“Okay.” She let out a breath. “Let’s go.”
They tore into their letters, and together read out what they said.
“We’ve been accepted into the same college.”
“This is cause for a celebration.”
When he went to kiss her lips, she turned her head. “I love you, Eli, I do, but I don’t like throwing up. The only celebration you’re going to be doing is the kind that involves resting, television, and some medicinal drink.” She turned off her computer, and urged him up. “Come on. I’ll take you home.”
She put her files away in her bag, and helped him toward the car. Easing him in the front, she sat behind the wheel, starting up his baby.
“I’ve never let a chick drive my car,” he said.
“I’m the exception then.” She pulled out of the parking lot, and drove down the long road.
“What did happen to your car?” he asked.
“Oh, I, erm, put it into a tree.”
“A tree?” he asked.
“I was not feeling all that great. You’d been gone a couple of months. I was missing you, and I looked longingly at our spot near the lake, and bam. Car, tree, dead car. I wasn’t allowed another because I wasn’t concentrating. Scared?”
“No. I’m in the front seat right beside you.”
“Yeah, and we’ve been dating for what, six months now, and so far I’m
still a virgin.”
“A very aroused, touched up virgin. I don’t leave you alone. I always take care of your needs,” he said. “And if you want to be technical, it has been five months. I wasn’t touching you before you were eighteen.”
He did take care of her needs. All of them. If she was ever horny, or even when she wasn’t, he was there. He’d shown her a lot of talents he possessed with his hands, his mouth, and even his dick, but all of which meant she was still a virgin. Her favorite was the time they were both naked, and he placed his cock between the lips of her pussy, and slid between her thighs. The friction, the touch of his cock against her clit, had sent her over the edge, as had he.
Still, it wasn’t sex. She couldn’t complain either. There had been a few times that she had called a halt to full on sex. Even though Eli was her entire world, she just wasn’t ready. She couldn’t even explain it. She wanted it, and yet it was next to impossible to take that next step.
Rachel and Mary had told her it wasn’t her fault either way, nor was it Eli’s. When they were ready, it would just happen. But Aria didn’t know anymore. If he really wanted her, wouldn’t he want to actually do the whole deed?
“Forget I said anything.” It wasn’t like he could do anything today.
“I want you, Aria,” he said. “I want it to be perfect for you.”
“Have you ever thought that there isn’t a right time? No full moon, or weird cycle is going to make the experience any less painful, and I’m not going anywhere. I get it will suck the first time. Maybe even the second and third, but after that, I expect you to make it up to me. No pressure.” She pulled into the driveway, and turned off the ignition before looking at him. “I don’t need perfect. I just need you, and I can’t even believe I’m nagging about this. Do you think I’m nagging?” Her cheeks were getting warmer by the second.
“You look sexy as hell when you’re embarrassed.”
“I never thought I’d be begging a guy for sex.” Opening the car door, she rounded to his side, and helped him out.
Ever since her parents, or more importantly, her father, had been out of her life, she’d been able to flourish, to love life, and to even believe in the love she had with Eli. He made her believe that everything and anything was possible if she only allowed herself to imagine it.
Entering the sitting room, she rushed back to close the door, and made her way into the kitchen to make him a medicinal drink.
She found him out for the count on the sofa. Running her fingers across his brow, she released a sigh, and placed his drink on the coffee table. Putting a blanket around his arms, she made sure he was okay, with a note for when he woke up to tell him to drink what she’d left. She loved taking care of him, and making sure he had everything he needed.
When she was outside, she paused at the sight of her father standing at the end of the driveway. He looked … old.
Harvey held his hands up in surrender. It didn’t seem five minutes ago he had been shouting at her, telling her how awful he’d make her life.
“What are you doing here?”