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Warmth bloomed in my chest. Valued. Appreciated. Wanted. It was—a weirdly wonderful feeling. After another squeeze to my ankle, he started packing up his stuff.
“Besides,” he said as he stood and raked his gaze over me, smile teasing. “Anticipation is half the fun.”
“So you’re saying we’d only have half-as-much fun if we rushed it?” I raised my eyebrows.
He opened his mouth, then closed it again. Head tilted, he squinted at me. “Definitely not saying that, but I still want to take my time. Enjoy every aspect of it. That’s okay, right?”
“Yes,” I answered swiftly. “It’s more than okay.” But he hadn’t taken his time with… Nope, I shoved her name unmentioned out of my head. She didn’t get to be a part of this.
And he just said I was more important and worth taking his time. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For saying I’m worth it.”
The look he gave me sent another wave of warmth through me. “Hell, Frankie… if you need me to tell you that every day, then you better get ready to be sick of it.” When he held out an arm, I slid right against him and he hugged me tight, whispering, “You’re the best. Never forget that.”
It was easy when he was holding me and telling me.
It really was.
So I savored the moment. “Pizza. Compliments. Kisses. Now songs. I think you’re pretty perfect, too.”
Sprawled on his bed an hour later while he worked through the minor key change in “Message in a Bottle”, I confirmed my earlier opinion. Ian had a gift.
Even more, we had the right song. Poignant. Haunting. Memorable.
And all him.
Take Our Time
Jake: What’s going on?
Coop: Still waiting on Obermeyer and the SRO
Bubba: Ugh. Is Frankie freaking out?
Archie: No, she’s talking to Marsha.
Bubba: Good talk? Bad talk?
Coop: Bad, she’s trying not to cry.
Jake:Fuck. I’m coming back.
Archie:Stay there. She wanted you to not
get in anymore trouble.
Jake: …
Coop: A is right. SROs just got here.
Bubba: Tell us what happens.
Archie: Will do.
A little later…
