“It’s not a rule, Wyatt. You’ve been conditioned to think girls will take any crumbs you give them because…well…around here all the girls are willing to do that for you. But deep down, they all want to be special. They want someone who wants them so badly they can’t see straight-“
“I see you just fine.” His hand slid around my neck and pulled me to him until his lips fused with mine. I’d had many years to imagine what kissing Wyatt would be like. In my dreams, it was good. The real thing was a million times better. It was everything the romance books said it would be and more.
When he pulled away, I clutched at him, not wanting him to get away. He rested his forehead against mine. “I’ve wanted to do that since junior prom.”
I lifted my head to look at him, disbelieving.
“A guy can want someone but also want to do what’s right. It doesn’t mean you’re less than if I bust my balls to control my wanting you.”
My heart went to mush. “So, what now?”
“I want to be with you, but I also don’t want to get my head bashed in by your brother.”
I laughed. “He’d be okay with this. I know he would.”
My brother Ryder was the most laid-back, accepting person I knew.
He shook his head and looked out over the water. “You’re leaving in the fall. I don’t want to risk losing my best friend.”
I wanted to be angry that he was choosing Ryder over me, and at the same time, I understood it. I even respected it.
“So, we spend the summer having a secret romance.”
He looked at me. “You could do that?”
I shrugged. It wasn’t what I wanted exactly, but… Well...as it turned out, I was willing to have crumbs after all.
“There’s something romantic about a secret romance. Something just you and I have.” The more I thought about it, the more appealing it was. I’d have a part of Wyatt no one, none of the other girls he’d been with or my brother, had.
That summer was so sweet with stolen moments alone. Notes I’d find from him after he’d hung out with my brother. A few weeks in, he told me he loved me and with such joy in my heart, I confessed that I loved him too. By August, we didn’t talk like we were done when the summer was over. We talked like we had a future. Like we’d be together forever.
The only bummer was that I was still a virgin. There was lots of kissing and heavy petting, but that damn bro’ code kept him from going all the way with me. As summer drew to an end, I was determined to change that.
I snuck out of the house and met him by the oak tree near the river, bringing a blanket with me. We’d agreed to meet there that night when everyone else was in bed, as we did many times. I wore a flared short skirt and button top, and underneath I had the lacy panty and bra set I’d bought on my last shopping trip to Kearney.
He showed up with the smile that always made me swoon. He wore his soft faded jeans, a black t-shirt and cowboy boots. His gaze took a slow trail over my body. After all this time, I knew when I saw the mixture of desire and frustration in his expression. He wanted me, but that stupid bro’ code kept getting in the way.
“Did you see the stars?” he asked, sitting next to me.
“It’s a beautiful night.” Perfect for losing the v-card under the light of the moon, by the river, under the oak tree. I didn’t want to give him too much time to think, so I moved like a flash, straddling his thighs and wrapping my arms around him.
He laughed. “Did you miss me?”
I answered by kissing him. He kissed me back, his tongue exploring my mouth. Lost in the kiss, I pressed my aching cleft over his hard length behind his jeans’ buttons.
He moaned and pulled back. “Sinclair.”
I pushed him back and settled my pussy on his dick. “I love you. You love me.”
“We can’t, baby.” His hands were on my hips, but he wasn’t pushing me off.
“You plan to visit me at school, right?”
“Yes.”
“We’ve talked about being back here together when I’m done with school.”
“Right.”