Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 83394 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83394 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
He was at the park, waiting.
My stomach tumbled with nerves when I pulled up and saw him. He jogged over and hopped into the passenger seat. “Hey,” he said softly.
“Hey.”
We sat there staring at each other, then burst into laughter. It was like someone released a valve inside me, letting all the pressure out. We were okay. We would always be okay, no matter what.
“We should go somewhere we can be alone,” Gage said. “Maybe up to Eldebury Heights?”
I nodded. It was in the mountains, a place kids our age went to party at night or smoke weed during the day, but there were tons of random areas, so I didn’t worry about being seen.
We were quiet on the drive up as if we both knew we wanted to give this discussion our full attention. Eventually, the truck was bumping along the rocky road heading up the mountain. I pulled off the road close to the top, where there was this alcove in the road and I could park behind brush and trees.
As soon as I turned the truck off, Gage said, “I broke up with Katie.”
My pulse shot to the sun. “Really?” I couldn’t hold back my smile.
“Did you think I wouldn’t? And, dude, don’t look so happy.” He chuckled.
This was something he only realized he wanted last night. I’d known I wanted this for years, so yeah, I hadn’t expected it.
“You should know she figured out why without me telling her, but I trust her. She said she would never tell anyone because of things Mike went through.”
“Fuck.” I dropped my forehead against the steering wheel. “How did she know? What if she tells someone who tells someone else? What if—”
“He won’t find out,” Gage cut me off. “If he does, we lie. It sucks, but we have to make sure you’re safe. God, I fucking hate that you live with him. I wish we could tell—”
“No!” I rushed out. “Plus, he hasn’t hit me in a long time. You know I said I’d tell you. It was when—”
“Junior year. I remember. He’s still a fucking prick, and I hate the things he says to you.”
“I know.” I loved Gage for it too. “I told him it was a girl last night, and that I like her and might ask her out. He was happier than when I told him about my scholarship offer for next year. It’ll keep him off my case.”
“Jesus. I hate him.” Gage shook his head, his black hair falling into his eyes again. I wanted to push it back so I could see him better. He was the most beautiful boy I’d ever seen.
“I don’t want to talk about him. I just… What does this mean? Us?” My voice came out wobbly.
Gage turned so he sat sideways on the seat. He reached out, time slowing as if the universe was aligning to give us this moment. He cupped my face, brushed his thumb over my cheekbone. “I am what you are,” he said, making a sharp breath pull out of me. “I’ve always been yours. I don’t know why it took me so long to see it.”
“I’ve always been yours too.”
Gage leaned in, held my face with both hands now, our foreheads together, same as last night. “I’m scared,” he whispered.
“I’m not.”
“You’ve always been braver than me. You just don’t see it.”
“And you’ve always been worth more than you see too.” Because I knew that was what this was. He was scared because it was new, yes, but he was also scared because while he was cocky in some ways, inside he was afraid of not being good enough.
Courage suddenly rolled through me in overpowering waves. I was tired of waiting, of being behind everyone else and watching from the sidelines. Of not having him.
I tilted my head, pressed my lips to Gage’s. They were a bit chapped, but I didn’t care.
I did it again, electricity crackling beneath my skin. My first kiss. I swiped at his mouth with my tongue, hoping I was doing this right. Gage’s lips parted, and I slipped inside. He tasted like mint and maybe like he’d smoked one of his dad’s cigarettes. As much as I hated it when he smoked, it didn’t matter in that moment.
Gage groaned into the kiss, sliding his hands behind my head, threading through my hair, tugging me closer, giving me his tongue now, tasting and traveling through every part of my mouth. I wanted to climb inside him, melt into him, be connected to him always.
I got hard and wondered if he was too, and oh God, would I ever get to touch him there? Him touch me? The kiss and the thought were everything and not enough. When he pulled back, I reached for him, tried to pull him closer, afraid it would end and never happen again.