TWELVE
DANTE
1 Week Later
Willow’s house looks nothing like her. Not that I expected a house as gothic as she is, but it’s inviting. It’s blue with a stacked stone portico and a fall wreath made of tiny pumpkins on the door. I wait out front, leaning against my dirt bike.
The door opens and she attempts to shoo her curious mom back inside with an exasperated expression, peeking to see if I notice. I do, my grin wide as hell.
“Okay, bye,”
Willow repeats pointedly. “I’ll see you later.”
Her mom waves to me and I lift my hand, my leather jacket creaking. It makes my heart twinge, but I push my grandmother from my mind as my girl approaches. When she’s with me, things aren’t as hard.
I can’t wipe the grin off my face. She has on a slouchy black crop top over high waist black jeans with skull hands that look like they’re holding her tits. I wish those were my hands. She clears her throat when my attention remains on her chest.
“You two need to be alone?”
she sasses.
I take her hips in my hands and guide her close enough to kiss. “Always, baby.”
“Hi,”
she murmurs.
I greet her by sealing my mouth over hers. She kisses me back, then tugs on my jacket.
“My mom is totally watching us make out through the window.”
“Kinky.”
She punches my arm and I chuckle. “Ready?”
“I can’t believe how often you make me ride this thing. I’m convinced it’s not street legal.”
She accepts the helmet I give her and gets on behind me. A week ago she was too self-conscious to hold on right, but now we’ve busted past those hang ups. She locks her arm around my waist, right where they belong.
“I’ve shown you the license.”
The engine revs as I turn the ignition and pat her thigh. “Honestly, I just love having your legs wrapped around me. Every time you squeeze because of a bump or a tight turn, I love knowing I’ve got you right where I want you.”
She slides her hand down my abs. “Adrenaline junkie.”
“You know it.”
“So where are we going?”
I angle my head back to peer at her slyly. “Told you, it’s a surprise.”
“If it’s where you guys race, I’ll be disappointed.”
My mouth curves. “Better not disappoint you then.”
The ride to the pick your own farm doesn’t take long. Willow’s excitement is palpable when she hugs me tighter once I pull in. The painted sign lists a pumpkin patch, a corn maze, and fresh made cider.
As we get off the bike, I sling an arm over her shoulder and murmur in her ear. “How do you feel about a quickie in the corn maze?”
She smirks. “Play your cards right and hunt me down, and you just might get your wish.”
I bury a groan into her hair. “Fuck, that’s hot, my dirty girl.”
Willow rakes her teeth over her lip, as affected as I am by the prospect of repeating the game. The thought of chasing her down is already getting me hard.
I take her hand. “Get your mind out of the gutter, baby. Let’s go find some pumpkins.”
She rolls her eyes in amusement.
Dating her is awesome. She listens and makes me laugh with her sassy commentary. I thought I saw her before, but she’s shown me more of herself in the last week than she ever has. I keep catching her looking at me with a pleased look like I’ve surprised her, too.
Anyone who has a shitty comment about her deals with me. No one crosses me. Especially not Daniel, who turns and scampers in the opposite direction when either of us see him in the hall. Willow told me he transferred out of her class and the only notes she receives now are the ones I’ve been writing for her and hiding. Instead of crumpling them when she finds them, she catches my gaze with a gleam in her gorgeous blue eyes that makes me want her every second of the day.
While we explore the pumpkin patch hand in hand, we both point out ones that look like people we know. I buy her cider and kiss the taste of it off her red lips.
When I chase her through the corn maze, her laughter and challenging glances twine around my heart. We find a secluded spot where no one will find us, and I swallow every sound she makes as I make her come undone. Twice, because that’s our style and I can’t get enough of her.
It’s getting dark by the time we leave the farm.
“What do you want to do now?” I ask.
I’m not ready to part ways with her yet.
Willow gives me a soft smile. “Is there a race tonight?”
A thrill shoots through me at the thought of her watching me do my thing. “I thought you hated all that.”
“But you love it. You want to go pro. We reject what we don’t understand.”
She puts her hand on my chest, over my heart. “So show me.”
Something glows in my chest, filling me with warmth. It’s something that’s been missing from my life because it nearly snuffed out thanks to my grandmother.
Willow reignites it, bringing it roaring back to life with those simple words.
I once thought we were oil and water, lit by a match. The truth is we were made for one another.
THANK YOU FOR READING