I Love that You're in My Life

Chapter Fifteen: Expectations

Note: This chapter also has sensual material.

February nineteenth, five days after Valentine's Day, was Gino's birthday.

Alana was bustling around the kitchen, cleaning up the mess she had made as quickly as she could before she would go up two floors to where Gino's dorm was. It was lucky that they both lived in the same building.

Her cell phone rang from the counter just as she was washing chocolate cream off of her hands. She reached over for it with one hand while drying the other one on the dishtowel.

"Hello?"

"Alana! Where are you? You're late!" Stephanie's voice practically screeched on the other end; Alana heard pulsing music in the background.

She flinched and held the phone away from her ear. "I'm just cleaning up now. I'm almost done, okay? I'll be there in five."

"Hurry up!" Her friend hung up without another word, prompting Alana to sprint to the mirror to make sure that her hair and outfit were untouched by chocolate. She popped a mint in her mouth before snatching a box off the kitchen counter and leaving the dorm, locking it and making her way to the party.

By the time she made it outside his dorm, her heart seemed to be pounding in time with the music. It had been so loud that she heard it in the hallway as soon as she stepped out of the elevator, which was impressive considering the walls were not thin.

Alana opened the door while balancing the box in the other hand, and was immediately greeted by Daniela and Jessica squealing and hurrying over to give her tight hugs.

They ushered her inside the dorm: music blasted from speakers in all corners of the room, couples ground against each other to the pulsing beat or made out in public, clusters of friends sat on the couches and talked while guzzling alcohol and feasting on sweets and pastries. Some of the friends Gino had invited were people from the Just Dance club, but Alana could recognize his teammates from the varsity football and soccer teams, having been to a few of his games last year. Before she could observe anything else, Daniela tugged at her wrist, "Hurry up! Gino's waiting!" Her friend led her through the throngs of people huddled in the kitchen into the living room, where her boyfriend stood amongst his friends, jovially laughing and joking.

As soon as he saw her, his handsome face lit up. He ran a hand through his thick blond hair, sauntering towards her.

He grinned as he shortened the distance between them and spread his arms in welcome, "Come here, Alana."

Alana set the box down on a nearby table and made her way towards him before being embraced by his strong arms and pressed her against his sturdy, warm chest.

She inhaled in his familiar scent of cologne and laundry, thankful that he didn't stink of beer. He lowered his head and pressed his soft lips below her ear, murmuring, "You're late, babe. By twenty minutes."

"For good reason, I assure you," she teased, and turned her head so that their lips touched. Their mouths sucked and nipped at each other, causing his surrounding friends to wolf whistle loudly. Alana blushed and lowered her head, grinning shyly.

"She turned away from me, and it's all your fault!" Gino called to his smirking friends. When they turned back to their business, Alana looked up at him and smiled, "Happy birthday Gino!"

He grinned down at her, "Thanks babe." They kissed again before his attention turned to the box.

"So is this my birthday present?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yup! There's another one, but I'll get to that later. You can open it."

He did so enthusiastically, his eyes widening when he opened the plain pink box. "Cake?"