you wanted us to have an open mind.”
I walked away from them with tears in my eyes and my throat constricting. I wanted to run and hide in my room. I didn’t understand why my otherwise normal parents, who even crossed the bridge to cool from time to time, suddenly took a trip down the path of insanity.
I went back to the table muttering under my breath. Grace immediately came to my rescue. She gave me a hug and helped me pull myself together.
And then I saw him.
I forgot everything. I forgot about my parents and the tears. I forgot my name. I only knew the thundering of my heart. All the angst I’d been feeling eased. Just in time for the wild tumbling in my belly to start.
Reece and Mike were chatting casually as they approached my yard. I barely even noticed Mike after seeing Reece in his swim trunks and sleeveless shirt. He already had a smile on his face when our eyes locked. The drone of noise around us, the people themselves disappeared.
“You didn’t hear one word I said. Now I understand why your parents are freaked.”
“Huh?” I turned to Grace, barely aware she was speaking to me.
She looked amused. “You’ve got it bad.”
“Gee thanks,” I answered returning my focus to Reece.
“Not that I blame you,” I felt her staring, scrutinizing me, “He is gorgeous.”
“And taken,” I reminded her.
Mike opened the gate and walked over to us more comfortable than he ought to have been. Reece on the other hand didn’t look as sure of himself as usual. He took my hand in his and kissed the top of my head gently.
Mike looked around as if he were sizing up the place. I held my breath afraid the boys would dash away once they spotted Mom and Dad. Mike’s eyes froze on them, a confused look on his face. I couldn’t even come up with a lame excuse for my parents’ presence before they made their way over and into our business.
“Did you boys have dinner?” Mom asked out of the blue.
“Didn’t you smell the house burning?” Reece answered.
I understood the humor. Mom on the other hand did not. She looked horrified he would say such a thing, and I couldn’t help but think she deserved it.
“What are you boys eating?” she asked with real concern.
“Not to worry Mrs. Kingsley, we ordered pizza tonight,” Mike answered.
“And what about last night?”
“We picked up burgers and fries.”
“When is the last time you had a good, home-cooked meal?” She asked.
“Night before my parents left,” he looked at the ground embarrassed as he answered.
“Well that is unacceptable. I’ll just go whip something up for you to take back.”
“That’s very kind, but not at all necessary,” Reece said.
“You kids just have fun. Come help me,” she looked at Dad.
He didn’t argue or protest. He just shook his head and rolled his eyes before following her inside. I had no idea where her sudden concern for the boys came from, but I was certainly grateful for it.
“What was that about?” Mike asked.
I shook my head, “I’m not really sure.” I turned my attention back to Reece. “So how was your day?” I asked wrapping my arms around his waist pulling him close.
“It just got immensely better.” He smiled down at me and stroked my hair. I felt it happening and did nothing to try and stop it; I lost myself in his eyes. “I couldn’t stop thinking of you.”
“Don’t try.”
Mike cleared his throat and coughed out, “Get a room.”
“Why are you so touchy?” Grace asked turning his face toward hers in an attempt to regain his attention.
“Want to go for a swim?” I asked raising my eyebrows playfully at Reece.
He didn’t move at first. He glanced at our friends, a strange look on his face. I wondered why he hesitated and thought I’d help speed things along by pulling my cover-up over my head and tossing it on a chair.
I watched Reece’s eyes soak me in, with awe and hunger. He looked at me like he’d been on a deserted island for years and I
I walked away from them with tears in my eyes and my throat constricting. I wanted to run and hide in my room. I didn’t understand why my otherwise normal parents, who even crossed the bridge to cool from time to time, suddenly took a trip down the path of insanity.
I went back to the table muttering under my breath. Grace immediately came to my rescue. She gave me a hug and helped me pull myself together.
And then I saw him.
I forgot everything. I forgot about my parents and the tears. I forgot my name. I only knew the thundering of my heart. All the angst I’d been feeling eased. Just in time for the wild tumbling in my belly to start.
Reece and Mike were chatting casually as they approached my yard. I barely even noticed Mike after seeing Reece in his swim trunks and sleeveless shirt. He already had a smile on his face when our eyes locked. The drone of noise around us, the people themselves disappeared.
“You didn’t hear one word I said. Now I understand why your parents are freaked.”
“Huh?” I turned to Grace, barely aware she was speaking to me.
She looked amused. “You’ve got it bad.”
“Gee thanks,” I answered returning my focus to Reece.
“Not that I blame you,” I felt her staring, scrutinizing me, “He is gorgeous.”
“And taken,” I reminded her.
Mike opened the gate and walked over to us more comfortable than he ought to have been. Reece on the other hand didn’t look as sure of himself as usual. He took my hand in his and kissed the top of my head gently.
Mike looked around as if he were sizing up the place. I held my breath afraid the boys would dash away once they spotted Mom and Dad. Mike’s eyes froze on them, a confused look on his face. I couldn’t even come up with a lame excuse for my parents’ presence before they made their way over and into our business.
“Did you boys have dinner?” Mom asked out of the blue.
“Didn’t you smell the house burning?” Reece answered.
I understood the humor. Mom on the other hand did not. She looked horrified he would say such a thing, and I couldn’t help but think she deserved it.
“What are you boys eating?” she asked with real concern.
“Not to worry Mrs. Kingsley, we ordered pizza tonight,” Mike answered.
“And what about last night?”
“We picked up burgers and fries.”
“When is the last time you had a good, home-cooked meal?” She asked.
“Night before my parents left,” he looked at the ground embarrassed as he answered.
“Well that is unacceptable. I’ll just go whip something up for you to take back.”
“That’s very kind, but not at all necessary,” Reece said.
“You kids just have fun. Come help me,” she looked at Dad.
He didn’t argue or protest. He just shook his head and rolled his eyes before following her inside. I had no idea where her sudden concern for the boys came from, but I was certainly grateful for it.
“What was that about?” Mike asked.
I shook my head, “I’m not really sure.” I turned my attention back to Reece. “So how was your day?” I asked wrapping my arms around his waist pulling him close.
“It just got immensely better.” He smiled down at me and stroked my hair. I felt it happening and did nothing to try and stop it; I lost myself in his eyes. “I couldn’t stop thinking of you.”
“Don’t try.”
Mike cleared his throat and coughed out, “Get a room.”
“Why are you so touchy?” Grace asked turning his face toward hers in an attempt to regain his attention.
“Want to go for a swim?” I asked raising my eyebrows playfully at Reece.
He didn’t move at first. He glanced at our friends, a strange look on his face. I wondered why he hesitated and thought I’d help speed things along by pulling my cover-up over my head and tossing it on a chair.
I watched Reece’s eyes soak me in, with awe and hunger. He looked at me like he’d been on a deserted island for years and I
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