“Okay,” he said slowly.
“There’s something I have to tell you.”
He sat back in his chair. “What is it?”
Inhale, exhale. “I kissed River.”
Miller stared, his hands around mine going still. “When?”
“Yesterday.”
“Yesterday,” he repeated flatly.
“Yes, and it was a huge mistake. I knew it before I did it, and I knew it while it was happening. We were like two pieces of plywood smacking together. Painful and awkward and just all wrong.”
I could see Miller working this over in his mind. And he wasn’t happy.
“As far as I knew, you were still with Amber, and I was trying to do what you did. Get you out of my system. But it’s not possible.”
“No, not for me either,” he said. “I guess I can’t be pissed, but I just…I don’t like it.”
“I know. And I didn’t like seeing you with Amber. It wasn’t revenge, it was just…trying to take control of my feelings. It didn’t work.”
Miller inhaled deeply through his nose and let it out. “Okay. Well, I’m glad you told me.”
“There’s more.”
“More?”
“He asked me to the Prom, and I said yes.”
Now Miller let go of my hands and scrubbed his over his face. “I don’t know if I feel like I’m about to cry or laugh like a crazy person.”
“We’d only be going as friends. And I do care about him as a friend. We had an amazing talk. I think he’s under a lot of pressure from his parents.”
“You’ll forgive me if I don’t have a whole lot of sympathy right now.”
“You don’t have to, but you do have to trust me. We have to trust each other and tell each other everything.”
“Then I’m going to tell you I don’t want you to go to Prom with River.” I started to speak, but Miller took my hand in his again. “But you already promised him, and I know it means something to keep your word. I trust you, Vi.”
Tears welled up in my eyes. “That means everything, Miller. Like we have a shot.”
“We do,” he said. “Because I don’t ever want to lose you.”
Miller leaned over me, and my hands made fists in the lapels of his plaid shirt. My heart was pounding. He touched his mouth to mine softly. My lips parted in a breathy little gasp, and he kissed my upper and lower lip. Then he moved in deeper and I moaned softly. My eyes fell shut as that tingling, breath-stealing euphoria filled me and moved down into my stomach to send it fluttering.
Miller moved to sit on the edge of the bed, one hand cupping my cheek as his mouth moved over mine reverently. Exploring softly, touching gently, we sealed promises—spoken and unspoken—to take care of each other’s hearts.
The kiss ended naturally, and Miller pulled back, his eyes roaming every part of my face. He brushed his fingertips over the bandage on my right temple.
“Are you really okay?”
I nodded. “They’re going to kick me out any minute now.”
“Good. I don’t ever want to see you in here again.”
“Feeling’s mutual,” I said, stroking his cheek. “But since they’re taking their sweet time about it, will you play for me?”