I stretch under the comforter and hug the soft pillow, smiling when the warm rays of sun land on my face.
"Meow."
Something tickles my foot, and I giggle, moving it away.
"Meeeeeow."
All traces of sleep vanish when my eyes flare, and I am met with Brian's smile. "Happy Birthday, Kitten."
I bolt upright. I'm in my PJs, which is a good sign. Brian is dressed in his signature black tee, black jeans, and biker boots on his feet. It must be late already — the sunlight is streaming in through the open window.
"Thank you," I say, my voice still groggy. "What happened last night?"
I'm stunned when Brian grins and pecks my cheek. "You saw the boy. And you liked it."
He sings the last part like Katy Perry, and heat engulfs my cheeks.
"Oh my God," I mumble, covering my face with my palms.
Brian plops down on the bed next to me and rubs my back. "No worries, Princess, the boy liked you too. He was still standing straight this morning. You told him to be quiet, and the dude's nothing but obedient. Oh, and before you freak out more, we kissed. Quite a lot, might I add. I should probably reconsider the nickname cause your tongue is too smooth to belong to a kitten. I had a good taste of it. You also let me put my hands on your butt, but only there. It looks delicious in your shorts. If you don't believe me, ask the boy. You said you were in love with him cause he's big and beautiful, so his opinion should matter."
"Oh my God, stop!" I grab a spare pillow and press it to my face. Brian laughs, and I wonder if he's ever embarrassed, shy, or even a tiny bit uncomfortable.
"Okay, Kitten, judging by your cheerful demeanor, you're not hungover, so go dress that cute butt of yours and let's have breakfast at my grandparents'. They are waiting for us."
I roll out of bed and dart to the bathroom. By the time I'm ready to go, Brian had tidied everything up. He grabs our jackets, and we make our way outside.
I admire the postcard-like scenery of the most stunning place I've ever been. It's a warm winter morning. Only some birds and a distant murmur of the sea break the quiet. Brian smiles at me while I'm taking everything in and laces his fingers through mine as we approach the main house.
His grandmother hugs me as soon as we enter the kitchen. "Happy Birthday," she says, squeezing me tightly.
"Thank you," I reply and blush. It's unusual for someone to be so affectionate toward me when they barely know me.
"Ben's on the porch, setting the table. We'll eat there if you don't mind."
"Sure." I smile.
Brian and I head there. Evelyn brings a plate full of pancakes, and we sit to have breakfast.
"Did you sleep well?" Brian's grandma asks me.
Brian answers instead, "Kitten slept like a baby. She kicked me a couple of times, but that's cause she's feisty, and your plum liqueur didn't help my case, Pops Senior."
Brian's granddad laughs. "Poor girl. I don't know how she puts up with you. Did you at least feed the poor thing before giving her alcohol?"
"I did." Brian nods. "Don't be fooled; Kitten can handle me well."
"If only," I mutter, making everyone laugh.
Later, Evelyn and I make ourselves comfortable on the swing. Brian goes into the house and returns with a chessboard. "A match, Pops Senior?"
His grandfather rubs his hands together. "No need to ask."
Evelyn chuckles. "It's gonna be fun. I'll bring more coffee."
My mug refilled, I watch Brian play. He looks even more handsome as he frowns, moving pieces across the board.
"Checkmate," he says to Ben after a while.
His grandpa sighs. "Thank you for letting me last this long."
Brian stretches with his arms folded behind his head. "I have no clue what you're talking about."
"Oh, you do. You could've won twenty moves ago."
Brian shrugs. "What's the fun in that? We'll play more after lunch. I'll give you time to improve while I'm showing Kitten around."
Ben and Evelyn laugh. Brian grabs a backpack, and we go for a walk.
He leads me down a path in the woods. The stroll takes much longer this time. I wince and slow down when my feet start to ache.
"What's wrong?" Brian asks.
"My feet. I guess my boots aren't made for walking."
Sighing, Brian crosses the distance between us and scoops me up to carry me somewhere.
A loud gasp leaves my mouth when we walk out of the forest and find ourselves on a beach.
The shore looks endless — it's miles and miles of sand and the roar of the waves as they rush to the coast and break.
Brian puts me down."It's beautiful!" I grin and run toward the water.
I spend at least ten minutes observing the seashore and inhaling the salty air. Brian stands behind me and hugs my shoulders, keeping me close. I turn my head and look at him. He rubs his thumb across my jaw and leans in for a brief kiss on the lips, the first since yesterday.
"I guess you like what you see," he says.
"How could I not? This place is amazing. I've never seen anything like this."
"You haven't seen much at all, Kitten."
I know he doesn't mean it in a bad way, and he's right. I've seen more in the weeks I've known him than in my eighteen years of life.
"But it's not too late to start," I say.
Brian smiles, kissing my cheek. "It's never late. Let's sit."
