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I lie back, my head resting on the armrest of the couch. A quiet moan of relief leaves me as his hands release the tension in my feet. It causes him to look over at me. “Thanks again for coming, Mack. It means a lot to me. To Avery too.”
“There’s no way I was going to miss it. This is a big deal, Mace.” He pauses, shifting my legs off his lap, so he can reach into a pocket of his black jeans. He pulls out a small white box. “I got something for you.”
He holds out the box for me. I sit and reach for it, anxious to see what it could be. I haven’t gotten a gift from a guy since high school. I gently lift the square lid. Under it lies a shiny, silver charm bracelet. “Wow, this is beautiful, Mack.”
He smiles. As I reach for it, his hand stops mine. “Wait, can I show you what they all mean?” I nod and he reaches for the jewelry. I set the box on the coffee table, and when I turn back to him, he’s holding the bracelet between us. The links are small, with different charms dangling from every few. He adjusts it in his hand, singling out one of the charms. He’s excited to show me, and it’s adorable.
“Okay, so…I know lately you’ve been worried about figuring out where you’re supposed to go in life. I wanted you to have something that reminds you every day you’re going to see the world and make a difference in it. I want you to know how much I believe in you.”
Tears well in my eyes, and the thought that I might love him flashes through my mind. He continues. “I’ve watched Avery and you make lists for years, of all the places you want to go. That’s what some of these are.” He holds the palm tree charm in front of me. “This one is for Costa Rica. I know that’s on the top of your list.” I love that he remembers. He scoots his fingers along the chain until he’s pinching the edge of the next charm between his thumb and pointer finger. “This elephant one is for Thailand…the four leaf clover is for Ireland, and good luck of course.” He holds up the cutest silver kangaroo charm. “Obviously this one is for Australia. Just throwing the idea out there, you could take me with you when you go there.” He doesn’t give me time to respond to any of his comments. He’s talking quickly like he wants to show me all of them at the exact same time. After another minute of explaining charms, there are only two left I haven’t seen up close. The first is a small plain charm cut to the shape of Oregon State. “This one is obvious. Oregon will always be your first adventure, ya know?” I nod in agreement. As he rubs the last charm between his fingers, his enthusiasm disappears and is replaced by nerves.
“What’s the last one?” I’m even more curious now as I study the hesitation in his emerald eyes.
He releases the charm from his fingers, and he lets the bracelet fall into his palm, holding it out toward me. My eyes follow. The way it lands, I can see it’s a simple heart covered in tiny diamonds.
“I know you are working on a plan for where to go from here. I was thinking maybe you could try to figure it out in California. I want…I hope you’ll consider letting me be your next adventure. Now that you’ve graduated, and your lease is about to be over, will you move in with me?”
His eyes lock onto mine again, and I can see the vulnerability in them. It must have taken him a lot to suggest this. He’s lived with a girl before, but that didn’t work out, and it would still be a big adjustment for him too. My thoughts are racing. I’ve never lived with anyone besides my parents or Avery, which is completely different from a boyfriend.
Before I have a chance to pull myself out of my head, he adds to his thoughts as if he needs to justify them. “I know we haven't been together that long yet or even spent that many days together. I know it would be a lot more of an adjustment for you, I know this is a lot to ask, but I feel really good about our relationship. If you’re not ready–”
I cut him off by wrapping my hands around his outstretched palm, still holding my new bracelet. “Part of me is nervous and a little scared, but all of me wants to say yes. So yes. I want to live with you, Mack.”
He breathes out a sigh of relief and smiles. “I can’t fucking wait.”
“Okay, well, I can’t wait for you to put my perfect new bracelet on me.” I shove my hand in his face and wiggle it around.
He laughs and undoes the clasp before linking it around my wrist.
As soon as it’s on, I fall back onto the couch again. My feet are on Mack’s lap, my head is on the arm of the couch and my wrist is above me, my bracelet dangling in front of my eyes so I can look at it again.
I’m examining the charms when Mack’s calloused hands rub slowly up the outside of either calf. He grips my left ankle, gently moving it behind him as he turns toward me, now in between my legs. His hands run up my legs, pausing at the bottom of my thighs and applying slight pressure. I shift my gaze away from my bracelet to see what he’s up to. “Don’t mind me, I’m just working on part two of your present.” He smirks before he dips his head, kissing the inside of my knee softly. My breath hitches in anticipation.
His hands move torturously slow along the outside of my thighs, gently pushing the hem of my blue flowered sundress with them. Light kisses graze my inner thigh and stop only for the brief moment it takes him to hook his fingers around the edge of my navy lace thong and slide it off. When his hands connect with my skin again, it’s along the backside of my legs. They wrap around the outside of my thighs, simultaneously pulling my legs apart and guiding them over his shoulders. He slides to the floor, his knees finding their place, without letting go of me. Then in one smooth motion he tugs on me lightly, pulling my back flat against the couch, and bringing me to him. It gives him perfect access as his mouth lands on me.
The moment his tongue makes a soft slow drag across me, my entire body aches to have more of him. A whimper escapes me, and he spreads my legs further apart, burying his face between my thighs and moaning into me. He teases me, alternating between long slow drags and a few short licks that dip only slightly into me. He knows exactly what he’s doing. He keeps me riding the edge, and it’s pure ecstasy and torture at the same time.
When I can’t handle the building pressure inside me any longer, I search for release by linking my legs behind his head, pulling him even closer. He laughs at my need for him and it vibrates through me, bringing me to the tipping point. I weave my fingers into his dark hair, the charms from my bracelet mixing into the strands as I tug on them. His tongue dives deeper, hot and firm against me. Every muscle in my body tightens, and I’m gasping for air as I ride the contracting waves of pleasure from my orgasm. He leaves his tongue pressed against me until I beg him to stop, squirming away from sensitivity.
As soon as I come down, he lifts himself on the couch, hovering over me, an arm on each side of my face. He plants a soft kiss on my lips before whispering, “I really like doing that.”
“I really like you.” The words come out without any hesitancy. “I feel good about my decision. And not just because it means more of that.” I smile at him, and he returns the gesture.
“Good.”
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
Themorningaftergraduation,I wake to Mack sitting on the edge of my bed, his forearm muscles flexing in the sunlight streaming through the window as he laces his black Nikes. What a beautiful way to wake up. He’s so sexy, even from the side and first thing in the morning. He’s already got his black hat on, backward, with strands of his dark brown hair sticking out from under it. His jaw is more defined than the younger version of himself, lined with stubble that wasn’t there when we were kids. The muscles in his arm flex under his plain black t-shirt as he finishes tying his shoes. I get a good twenty seconds of staring in before he realizes I’m awake.
“Hey, babe.” He turns so he’s facing me more and smiles. “Go back to sleep, I’m going for a run.”
“Noooooo, don’t leave me. Can I come with you?” I whine at him. I did well meeting with the running club every week for the first few months of school, but I haven’t been once since the new year started. I need to get back to it. Plus, I don’t want to be away from him.
“You want to? Let’s go!”
“It’s been a while, so you might have to wait for me. I don’t want to ruin your run.”
“I’ll always wait for you. Come on!” He reaches for my hand and pulls me up.
