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“I’m yours,” he placed a tiny kiss on my jaw. “Today . . .” another kiss, “tomorrow . . .” another kiss after that, “and . . . forever if you want.”
His kisses left me in little doubt he was speaking the truth.
“Peter,” I panted from the exertion of trying to keep my breath. “I have no idea how to answer that.”
“You don’t have to right now,” he placed another kiss against my temple and held me tighter. “Just know that I’m always here . . . and I’m not going anywhere without you.”
So that was what he meant. At least about going away. But where did that leave us? We were in high school. Certainly he wasn’t thinking of marriage. But who knew what thoughts swam around in his head? Peter was a mystery. The more I thought I knew, the more I realized I didn’t know much at all.
Something pivotal, something huge and life-altering, happened between us today. We couldn’t go back to yesterday. It would never be that simple again. Part of me was sad to see those two little kids running away never to return and yet part of me was fascinated and exhilarated by Peter’s declaration of love. I was quite swept off my feet. How romantic.
Who knew Peter had that quality?
He held me tight, even as the sun set and the first bright stars appeared in the navy-blue sky. We watched them through the window of the treehouse. Each of us lost in thought, silence stretched and filled the small room. It wasn’t uncomfortable. In the past, it might have been. But tonight, I simply rested in his arms, perfectly content to stay there, with my head over his heart.
Forever.
Chapter 5
The next morning I wondered if it had all been a dream. Seriously. Did that romantic afternoon really happen? Had Peter really told me he loved me? Was it real or just some fantasy conjured in my head because I was lonely and I wanted someone to pay attention to me for more than five minutes at a time?
I showered and dressed, quickly yanking on my favorite dark denim jeans with the rhinestones on the back pockets, and stopping briefly to pet Feefee. After my hair and makeup were finished, I skipped down the stairs, hoping to snag a bowl of cereal before I left for school. Voices from the kitchen made me pause. Who was here so early?
“Pet,” a little voice squealed in delight.
“Hi, little munchkin. Can I have a Cheerio?”
It was Peter. Butterflies flitted around in my belly. I walked into the kitchen and smiled at him nervously as he popped one of Leah’s Cheerios into his mouth.
“No,” she smacked his hand. “Bad Pet.”
He laughed, “May I have one please?”
She picked one up in her little pincer grasp and placed it in his mouth. Peter pretended to munch and crunch loudly, “Yum. Yum.”
She clapped loudly. Then she handed him another one. He made the same sounds.
“Yay!” She clapped again. Leah loved to clap. She did it all the time, but she especially seemed to love Peter and applaud him. Her little feet kicked in the air in the middle of the high chair.
I giggled at her response.
Peter turned his head in my direction and his gaze softened further, “Good morning Rae.”
How was it possible that a simple good morning made my knees so weak? Or conveyed a deeper meaning? “Hi Pet,” I laughed, calling him by Leah’s nickname. She stole it from me, but I always let her think she was the one who made it up.
His face lost the playful smile and quickly turned intense. Intense like a smoldering flow of liquid lava. I gaped at him, pleasantly surprised by his response. How was a flash of heat able to conjure such chills?
He walked slowly over as I backed into the counter. A confident smirk rode his handsome features. Before I could stop him, his hands lifted to the countertop on either side of my waist as he leaned in. His lips dropped to just above my ear, the intimate closeness and heady warmth of his breath blanketing my skin as I held back a shiver.
His voice lowered, husky as he replied, “I’d like to be your pet.”
Holy crap. Did he just say that? Out loud???
Peter had been holding out on me. Who knew such a passionate guy lingered beneath his tough and playful exterior? Who knew Peter was, dare I say, sexy?
His lips dropped to my shoulder where he placed a gentle kiss on my exposed skin, “You look beautiful Rae.”
I did?
