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My smile grows. “Oh, really? And what will that entail?”
He laughs. “It’s not spontaneous if I have a plan.”
“Ah, you passed the first test. Good job,” I say as I pat his arm. He shakes his head with a bemused smile. I’m excited about a new day with him, a spontaneous unplanned one he’s fully in charge of. Who knows what will happen?
“I remember being here with you,” he admits. My heart thunders at these words. He looks at me and I make a choice. I could pretend not to remember, but what good does that do?
“You were my first kiss right on this beach,” I quietly say. His grin grows bigger.
“I was too old to be kissing you back then, but I didn’t use tongue,” he says with a chuckle.
“I would’ve been horrified,” I say as I bump my shoulder against him.
“You weren’t horrified the other night with my tongue,” he reminds me, making instant heat flood through me.
“I don’t even have a comeback for that,” I admit. He laughs. I really could get used to the sound of his laughter. “I had fun with you. I was bummed when you never came back.” I’m shocked at how much vulnerability I’m showing him.
“My life got flipped upside down that year.” I hear the sadness in his voice at this. I reach for him again.
“I know. I didn’t know then, but now I do. It’s always so hard to know what to say to someone when they tell you about a tragedy. I wish there were the right words.”
“I think just sitting here with me is exactly right,” he says. He wraps his arm around me and I snuggle a bit closer to him. I’m not longer having thoughts of chasing him away. No, instead I want to pull him even closer. I’m in serious trouble here. Maybe I’m already on my tumble down that hill my aunt was speaking about.
The night continues on, the sky growing darker, the stars brighter, and the fire warm and comforting. The laughter of my friends all around us, and the music and dancing makes it pretty close to perfect. Callan continues holding me; I don’t even pretend to want to pull away.
I’m drawn to this man who’s opened up to me tonight. He’s cracking my walls, and he’s doing it in such a way that I don’t have a chance of stopping it. I snuggle a bit closer to him. It feels so right.
We get up, dance a little, but ultimately end up back together on our blanket, just the two of us feeling like we’re in our own little bubble no one can break. We stay until the fire begins to die, and he doesn’t seem to be in a hurry to get away, seeming perfectly content in our little piece of paradise. It only makes me like him that much more.
“I’ve had a perfect night,” he tells me as we finally stand and start putting Emily’s items away. She’s flitted in and out all night, but my friends have pretty much left us on our own. I think they might be doing a little matchmaking. Maybe they’re talking to my aunt too much. I don’t mind it at all right now.
“I’ve enjoyed it a lot,” I tell him. I grow nervous wondering what comes next.
He leans into me, pulling me close, then kisses me, a sweet, comforting kiss that makes me sigh against his mouth. The world fades away as I press closer to him, never wanting this moment to end. But as all good things do, he pulls away, cupping my cheek in his large palm.
“I want to take you home, but I also want to show you this is about more than sex. Something about you draws me in, and I’m going to prove that first impressions shouldn’t define us.”
I want to argue with him. It can be about emotions and sex. “I wouldn’t be opposed to coming to your room,” I boldly say.
He groans. “You’re killing me.” He leans down and kisses me again, this time with a heck of a lot more hunger. I’m panting when he pulls away. “Goodnight, Sasha.” With this, he turns and walks away just as Jess and Emily walk forward.
“Oh, that was a hot kiss,” Jess says with a sigh.
“Follow him,” Emily suggests. I want to badly, but I also don’t. I hate to admit it, but I like that he’s putting in real effort. Maybe I want it to be about more than sex as well.
“We have a real date tomorrow. I’m going to wait,” I tell them. They both sigh as all three of us watch Callan walk farther away until the darkness swallows him up.
“Okay, one more day, then you better get naked with that man,” Emily says, making all three of us laugh.
“That’s inevitable,” I tell them. We all leave the beach and walk to my house for a girls’ night. If I can’t be with Callan, I’m going to have a slumber party with my besties. It’s almost as good.
Chapter Seventeen
Callan
Sasha has been practically bouncing in her seat for the past twenty minutes as we make our way along the road. It makes me want to be impulsive more often. I love that she’s so excited about our day. She’s always full of life, but I have a feeling not too many people go out of their way to make a day all about her. I love that I’m the one doing it.
Being impulsive has never been my strong suit. That falls far into Blaze’s camp. He loves to fly by the seat of his pants. I have to admit, though, I’m loving this day so far and it’s barely even begun.
