42 Hours (Time for Love 3)

I nodded, and let her lead me outside.

I settled into my chair and sipped on my beer, staring into the brilliant blaze as I thought about what Sasha had said.

Scott came over to me, distracting me from my pondering, and asked, “Everything okay?”

I looked up at him, and figured it was better to lay it all on the line, then pretend I didn’t know what was going on.

“What are you doing, Scott?” I asked him.

He furrowed his brow and asked, “What do you mean?”

“The hand holding, touching my leg, feeding me off your fork … the dancing. What are you doing?” I repeated.

“Well, that’s our cue,” TJ said loudly, getting up from his chair and moving his arms to indicate everyone needed to go inside.

While our four friends made quick work of going back inside, Scott still stood above me.

“May I?” he asked, pointing to the chair next to me.

“Please,” I replied.

Scott sat down, resting his elbows on his knees and his face on his hands.

“Sorry, I guess I wasn’t being very subtle, but I wanted you to get used to me touching you,” Scott said with a wry grin.

“Why?” I prodded.

He straightened and ran his fingers through his hair.

“Look, Gabs, I know the timing may seem weird, what with Victoria and I breaking it off a few weeks ago, and you dating other guys,” Scott began. “But I’m tired of the timing always being off for us. First we were going off to school, then one of us was always seeing someone else. I don’t want to wait anymore. I think we deserve our shot, and I was hoping to prove it to you this weekend.”

His words made my stomach drop and my heart beat rapidly. I agreed with everything that he was saying, and I couldn’t believe that he’d been waiting for the time to be right for us, just like I had. But I was still scared.

“Scott, you didn’t just break up with a girlfriend, you and Victoria were getting married,” I said, stressing the importance of his relationship. “You can’t just get over that in a few weeks. I don’t want to be your rebound girl.”

Scott moved closer to me, his knees brushing mine, and took my hand in his. “Gaby, I swear, this is not about a rebound. This is what I want to prove to you. Give me the next few days to show you what we can be like together. As a couple. Get to know me, and I’ll get to know you. Not just as the friends we already are, but as the people we want to be.”

I took a deep breath, contemplating his words. My body screamed at me to say yes, and give him that shot. It sounded like everything I’d ever wanted. But my head, it wasn’t as impulsive, and it warned me to think things through. My heart, however, trumped them both, and told me to take a chance, because this may be my only one.

“Okay,” I said with a slight nod. “I’ll take the weekend to spend time with you, and keep my mind open. But, if at any point, you change your mind, and realize that you aren’t ready, please be honest with me. We’re friends first, and I don’t want anything to change that.”

“I agree, one hundred percent. And the same goes for you, if you change your mind, just tell me. I won’t hold it against you. Our friendship comes first,” Scott said with a relieved smile.

“Okay.” I nodded again, unsure if I was agreeing with him, or still convincing myself. “I think I’m going to turn in.”

“Sounds good, let me just extinguish the fire and I’ll walk you in,” Scott said, standing up. “We’ll have the s’mores and stuff tomorrow night.”

“Sounds perfect.”

I waited while he put out the fire, then he took my hand and we walked back to the house. I enjoyed the feel of his warm hand in mine as the cool air swirled around us, but I still felt the jangle of nerves deep in my belly.

Scott locked up, then we walked up the stairs to our rooms. When we got to my door, we both stopped, and I turned to say goodnight.

I looked up at him and licked my lips nervously, my body suddenly humming as if it were about to take off. Scott’s eyes lowered to my lips, and breathing became impossible. I watched, scared yet unbelievably turned on, as he lowered his head toward mine. His lips barely brushed mine once, then twice, and I resisted the urge to grab him and jerk him closer. The need to feel him flush against me hit me like a flash, but instead I brought my shaky hand up to cup his face, and when I made contact, he sprung into action.

Suddenly my back was against the door and I was being kissed with a passion that rocked me to the core. I went with my impulse and put my hands at his waist and pulled him to me until our bodies were closer than they’d been when we were dancing. I felt his erection against me, and moaned as his tongue invaded my mouth. I slanted my head a bit to give him better access, and felt my blood run molten when he groaned against my mouth.

Too soon Scott pulled away and broke the kiss, coming back in once, twice, to nibble my swollen lips gently.