A N D R E W D A L T O N
The buzzer for the front gate rings, but I don't bother to get up and answer. Ever since Shortcake broke the news to me that she was going on a date with Max, it felt like an invisible hand had squeezed my chest and knocked all of the air out of me.
All week, my phone had chimed off, Jacob trying to get a hold of me, but I never responded. I needed to be alone and accept that she was slowly slipping away from me. The girl that had completely flipped my world upside down was going on a date with one of my closest friends. Shit.
Eventually, my mom answers and I hear her muffled voice speak into the microphone.
"Andrew, can you come down here?" She calls out from somewhere downstairs. I grumble and reluctantly hit pause on Pirates of the Caribbean as I roll off of my bed. I stroll downstairs and see my mom standing next to a transparent container filled with Christmas decorations.
"Can you put this box up there?" She points to the vacant spot on top of the bookshelf. I pick up the box and raise it to the spot she wanted. Then, the doorbell rings throughout the house.
"Could you get the door? I have to finish up putting away the rest of the Christmas decorations." After strolling a few steps, I open the door and ecstasy along with dread wash over me. My eyes bore into her as I try my best to convince myself that she's really there in front of me and that I'm not going crazy. She fidgets nervously and her eyes dart back and forth as she speaks.
S O P H I E W I L K I N S
"I should've listened to my heart, not my head. No matter how hard I've tried to push you away, everything leads back to you. My thoughts, the way my heart flutters rapidly and the emotions I feel when you're around. Everything." I inhale a deep breath as I prepare myself for my next words, "What I'm trying to say is...I choose you. I choose you, Andrew Dalton."
Immediately, his hands wrap around my waist and yank me into his chest. His hands tangle in my hair and his lips crash onto mines. I let out a gasp followed by a chuckle before kissing him back.
Looping my arms around his neck and pulling him down closer to me, I press my body against his, slightly arching my back. Our lips move perfectly in sync and he slides his tongue against my lips, letting out a low growl. After giving me one last lingering kiss, he slowly pulls away, breath shallow, and looks long and deeply into my eyes.
His lips curve up to a huge grin and my mouth does the same. His hands move down my body and wrap firmly around my waist before hoisting me up into the air. Stopping me off of my feet and twirling me around, I squeak and let out a laugh. His neck and chest vibrate as he lets out a joyous laugh and sets me down.
"It's so good to finally hear that laugh...and see that smile. I can't believe you're really here," he sighs, left slightly speechless as he strokes my cheek with his knuckles before cupping it and rubbing small circles below my eye with his thumb. I involuntarily close my eyes and place my hand over his as I nestle further into his touch, savoring the warmth his hand radiated. My heart was thumping out of my chest, yet I felt serene in his arms.
"I can't believe I'm here either," I chuckle at his words, quite astounded myself with my recent actions.
"Andrew, what is she still doing outside? Bring her in here." I peek over Andrew's shoulders and Emily greets me with her pearly whites. I laugh and wave back at her, but Andrew rolls his eyes.
"It's so good to see you again, honey. Ever since you've stopped coming around recently, Andrew's been—"
"Okay, mom. I think we're going to head up to my room," Andrew interjects. He places a hand on the small of my back and guides me towards the stairs. Without being able to say a single word to Emily, Andrew pushes me into his room and closes the door.
"What was your mom going to say? That you missed me?" I playfully mocked.
"You have no fucking idea, Shortcake," he rasps. My eyes widen in shock at his confession instead of firing back with a snide remark. My heart starts to beat wildly, and a smirk plays at his lips as he inches towards me. I stay frozen and he cups my face in his hands. He places a gentle, tender kiss on the tip of my nose before moving to my lips and I immediately kissed him back. He deepens the kiss and our lips dance together.
I stop and slowly pull away. He lets out a grunt and his eyebrows furrow together, restraint clearly plastered on his face.
"Wait, I want to talk about something first, about us," I announce. His lips curl down into a small frown and he rubs his thumbs against my cheeks as he gazes into my eyes, making my heart flutter at the simple touch.
