“Have a good time,” Dad calls after us, humor simmering in his voice, “but not too good of one.”
Ugh.
“After that interrogation, are you sure you want to take me out?” I mumble as we hit the sidewalk.
“Absolutely.”
Most guys would be baling by now, but Ty is different. He’s always been different. It’s one of the reasons I’ve fallen so hard for him. My heart flips over when he opens the passenger side door of his Firebird and shutters me inside before jogging around the sleek hood and sliding onto the black leather seat.
“You ready to do this?”
I nod as excitement bubbles up inside me, banishing all of my previous anxiety. I still can’t believe this is happening. I’m almost tempted to pinch myself just to make sure this isn’t a dream.
His gaze slides over the length of me. “I meant what I said earlier; you really do look beautiful.”
My smile widens. I can’t help it. “Thanks.”
He turns the key, starting up the engine and shifting the car into gear. Duran Duran’s Hungry Like the Wolf blasts from the stereo. I’ve always loved this song. It doesn’t take long before I’m humming along with the tune. Ty does the same, and before I know it, we’re both singing along, belting out the lyrics.
Less than ten minutes later, we pull into the crowded parking lot of Skateland. It’s been a while since I’ve been to the roller rink. Lizzie and I used to hang out here all the time when we were in middle school, and it was so much fun. Ty takes care of the admission as we head to the counter and grab skates before finding a bench to switch out our shoes.
Once he’s finished tightening his laces, Ty rises to his feet and extends a hand for me to take hold of before we move onto the floor. The lights are low—a strobe light of colors bounces off the shiny wood. Our hands stay clasped as one song bleeds into the next. Testing out my skills, I flip around until I’m skating backward. Ty grabs my fingers and guides me as we weave in and out of other people, circling around the rink.
As we skate in front of the DJ booth, I wave to my friend, Marissa. She’s got some serious skills when it comes to music. Her eyes widen, and her face morphs into one of surprise when she sees who I’m with. A few minutes later, the song changes and Madonna’s Crazy for You comes on.
Ty wraps his hands around my waist. “You might not realize it, but I always have been.”
My brow crinkles as I replay the words in my head. Did I miss part of the conversation? “Have been what?”
Even in the darkness, I see the serious light that fills his eyes. “Crazy for you.”
My heart melts, and I couldn’t stop myself from admitting the truth even if I wanted to. “I’m crazy for you, too.”
A slow smile spreads across his face—an answering one curls around the edges of my lips. As we continue to skate, Ty holds me close. I didn’t think it was possible for him to see me as anything other than his best friend’s little sister.
Thankfully, I couldn’t have been more wrong.
I have no idea what this summer has in store for us, but I’m stoked to find out.
Ty
The moment Danielle exits the stone building, her gaze coasts over the crowd of students until it lands on me. As corny as it sounds, my heart skips a beat. When she stares at me like that, everything around me falls away until it’s just the two of us. I blink out of those thoughts as she hurries down the short flight of cement steps and throws herself into my arms. Unable to help myself, my lips fasten onto hers. We’ve been together since June, and I’m still not able to get enough of this girl.
“Get a room, Nelson!” one of my teammates shouts from across the quad.
My lips tremble as I pull away. Ignoring the not-so-subtle suggestion, I focus my attention on her, “How did class go?”
“Amazing! I love my poli-sci professor. He’s so funny.”
“Yeah, I’ve heard that about Professor Higgins.”
We’ve been on campus for exactly one month and dating for three.
“Are you hungry? Do you want to grab lunch at the Union?”
Dani slants a look my way before biting her lower lip and shaking her head.
My attention fastens on to her mouth. She knows how much that turns me on. My voice drops a few octaves. “You got something better in mind?”
Color blooms in her cheeks as she glances around. “I was thinking we could go back to my dorm. My roommate won’t be home for a couple of hours. We’ll have the place all to ourselves.”
My feet stutter before I catch myself. I’ve done everything in my power to take our relationship at a gradual pace. I haven’t wanted to rush Dani into something she’s not ready for.