into his owninto the air between us After he ss, he says, "I iine we’re both pretty coconutty And chocolatey And caraoes in for the kiss and I let him take it I tell myself this is what I want Just like the ocean Just like a couple

He pulls away "Yum"

"Give me another"

He presses in for another kiss I push hihs I appreciate the laugh

Instead of insisting on the kiss, he passes ood, h

"Don’t get too hooked," Justin warns "That’s how Mia gets you Before you know it, you’re preordering by the dozens And then, even worse, you’re insisting that they be refrigerated"

"You speak like soe is full of Thin Mints"

"Oh, no It’s worse than that I only eat the fat ood mood? I want to ask him And then I want to ask myself, Why do you have to question this?

"Wanna see my stash?" he asks

"I’ve already seen your stash"

"And what do you think?"

"It’s huge"

We’re being silly, but that’s nice Even though we’ve been together for a while, it’s still nice to flirt, and to feel the lightness of flirting

I don’t want to tell hi than it was aBut I also don’t o inside I kiss him here, on the bench I kiss hi him here is because I know it’ll be easier to leave if we’re already outside

He doesn’t sense it, though He is kissing me back He is happy He is sure to move the precious box of cookies out of our way as we crash into each other

I begin to convince myself that this is what I want This is where I aet the explanation But that is not et there late I’ve had an hour to straighten irl who has not just spent an hourof questions to ask, ways to knohether what A is saying is true Ifor ways to prove that