27. The first night of the rest of my life.
27
"The first night of the rest of my life."
Marissa Martin
My mind is whirling, unable to process all the emotions barreling through me.
“You love me?” I repeat, my eyes widening. “That can’t be true.”
“I do,” he says, his dark eyes fixed on me. There’s not an ounce of humor or malice in them, and I know he means it.
“Why didn’t you say anything? Why did you turn me down for prom?” I sit down on the bench across from him. “This doesn’t make any sense.”
He shakes his head. “I was scared I’d lose you as a friend and your dad as a mentor. You’re the only family I’ve ever known. I’m sorry. I didn’t want you to find out. Please, let’s just forget about it. I don’t want anything to change between us.” His eyes well with tears, and my heart breaks. I’ve been hiding my feelings for so long, afraid that confessing them would ruin our friendship, but he had even more at stake.
“Please, Marissa,” he says, reaching for my hand. “Tell me it’s not too late. I don’t want to lose you.”
I squeeze his callused hand. “You could never lose me, Aaron. Because I’ve never stopped loving you either.”
He closes his eyes, then does a double take. “Wait. What? How’s that possible? I rejected you. And you never mentioned it again.”
“I was afraid to lose you too,” I say with a small smile, suddenly feeling silly.
“So, we both love each other?” He frowns, cocking his head to the side.
A chuckle escapes me at the same time as a tear. “I think so.”
“All this time, we were holding back because of fear,” he says, getting up to sit on the same bench as me.
“I can’t believe this.” I gaze up at the stars glittering above us. “All my life, I’ve been dreaming of this moment.”
He tilts my chin, forcing me to look him in the eyes. “So have I.” He tucks my loose hair behind my ear, then scooches toward me until our knees touch. Reaching under my knees, he draws my legs over his lap, then caresses my cheek. We’ve never been this close before, and I seize the chance to study his perfect bone structure and the deep brown of his eyes. He traces the outline of my lower lip with his thumb, his eyes scorching into me with an intensity I’ve never seen before. He cups my jaw and leans forward, grazing his lips against mine.
I’ve dreamed of this kiss for years, but I wasn’t prepared for the sheer voltage that erupts between us. My heart explodes, and weirdly, it’s the best sensation in the world. Heat, bliss, and so much tenderness. The way his lips move against mine, slowly and softly, like a caress. Like he’s savoring every second after being starved for years. I know the feeling.
My hands slide down his neck and onto his wide, sculpted shoulders. Aaron moans against my lips, the vibration setting me on fire. His kiss grows hungrier, and every brush of his lips feels desperate, aching.
“Hey!” someone calls from a d istance, and I snap back to my senses with a jolt.
“Oh, no,” Aaron says, his eyes widening as Mr. Davis appears under the moonlight. “We’ve gotta go.”
He grabs the lunch box in one hand, the other clasping mine, and we hurry away from the bleachers.
As we sprint into the night like a couple of teenagers, I can’t stop the stream of giggles escaping me. We might be running from the janitor of our former high school like wanted criminals, but this moment is perfection, and I’ve never been this happy. Because Aaron Miles loves me, and tonight feels like the first night of the rest of my life.