Love You Better (Better Love 1)

I still have so much left to tell him, secrets he should know, but a small voice from somewhere deep down, the one that I’ve locked up, boxed away and ignored for years, is telling me that I’ll never know if I don’t try.

I sigh, and his eyes light up. He knows I’m giving in. He knows me too freaking well.

“Okay. I’ll be at the firm to sit in on a meeting, though. You can meet me after? Five-ish?”

“Yes. I’ll pick you up at five.” He kisses me again, deep and long, and when he pulls away, I want to pull him back. “I’ll text you later.”

And then he just walks out as if he didn’t steal my breath, turn my insides into mush, and flip my world upside down in a matter of days.

Seriously, who is this man?

And more importantly, should I want to keep him?

* * *

Wednesday afternoon, as I’m getting ready to head to the firm, I get a text from Kelley. I haven’t seen him since Sunday, but he’s been texting me pretty steadily, which isn’t out of the norm. But the flirty content of those texts?

That’s new.

Kelley: I hope you learn a lot from your meeting today. I’ll be there at 5 sharp to scoop you up. Tell the old battleax not to keep you late.

Me: Don’t talk about your mom that way! I love her.

Kelley: You love everyone.

Me: Not true. Just the important ones.

The little chat bubbles pop up and then disappear, pop up, then disappear again. What are you going to say, Kelley Pierce?

Kelley: I’ve been thinking about you.

Me: Yeah? What about me?

Kelley: Our date tonight.

Kelley: And Sunday in your kitchen.

Kelley: And Saturday on my couch.

Kelley: And Friday at Keggers.

I feel giddy just knowing I’ve been on his mind so much, because he’s been on mine, too. I had to actively force myself to stop reliving our Sunday encounter just so I could get some studying done. I should feel guilty about it, but I don’t. It’s not hurting anything. Yet.

I am still acing my classes and kicking butt at the firm. Thankfully, my law school applications are already near perfect, and I’m ahead in my study schedule, so I was able to indulge in a little bit of daydreaming...

Me: Those are some...provocative...thoughts.

Kelley: They are.

Kelley: I’ve been hard for days. *eggplant emoji*

Me: KELLEY!

Kelley: *winking emoji*

Kelley: I’ll see you at 5, Ivy Bean.

Me: See you at 5, Kelley Allen Pierce.