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She looks up from the orange book with cartoon-looking characters on the front and regards me as if I haven’t been her pack mule for the last couple hours. “Oh no,” she says as she puts the book down. She said it was one she already read on her Kindle but does not have the physical copy. “I’m so sorry. We can go. I got way more than I can afford anyway.”
“I’m not trying to rush you. I just haven’t eaten since before practice and it’s almost seven.”
Her eyes widen when I tell her the time.
“Seven? I can get lost in here for hours. I told you this was dangerous.” She reaches for some of the books in my hand, but I shrug her off. I can carry my woman’s books.
We begin our walk to the checkout. “Next time I’ll bring a granola bar or something.” I’ll need to come prepared if two hours seems like ten minutes in here to her.
As we take our turn in line, Blaire faces me. She’s chewing on her bottom lip. “I’m genuinely surprised you would want to come back here with me. Emree banned me from ever taking her here or going to the book section in Target when we do our shopping because of how long I can take,” she says. “Which doesn’t seem fair because when we go to the craft and fabric stores, I let her have her time with little complaint, but whatever.” She shrugs.
We’re called up next and I dump the large collection of books onto the counter. As the cashier rings up the books, I try not to gawk at the price. All that for some words on paper? I refrain from saying my thoughts out loud because I feel like it’s cursing in church. Forbidden.
Before Blaire can hand the cashier her card, I beat her to it and pay for the mountain of books. She tries to grab the card and give them hers, but it is too late.
“I could have paid for my books myself.”
I smile down at her pouty face. “Yeah, well, I like getting you something you wanted, so let me do that and enjoy them.”
She sighs, but there is a small smile on her face. “Thank you, Camden.”
We walk hand in hand out of the bookstore with me carrying the two heavy bags. The sun has gone down some and there is a faint amount of light lingering in the sky as we approach my Jeep. Once we’re both buckled and ready, I start driving.
We decide to grab some fast food since it’s quick and easy. After ordering, I pull into a spot in the parking lot so we can eat. Blaire unbuckles her seat belt and turns to me, leaning her back against the door and lifting her left leg onto the seat.
“You know if you keep spoiling me like this, you’ll never get rid of me,” she jokes with a smile on her face.
“Maybe that was my plan all along,” I counter.
She laughs and I hand her the chicken nuggets she ordered with ranch. We begin digging into our food, leaving little room for talking as we’re both hungry.
Once I finish my burger and fries, I drain my Coke to wash away the taste. Blaire is finishing her last nugget and watches me as she sips on her lemonade. I take in her eyes as she watches my movements through her lashes. Her lips wrapped around the straw. Her cheeks are a light tint of red and I wonder what she is thinking as she looks at me.
I want to kiss her. Badly. But I told her I would wait. She has to set the pace of this relationship and I am not going to push her. She needed to know I would never do anything she was not comfortable with.
“Camden?” she whispers so softly I almost don’t hear her.
“Yes?”
She puts her drink down, ever so slowly leaning toward the center console. “C-can you kiss me?”
Reaching forward, I cup the side of her face and bring her closer to me. Our breaths mingle together between us, hers slightly louder as if she is nervous. “I’ve been waiting for you to ask, baby.”
Before she can respond, I brush my lips lightly against hers, just feeling them. They’re soft and slightly wet from the drink she had taken a sip of. Her breath hitches when our lips connect and I fear she is going to pull away, but she doesn’t. She shuts her eyes and leans into me. I take that as an invitation and kiss her for real. My lips pressing into hers, claiming her.
Although I have kissed many girls in my years, none of them have left a spark like Blaire is. Her lips fit perfectly against mine. As I move my hand from her cheek, I glide it down, resting on her waist. My tongue darts out, silently asking for permission, and Blaire allows it, opening for me. We explore each other and I’m lost in her. Her smell. Her taste. The feel of her body in my hands. Blaire lets out a moan and her hands clutch the front of my shirt. I know this needs to end before I pull her into my lap. She isn’t ready for that, as much as I would like it to happen.
As I break apart our kiss, she looks at me with wanting eyes. Her face is flushed, lips slightly swollen, and her shirt has risen to expose her stomach where I was gripping her. I run my hand along the smooth skin there before bringing it back down into place.
“Why did you stop?” she asks, slightly breathless.
Running my hand up her side, I rest it against her face and my thumb glides along her cheekbone. “Trust me, I’m thinking I made a mistake on that.”
She bites her lips and I slide my thumb across it, releasing the grip her teeth are holding.
Blaire grabs my hand and brings my palm in front of her, kissing the center. She leans forward and places her lips softly on mine, lingering some. She smiles against my mouth and her eyes open slowly. “Thank you for letting me set the pace,” she whispers against my lips.
“I want you to want to be with me, Blaire. To kiss and touch me. To spend time with me. You need that, I can tell.”
