“Hey Laney,” He greets back with a shit-eating grin before turning back toward the band to give us some privacy.
Laney looks up at me through dark lashes.
“That was my first kiss on Yell night, Houseman, and I wanted it to be with you.”
“It was mine, too.”
“Really?” A pride-filled smile beams from her as she rubs my hands between hers. She looks beautiful bundled up in a pink North Face jacket and beanie. Her glossy, dark-brown locks twisted in long twin braids and resting on her shoulders, her cheeks rosy from the cold. “You take good care of me,” I tell her as she warms my hands.
“Do I?”
“Yeah, you do, and I’m coming up with ways to thank you for it right now.”
Were in the midst of over-the-top PDA but no one is paying attention to us due to the bullhorn announcement of the all-stars for the year.
“I think I may know a way you can thank me,” she murmurs. “Mom is working tonight.” Her voice drops to a husky whisper. “Want to meet me in the chemistry lab in an hour?”
“Fuck yes,” I whisper back, “be naked.”
“No issues there.” She leans in again, her eyes pooling. “The lab tech told me today that if you want, we’re safe to play with gloves off,” she grins sheepishly, “that is if you want.”
My dick jerks inside my jeans as she weighs my reaction.
I lift one of her braids in my hand, rubbing her silky strands between my fingers. “Oh, I want. And don’t take these out.”
“Why?”
I lean in close. “Because the minute I get to the lab, I’m going to reenact the fantasy I’m dreaming up right now to show my appreciation for that kiss.”
Her mouth parts and I lean in and gently suck her bottom lip before pulling away with nothing but intent in my eyes. “I’ll give you one guess where my next kiss will be.”
“Theo,” she sputters out, her forehead pressed against mine, breaths coming out in cloudy puffs from her swollen lips.
“That’s enough, Mr. Houseman,” my band director says bursting our bubble from where he stands at the bottom of our section.
“Young lady, I don’t know how you got in here, but this is reserved for band members only.”
“Sorry about that, sir.” She turns to me giggling. “Whoops.”
“Go on,” I say not giving a shit about the attention we’ve drawn, or the lecture I’m sure to get, but drawing on the affection of the girl who’s standing in front of me. “I’m right behind you.”
It’s then she says three words that strike me right in the chest. “It’s a date.”
Theo
“Up, Bugle Boy,” Kevin spouts kicking the end of my bed. “It’s D-day.”
“Kevin, for the last time, I don’t play the fucking bugle. Get the hell out of my bedroom.”
“Punishment starts in an hour. You signed up. We leave in twenty. Dress for mud.”
I reach for whatever is on my dresser and throw it at him and hear a satisfying “ugh” come out of him when I nail him with my Magic Eight Ball.
“You pussing out?”
“Yes,” I say simply. And then think better of it and rise to sit on the edge of the bed. “I’m up.”
Kevin gives me a lopsided grin. “I’m almost proud of you, precious.”