“Not a thing,” he repeated. “You look incredible. Have I mentioned that?” he asked as he tucked me back into him.
“Thank you,” I said. “You’re giving the fireman suspenders and tee a run for their money.”
His arms moved up and down my back, gently feathering my exposed skin.
“Oh, yeah? You like that more than the slutty little running shorts?” he asked.
I pursed my mouth in thought and sucked in a breath. “Hmm, maybe tied for you shirtless and in sweats.”
I bit my lip and gave him a cheeky smile.
He groaned and looked up. “Be careful. We’re in public, and I’m thinking about you in my shirt and bottomless.”
His hands continued to move restlessly. I couldn’t believe how used to his touches I’d gotten. Our frequent adventures in the bedroom had done little to tame his need to be always connected to me. Instead, he’d gotten freer with his affection, holding me longer. The other morning, he’d come into the kitchen and just hugged me, head resting on mine, neither of us wanting to be the first to let go. Even in that moment, quite literally being held by him, I felt him holding back.
“You’re such a toucher. How are you so comfortable touching me all the time?” I asked in awe.
His gaze moved around my face, jaw clenched as he looked at me, perplexed.
“I don’t touch you half as much as I want to,” he said.
If I hadn’t already been madly in love with him, I would have fallen again. That’s all I did around Pace, fall and fall, and yet he was always there to catch me. How was this so good, so intense? He was so open with his affection toward me, and though we hadn’t officially discussed our status as a couple, there was nosign that he hid it or was ashamed. I knew that on the night of Friendsgiving, when he’d not let me out of his sight for more than a few minutes and found any excuse to brush his hand against me.
It was a beautiful thing to be claimed by Pace Leigh.
But even now, as wonderful as these last few weeks had been, as my notoriety had increased, and I was sure that my unlikely union with Pace was the talk of the town, I still felt a distance from him.
There were quiet moments in the middle of the night where I’d be lying in his arms and could feel him thinking. I’d ask him if something was on his mind, and he’d transform into the gregarious, easygoing version of himself that everybody expected him to be. Except me. I wanted him to show me every side of himself as I had done with him. But maybe he was being honest, and he was fine. Or maybe he just needed more time. Even though these last couple weeks had somehow felt like a lifetime of knowing him, I had to remind myself often that two months ago, we were all but strangers to each other.
“So. The list is completely done,” I said.
“And not a moment too soon. You werethisclose to running through town with all your clothes off,” he said as he moved me to the music.
We got through so many of the items within the first few weeks, but somehow, we’d managed to stretch this last item for over a month.
“I know, so close ... to that never happening,” I joked. “It’s funny that you think that was ever a thing I would do.”
“I am imagining it right now.” His eyes closed even as he kept moving me in his arms, a grin spreading over his features.
“That doesn’t sound fun for me at all. I’m way too curvy.”
“Fine. Then, in one of those bras that strap you in. Somehow, in slow motion. Yes. I’m imagining this now too.”
I laughed and felt the question on the tip of my tongue.
What are we?
But then again, when I overthought us coming to the ball together, he’d made it seem as though it was a given.
Could I be so lucky that Pace saw us as an inevitability?
I thought I’d feel different with the list complete. I thought I’d wake up to some magic side of myself.
But I was starting to worry it was just a piece of paper, and I was still me.
I was about to open my mouth to ask the question that had been weighing on me when Levi and Claire danced their way over.
Levi’s features were as hard to read as ever, but it was Claire’s look of concern that made Anxiety sit up and ring her alarm bell.
