“Shut up!” I yell back at them. “Anna, I know I've said a lot of things. I thought I knew what I wanted, but I was wrong. I don't want to leave, I don't want to move out, there's only one thing I really want and that's you.” My fingers twine around hers, holding her tight. I'm not letting her go again. Not ever.
“Really?” she asks with a hint of uncertainty in her voice. “How can I believe that? You planned an entire trip and didn't think of me at all while you were doing it.”
“That's where you're wrong. I thought about you the entire time. You're all I've been thinking about. I can't get you out of my head. But when you told me I should go for it, I don't know,” I say, shrugging my shoulder. “I thought you weren't as into me as I'm into you. I didn't think you cared what I did.”
“Of course, I care. I know what I said, but I honestly didn't think it would happen overnight. I thought we'd have time between. I'm not a girl who's going to stop you from following your dreams, Dash, I was just surprised is all, and didn't think you cared about me either.”
“I care, Anna, because. . .” Pausing, I suck in a deep breath of air. “I love you.”
Her eyes flick between mine. I can see water bubbling over the surface as the movie screen explodes with brightness. She blinks, releasing a single tear rolling down her cheek.
“I love you too.”
Instantly, the second those words come out of her mouth, my heart hammers in my chest and I grab her face to kiss her. I kiss her like I've wanted to for days. I kiss her like I've missed her for a lifetime.
“Come on! Get out of the way already! Some of us are trying to watch a movie here!”
I'm about ready to yell back when the double doors fly open and flashlights land on us. “There he is!” It's the guy from the booth, and he's pointing his finger at us.
“We need to go,” I say to Anna, taking her by the hand. “This way.” I pull her down to the front of the theater and shove open the emergency exit right next to the screen.
The loud buzzer goes off inside in the theater, followed by the blinding white strobe lights positioned in the room.
We stumble out into the alley behind the theater. I look side to side and decide to go right. “Come on.” I keep her hand in mine and take off in a sprint.
We're both running as fast as we can. I can hear her breathing heavy as I drag her around the corner and down another alley. I stop beside a dumpster and push her behind it, taking cover with her.
Poking my head out, no one is following us. We're alone. The street is fairly quiet, and I doubt they'd call the cops on me for this.
As I duck back behind the dumpster, she's laughing. “Holy shit, did we really just do that?”
“We did,” I say.
“You do realize that I actually paid to see that movie.”
“Yeah, sorry about this. I had to find you before it was too late.”
Anna lets out a deep laugh. She's laughing so hard that tears are rolling down her cheeks. I wipe them away with my thumbs, and smile at her as I cup her face.
“That's a good look on you.”
“What is?” she asks as she tries to catch her breath.
“Happy tears.” I curl my fingertips around her head and hold her. “Just so you know, those are the only tears you'll ever cry because of me again.”
“Good, I like this kind of tears.”
Her expression changes as our eyes lock. Flames flicker in the distance of her eye, growing bigger and stronger as I run both my thumbs across the curves of her jaw. Her laughter slows to a single exhale, lips parting softly.
It's beautiful. She's beautiful. How could I ever think about leaving her?
I tip her face up and kiss her. Her lips are warm and soft as she opens them to let me inside. My tongue glides around hers, dancing in long swirls. Anna's hands fly up into my hair, tangling around thick locks, and tugging at the roots.
There's no way I can control myself right now. I need her, I can't wait until we get back home. It has to be now. It has to be here.
I take a long step in, forcing her back against the brick building. Her breath hitches as I drive my tongue deeper inside her mouth. I push my chest against hers, forcing her back against the wall. She drags both her hands down my neck and over my chest. I snap them up by the wrists in one hand, and pin them over her head.