“I told you it wasn’t a palace.”
“To be totally fair, the smell isn’t that bad. It’s just musty.”
“Yeah, I haven’t done any upkeep. If I tried to fix anything, it’d be a big red flag to my brother.”
“He’d prefer to see this place waste away?”
“Mm-hmm. Just like how he thinks about our family.”
I rub a circle on his back. “I’m sorry.”
He smiles. “It is what it is.”
“We can change that, though.”
“You have money to change your life. I’m more stuck than you.”
I rest my chin on his shoulder. “I have money that can changebothof our lives.”
Dax scoots backward and lies on his back, looking up at the discolored ceiling. “This isn’t something you can just throw money at and fix. Doesn’t this place show you just how different our lives are?”
I crawl up the bed and lie by his side. “I wasn’t trying to change or fix you.”
Dax turns on his side, nestling an arm around my waist. “I’ve seen your home. Don’t you think we’re too different?”
“I’m here, aren’t I? Who cares where we’re from? I loved my night under the stars with you, and I loved being goofy at the mall.”
Dax plants a kiss on my forehead and sighs. “I’ve never met anyone like you. I can’t imagine not having you in my life.”
I hug my arm around him. “You never have to.”
In our embrace, Dax pushes me back onto the bed, leaning the top half of his body over me. “I’m sorry this isn’t the most romantic setting.”
I shrug, sinking into the mattress. “I kinda like how quiet it is. And I love that no one would guess I’m here.”
“In that case.” His gravelly tone comes out to play as his hands wander my waistline. “Perhaps we should get more comfortable.”
As I lie beneath him on the bed, wondering how on earth we could get more comfortable, his kisses accelerate with heat and force. His lips begin to miss mine, and wet warmth sticks to the spot above my chin.
The sweatshirt bunches around me, allowing Dax’s hands to roam. My hand runs the length of his neck and plants on his shoulder. I give it a squeeze, catching my breath. When his hand snakes up my shirt and touches my torso, I flinch. With more zeal, his hands cup around my chest.
In panic, I shove the hand inside my shirt, and scamper to the other side of the bed.
“What happened?” he asks, hovering above where I was lying.
I sit up, noting the flush in my chest and face. I pull my T-shirt down as the sweatshirt unravels from above my ribs.
He scoots beside me, placing a hand on my upper arm. “Hey. You okay?”
“It’s just… I… You’re… You’re the first person I’ve kissed. This is all just moving really fast for me.”
He takes his hand off me. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to freak you out.”
I hug my arms around my middle, shying away from him. “You’re obviously more experienced than me.”
“I don’t know if that’s true.” He lets out a nervous laugh. “You just bring out a need in me. I want to be with you as much as I can.”
“I told you I like waiting for moments that feel special.” Pouting, I pan around the derelict room. “This doesn’t exactly feel special.”
