The Stages of Loving You

12.

His breath mists over her face. "I know. Shame, she's a heartbreaker, though. And Dan's more in to guys than girls.And oh, I didn't know this gal was crushing on me so hard. If I knew she was I would have swept her off her feet sooner."

Evie's laugh is like a breath of fresh air in the cloud of people's cheers. Jacob feels himself smile. His face leans into the side of her face and for a moment, he breathes out over her hair. "I think we could tell Cor."

"Oh," Evie's shocked–but then again, thinks about the statement. "Someone's got to tell her but let's not burst her bubble yet. She's having so much fun."

And so I am.

Jacob's fingers spread across Evie's shoulders, hinting at her to stop being so alluring with the way she talks.. Evie feels a frisson of pleasure from it. She looks the redhead boy in the eyes. "Hey, I noticed you're not wearing your glasses...did you break them?"

He shakes his head. "No.I got contacts."

"Aw...well I think you look handsome with or without them."

He raises an orange brow. "You do?" Evie watches the smile spread across his thin lips.

"I do," Her mouth is closer than before—so close he can smell her cream soda on her breath, feel how warm her mouth is near his face and— "I also think you..." She wraps her hand around the back of his neck, drawing him closer to the edge–to an oblivion he's not quite used to—but all the same, drives him mad with want, and fear, and lust.

He laughs. His laughter sound like wind charms. The sound goes through her chest. The crowd around her shouts with disappointment when a Rodeo star—someone she never got the name of—falls from the raging bull onto his back. Dusts gather around him, and everyone waits to see if he's okay. When he gets up and takes a bow, the crowd laughs.

Cora beside her excuses herself. "Going to check on Dan. Give me two secs."

"I need to see you in your cowboy hat, too, cowboy."

"That can be arranged, Evs."

The sound of his voice melts her. It doesn't help her that she keeps thinking of him. All day, every day. With his shirt off, with her under him, with him under her.

"Soon," Evie says breathlessly.

Jacob's finger squeezes her shoulder and he turns his face into her neck. He leaves trails of his hot and frantic breath on her neck below her ear. "Pantince, baby...we're in a crowd."

It was such a rush when his fingers slid along her shoulder, and his mouth planted an annoying kiss on cheek....and when he pulled back, the colour of his eyes was almost as deep as coffee, and so dark with lust it filled Evie up with nerves.

He sighs. His mouth was tightening into a small grimace. Evie traces his bicep with her hand—gaining his attention again from his thoughts, she asks: "What are you thinking of? Tell me."

The boy's eyes lit up. He laughs and the sound is so close to Evie it vibrates off of Jacob's chest and onto her own—straight through her–into her heart and makes her heart do cartwheels. If hearts could do cartwheels.

"Seriously, what is it?" She is dead serious now.

Jacob racks a hand through his auburn hair. It's been exactly a month since they started dating—and Evie has slowly noticed the changes in Jacob. Not only in his appearance but his mannerisms. He's taller, borderline, extremely mature for his age. And hot as the four of July.

"Screw it," he says. "Fuck it," he adds. And he lifts her chin up to meet his gaze before he plants a kiss to her mouth. "I can't stop thinking about you, Evie," He says between kisses. "All day, everyday, I want you. I fucking want you, and you have no how idea—how beautiful you are."