We find a spot where the sand is dry. Brian takes a blanket out of his backpack and spreads it on the ground. We sit next to each other, facing the ocean. I'm still marveling at the blue water and the waves when Brian touches my forearm.
I turn to look at him and see that he's holding a pink package. "Happy Birthday, Kitten. It's a little gift for you. Don't freak out, and don't thank me."
"Brian, why?" I whisper. "It's too much, and we're not even—"
I want to say, 'Not even dating,' but decide against it, not to scare him.
"Just open it," he says, thrusting the box wrapped in pink paper into my hands.
I open it and still. "A phone?"
Brian nods. "Before you start with the bullshit, listen. Jimmy gets them for free cause the fucker advertised the brand. And you need one to call if there's an emergency, use the internet to study, or look up stuff online. I had fun watching your pretty ass hanging out of the window, but I'd rather you texted me and asked me to rescue you."
"You're right, but—"
"But nothing. I'll teach you how to use it tonight."
"Thank you." I lean toward Brian to kiss his cheek. My lips barely graze it when he says, "And we're getting you a good pair of boots, like mine. They have them for girls, too. It's the second time you've wrecked your feet, Kitten. I can carry you, regardless. You just have to ask."
I giggle and swat Brian's chest. He grins at me and curls an arm around my waist. In a blink of an eye, I'm straddling his legs, and he leans back with his palms pressed to the blanket, squinting as he looks at me. "You're pretty."
I shrug, and Brian cups my cheek. "It's true. You need to know your worth and stop putting up with bullshit now that you're an adult. Make your own decisions. Even if you screw up, you'll own up to it and move on. I learned the hard way. I'd rather you didn't."
"What do you mean?" I ask, tilting my head to the side.
"I'll tell you one day. What I mean is, you're not a damsel in distress. You've got fire in you, and you shouldn't try to smother it for someone else's sake."
"You're talking about Gavin."
Brian nods. "His daddy's running for mayor this year. That little prick might be using you and your mother to ensure votes. Knowing how they supported Greg, it wouldn't be a surprise. A girl like you standing next to Ferdinand and his family would redeem them in people's eyes."
I laugh. "That's twisted, Brian."
"And you're adorably naïve, babe. Well, enough of that." Brian pauses and smiles at me. "What did you think of the boy?"
"Don't remind me." I groan.
"Why? It was cute—the funniest shit I've seen. I might give you more of that liqueur. It seems to unleash the tiger Kitten keeps hidden inside."
We both laugh now, and Brian wraps me in his arms while I'm still on his lap. He caresses my hair and my back but doesn't kiss me. Feeling brave, I press my lips to his and bury one of my hands in his hair. Brian groans softly and opens his mouth, letting the tip of his tongue touch mine.
The feeling makes me light-headed. I've never kissed anyone like that. Every sensation spreading through me is brand new and more heightened now that we're sober and aware of what we're doing. Brian smoothes his hand down my back and pulls me to him until there isn't an inch of space between our bodies. He bites on my bottom lip gently and runs his tongue over it before slipping it into my mouth. This time, he cups the back of my neck and kisses me much harder. Once again, I can't get enough.
He's the first to stop. Brian's gaze turns serious. He clears his throat and says, "I gotta know something."
"What?" I ask in a shaky voice, still riled up after our kiss.
"You've never done anything with Fer, am I right? I mean sex or even foreplay, as in—"
"No, I haven't," I say, not letting him finish. "Are you still with Bella?"
Brian combs his fingers through my hair and shakes his head. "That's over. I wouldn't kiss you if I still slept with her. It wouldn't be fair."
"Yeah, I guess."
"I'm not that much of a jerk, Leah. I tell it like it is. When it's over, it's over."
I nod. "Okay."
Brian pecks my cheek and helps me climb off him. We stroll along the empty beach, holding hands and saying nothing.
When we're next to the blanket, Brian retrieves food from the backpack. "Just some sandwiches and wine," he explains. "My grandma's making a cake for you, and we'll have dinner together with her and grandpa to celebrate your eighteenth."
"You shouldn't have told them," I scold him as we unwrap the sandwiches, and Brian pours wine in two cups.
"That's not how we do things in my family, Kitten." Brian chuckles. "My grandparents are cool. Believe me; they're thrilled to have the two of us here. "
"I envy you a bit," I say. "Your family's so nice. I've never had any of that — no big family meals or Sunday gatherings."
"No grandparents?"
"No," I mutter.
"And your father?"
I take a sip of wine. "I've never met him. I don't know who he is."
Brian's brows bunch up. "Did you ask your mother?"
"It wouldn't change anything. She doesn't talk about him. I guess she's so angry all the time because he left her and me."
"Yeah, but still. It's your history. Shitty or not, you deserve to know. And since you're cute, I guess your dad isn't too ugly."
"So many compliments." I laugh.
Brian does, too. His eyes soften, and he scoots over to me, drawing an arm around me and handing me a sandwich with his free hand. "I only tell the truth. Now, eat, Princess."