I switched places with her lightning fast, making her giggle. “Now it does.”
I kissed her again but this time slowly, languidly, biding my time, memorizing every curve, every line of her lower and upper lip. And I continued to kiss her until I found us laid down on the bed, her legs wrapped around my torso.
I sat up and shoved myself off. “Get under the covers, January.”
“What?” she asked, surprised.
“Get under those effing covers, right now.”
“Okay,” she said, confused.
o;Yes, I can, January, seeing as we’re the only two people in here,” I joshed back, the lump in my throat only getting bigger.
“Oh good. I was afraid you wouldn’t be able to find me.”
“Your jumping up and down helped.”
We settled into our seats and she rested her head on my shoulder. I swallowed my fear and tried to control my shaking.
“This isn’t the film you bought the ticket for,” she accused quietly.
“Yes, it is,” I said, turning to meet her face.
“Then what took you so long?”
“Nothing, I just got a bit lost. I don’t speak the language, remember?”
“You’re lying,” she said matter-of-factly.
“I am not,” I said, lying through my teeth. “Here,” I said, removing my ticket.
She took it and studied it, confirming what I’d already told her. “Hmm,” she teased. “You pass, Christopher Lloyd, but something’s still wrong, I can tell.”
“Okay, Huey Lewis, I swear there’s no news.”
“You forget, I’ve got ‘the power of love.’”
“It’s a curious thing,” I added dryly.
“Yeah,” she said, “It’s tougher than diamonds, rich like cream.”
“Stronger and harder than a bad girl’s dream,” I continued.
“Oh my God, I don’t know what’s scarier, the fact we know these lyrics or the lyrics themselves.”
“But it might just save your life, January. That’s the power of love.”
“Oh my God, I love you,” she proclaimed.
I swallowed the lump away. “I love you too,” I told her, kissing the top of her head.
And just like that, Jonah and what he’d told me melted away.
After dinner and the movie, I kissed her at her door and barely controlled my feet as they apparently had their own thoughts and began to make their way toward her bed with her in my arms. I abandoned her quickly, kissing her once more and sprinting to my own door. Inside my room, I dialed Harper, one of my best friends and Callum’s wife.
“Yo, yo, yo!” I heard on the other line, making me smile.
“Harper Tate. What’s new?” I asked her.