“Future in-laws?”
“I don’t plan on marrying anybody else.”
I bury my face against his shoulder, inhaling his scent of soap and cedar and Nate, and it’s everything I ever wanted. “You’re an idiot,” I murmur, kissing the warm skin of his neck, then along his jaw. “You say something like that and expect me to calm down?”
His hand lets go of mine, sliding around my waist, tuggingme close. “If you don’t calm down, we’re both in trouble.” I melt into him, so full of love I could burst as his lips brush my temple. “You ever think you’d have me in this room back then?”
I let out a quick burst of laughter against his shirt.
I tip my head back to look at him, still giggling, and the expression on his face makes me laugh harder, my need momentarily forgotten.
“What?” he protests, offense written all over his face, “How’s that funny?”
“What? Wereyouthinking aboutme?” I counter, and I can actually see him scrambling for a comeback.
“Maybe I was.”
“Uh-huh. I’msureyou were daydreaming about the freshman art nerd when you had your pick of the cheerleaders.”
“Hey,” he protests. “Don’t go selling yourself short like that. You were special even back then. I just didn’t know how yet.” His words linger between us, stupidly romantic.
You were special even back then.
I know it was a stupid line, but I think he believes it, and that’sso much.
When I look up at him again, his focus is locked on the wall behind me. “That painting.”
“What about it?”
He shifts, looking down at me with a serious expression, “Could I have it? Only if you want to give it up, I mean. I—” His voice breaks off, and when he tries again, it’s soearnest. “I wanna keep it. To remember. And I wasn’t lying back then when I said it was fucking awesome, even if I came off sounding like an asshole.”
I blink, stunned that he would want to remember me fromback then. “Yeah,” I whisper, my hand curling into his shirt. “You can have it.”
“Thank you,” he says, steady and sure.
“Just don’t hang it in your living room next to all your football trophies.”
“No promises. Gotta show off the most important win of my life.”
I groan, hiding my face against him. “You’re ridiculous.”
His arms close tight around me, lips brushing the top of my head. “You love me.”
I look up, knowing how much I love him is written all over my face. “I do.”
We stand there like that, staring at each other with matching smiles for way too long. But then,of course, he has to ruin the moment. “Better get downstairs before your parents think we’re fucking.”
“Nate!” I pull out of his grasp, my scandalized whisper making him chuckle.
He starts toward the door, but stops to whisper in my ear, “Acting all shocked when you were begging me for it not five minutes ago.”
Heat floods me, my jaw dropping as he disappears down the stairs, leaving me standing in the quiet. Breathless and aware of how badly Ihadwanted him.
Nate’s already at the table when I join them, talking with my parents like he’s known them for years. I slip into the chair across from him, narrowing my eyes when my parents aren’t looking. His lips twitch, fully aware of why my cheeks are still flushed.
While Mama and Papa are bringing the food from thekitchen, Nate leans across the table, tangling our fingers together. “You sure are cute when you’re glaring at me like that.”
I don’t get the chance to tell him off, because Mama sets down a dish in the center of the table, and just like that, we’re eating. Nate charms them effortlessly, answering Papa’s questions, complimenting Mama’s cooking, and listening earnestly as they tell stories about Anika and me as kids.
