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"This." I drop to one knee, pull my thermos from the main pouch, and hand it to her.
She turns the lid open and takes a sip. "Vanilla black."
"Still perfect for you."
She shakes her head. Digs into the backpack until she finds the other stuff in there—a few bars of chocolate and a box of strawberries. "Romantic."
"And I'm not?"
"I guess I've never thought about it." She sits cross legged as she unwraps a bar of seventy percent dark. "Have you been romancing your one-night stands all these years?"
"Depends on your definition of romance."
She pats the spot next to her. "I'm not sure I have one."
I sit. Steal a square of her chocolate and let it melt on my tongue.
"Chocolate. Strawberries. Trips to the beach."
"Making sure she comes at least three times?"
Kaylee laughs. "Five. It's not romantic until you get to five."
"You're going to regret those words."
"I don't think so." She breaks a square of chocolate in half and places it on her tongue. Her eyelids flutter together as she lets out a soft moan. "This one is my favorite."
"I know."
She picks up the tea and takes a long sip. "This too."
"I know. I know you."
"Yeah. You do." She taps her fingers against the thermos. "But, um, did you... did you read my note?"
"No." I reach into the backpack and find the neatly folded pages.
She stares at me like I'm crazy as I hand them to her. "But I..." Her voice streaks with surprise. "I left this for you. To apologize."
"You were desperate."
"Maybe."
"Yeah."
"Don't you... don't you want to read it?"
"I'm fucking dying to read it." I stare into those soft green eyes. "I want every thought in your head, Kay. But I can't take them. I need you to give them to me."
"I did."
"Because you want to let me in. Not because you think it's the only way."
"Oh." She unfolds the paper. Her attention drifts to it as she rereads her words.
I give her space. Suck every bit of sweetness from a strawberry. It only makes me more desperate to taste her.
"I... I want you to read it. This." Her voice rises from a whisper. "I do. I'm sure." She just stops herself from handing the paper to me. "Or... I could read it. I want to."
