Miss Me Not

I followed behind him, trying not to trip in the dark. The beams from the porch light didn't quite reach the area where we were walking. Dean reached over and grabbed my hand to help guide me over the tree roots that had broken through the soil.

Reaching the tire swing, I cautiously climbed on, waiting for Dean to join me.

"Hang on," he said, pulling the tire swing all the way back until the ropes wouldn't stretch any farther. Finally releasing the tension, he allowed gravity to take over.

I laughed in exhilaration as the cool breeze tickled my neck and my hair blew around me in the night sky. I swayed back and forth with Dean shoving the tire each time I passed to aid my momentum.

Finally, he grabbed the rope, jerking me to a stop."That was great," I said, looking up.

"You want me to do it again?"

"Yes, please," I answered eagerly.

I lost track of how many times Dean swung me back and forth. Eventually, he let the swing come to a halt and we sat facing each other. The excitement of the ride dissipated inside me as something new took hold. I knew without a shadow of a doubt he was going to kiss me. I was ready for it now. Somewhere along the way, he had earned my trust. I knew he wouldn't hurt me.

Whether he saw the eagerness in my eyes, or was feeling the same pull, he moved his hands up to cup my face, holding me gently in place. My eyes held his as he gently brushed his thumb across my lower lip making it tremble in response.

"I'm not going to hurt you," he whispered, leaning in close.

"I know," I said with a slight shake in my voice.

"You are so beautiful," he said, placing his lips lightly on my cheek. Leaving a trail of light kisses along my cheek and chin, he slowly approached my lips. Everything inside me seemed to quiver.

"Do you want me to kiss you?" he asked, placing his lips softly at the corner of my mouth.

I nodded.

"I need you to say the words, babe. I want you to want this as much as me," he said, pulling back slightly.

I knew what he wanted. He needed me to confirm that I wouldn't freak out again. He wouldn't force himself on me. Knowing this set me free in a way no words ever could. He wasn't going to hurt me like I was hurt before. He was waiting for me to make the next move.

"Dean, will you please kiss me?" I whispered, my voice no longer shaking. I was ready.

"Yes, I will," Dean answered, pulling me close and capturing my lips with his. The feel of his lips on mine was filled with sweet ecstasy as he gently discovered my mouth. After a moment, he gently probed my lips open and the tips of our tongues met, turning the sweetness into a smoldering hot, spine-tingling inferno. He pulled me even closer so our bodies pressed against each other. His hands kept my face anchored in place as the kiss went on. I sighed against his lips, never wanting them to leave mine. There was no darkness around me, only light that was spreading through me like wildfire. He broke away after a moment and looked down at me, smiling slightly. Maneuvering his legs through the hole in the tire until they touched the ground, he slowly backed the swing up until he was almost standing with me cradled against his chest.

"Ready?" he asked.

Nodding mutely, my eyes never left his as he claimed my lips once again just as he lifted his feet, letting gravity swing us back the other way.

Chapter eighteen

Dean and I were inseparable through the rest of Thanksgiving break. On Friday, we spent the day fighting the Black Friday shoppers as we went from one store to the next, looking for Christmas gifts. It was my first experience really shopping for presents on my own, and I embraced it head-on, buying the twins multiple gifts until Dean finally reigned me in. He laughed when I stuck out my tongue at him before placing the dolls that I was convinced they needed back on the shelf. Shopping for the girls had turned around my distaste for the pink Barbie aisle as I fought the temptation to buy them more.

Picking out perfect gifts for his parents was harder since I wanted to get them something special. Finally, after dragging him into several stores, I found exactly what I was looking for at Things Remembered. With the help of Dean, I filled in the details on the order form for the engraving.

Pleased with my success, I set my sights on helping Dean with his own shopping.

"Are we done?" I asked as we left a bath store with a bag filled with goodies.

"Not yet," Dean said with a smile as he dragged me to the center of the mall where a line of kids waited impatiently.

"What are we doing?" I asked confused, taking in the children around me, decked out in fancy Christmas outfits.

"Seeing Santa, of course," he said, grinning at me.

"Come on," I said, peering at the kids in line, all anxiously waiting for their turn to sit on Santa's lap. I was touched that Dean remembered me mentioning the fact that I had never visited Santa.

"Won't I look silly?" I asked, gnawing slightly on my lip.