"Uh-oh. Those words don't sound like good ones." He takes a tiny step back and is about to drop his hands from my face, but I place my hands over his wrists to keep him from going anywhere.
"No, I promise. It's not bad news...well, I hope." I inhale a deep breath as I try to regulate my breathing once again.
"I went on my date with Max tonight," I blurt out. I knew this would hurt Andrew, but he needed to know. No secrets.
Despair pours into his features and it feels like a knife is slowly poking at my heart at his expression. He drops his hands and gaze from me and starts to back away, running a hand through his hair as he sighs.
"Wait, listen to me," I pleaded softly. I take a step towards him and reach up, taking his face in my palms. He gazes intensely with those dark chocolate eyes and I have to remind myself to breathe again. "When Max asked me out on a date, I thought...I thought this was the universe's way of telling us that this was it. That we've come to the end of the road of us, that we were only supposed to be a painful chapter in each other's book."
A soft smile grows on my lips as I continue, "But I was wrong. We're not a chapter...our story is still continuing. The entire time I was with him, it felt like something was off, like something was missing. Then, I realized that this wasn't the universe's way of telling me that this was the end. It was trying to show me something."
I take in a deep breath, scared as hell about what I'm about to say next, as I solemnly pour out the rest of what's in my heart, "It was showing me that I need you."
Andrew's features enlighten and he leans down; wounding his arms tightly around my waist, our bodies pressing together. He smashes our lips together and sparks ignite within me.
His simple touch sends my entire body into a frenzy and his tongue swipes at my bottom lip. A grin forms on my face at his response, and he pulls away, resting his forehand against mine. Adoration and longing now replace the anguish that had haunted his eyes.
"I need you too, Shortcake. So fucking much," he whispers with a smile, feeling his warm, minty breath fan on my lips. The room grows silent, and the only sound that can be heard is my heart that's beating wildly out of my chest. At that moment, I knew that something had shifted between us, but for the better.
"So, can I call you my girlfriend now, or what?" He states bluntly. I chuckle at his statement and turn away as I suck in my lips. I turn my head and my eyes find its way back to Andrew's. I nod slowly but surely.
"I'm so fucking glad to finally call you mine, baby." Andrew sports a huge grin and his eyes suddenly turn a shade darker.
Slowly, the space between us diminishes and I can feel his hot breath against my lips as he whispers, "Now, let's finish what we started down there."
With full force, his lips crash onto mines once again, but this time, with full desire and passion. His hands magically tangle within my hair and give it a slight tug. A quiet moan escapes my lips, which only escalates things further. He takes this opportunity to slip his tongue into my mouth, our tongues fighting for dominance. My hands rest on the base of his neck before firmly gripping onto his shoulders.
Without breaking our kiss, he reaches down and squeezes the back of my thighs as he lifts me into the air in one swift and smooth motion. I involuntarily wrap my legs around his waist and run a hand up his neck to the back of his scalp. I gently tug at a fistful of his soft hair and a grunt escapes his mouth. His hands move their way up, holding onto my butt.
He carries me easily like a feather and places one of his hands on the small of my back and the other behind my head as he slowly lowers me down onto his bed. I loop my arms around his neck to ensure our lips don't break contact. He climbs on top of me with his forearms resting on either side of my head.
A sudden desire raged within me, despite my loads of experience compared to him, and I tugged at the hem of his shirt. He pulls it over his head without reluctance, breaking our kiss for a slight moment before returning.
I slide my hand down his chest, feeling his heart beating equally as fast as mine, and slowly find their way to his midsection. My hand traces all of the dips and ridges of muscle. Then, I tug at the belt loop on his jeans, and he grunts as he pulls away.
"Not tonight, Shortcake," he whispers, out of breath.
"You're such a fucking tease," I pout and he kisses the tip of my nose.
"Trust me, that's nothing compared to what you do to me."
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Talk about deep and intense! Thank you for making it this far, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter!
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Until the next chapter! ~Karlee 💛