Kiss Me

I hang up, mad.

Oh, I hate boys.

Okay, not all boys, just two in particular. And then I think of the one boy that has been nothing but sweet to me. So I call him.

He answers in a hoarse, sleepy, you-just-woke-me-up voice.

“You sound like you’re still in bed.”

“I am. You done with detention?”

“Yes. How would you like some breakfast in bed?”

“I just want you in my bed, but food would be nice too.”

On the way to his room, I stop and grab three glazed donuts, a caramel latte for him, and a bottle of water for me.

When I open his door, I grin.

He looks so adorable when he’s just waking up. His dark hair is messy, and he hasn’t shaved since yesterday morning, so he’s got a five o’clock shadow. It looks so sexy on him. His hair is sorta smooshed up on one side, like you can tell exactly how he was lying when he was sleeping. Plus, he’s shirtless.

“Mhmmm, come here,” he says, pulling back his covers, and then covering us back up.

I snuggle up to his chest and think about going back to sleep, but I kiss his neck instead. Just soft little lazy kisses.

Well, they start out that way.

Then I kiss his neck with a little more intention. Up by his ear, around his earlobe, back down the side of his neck, then across his check, and to his waiting mouth.

The minute our lips meet, a wave of desire runs through my body.

Or maybe it’s because he’s got his hand between my legs now. I’m not sure. It’s sorta hard to focus on thoughts just now, because he’s quickly pulling off our clothes.

“You make me feel like a superhero, Keatie.”

“A superhero?” How?”

“In bed. I feel like I could fly, kick the Hulk’s ass, bust Superman’s chops, all before lunch.”

“Well, in bed, you are my superhero.” I giggle. “You make me feel sexy. It’s kinda addictive.”

“You’re addictive. I can’t get enough of you.”

Pretending it was your head.

2pm.

We crash for a while, me finally getting some much-needed sleep, then we get up and go work out. Dawson is lifting weights, while I rotate through a little exercise circuit, trying to concentrate and not just sit and drool watching his muscles flex. I will admit, I’m not working out all that hard. I’m mostly drooling.

Plus, I feel lazy today.

I go over to the punching bag, where I have a good view of Dawson’s muscles, and punch the bag a little. I slowly do some of the different kicks and moves Tommy’s trainer used to make us do.

Just as Dawson lies on a exercise ball and starts doing crunches, Aiden steps in front of me, blocking my drool-worthy view.

“I was punching that earlier. Pretending it was your head,” he says, pointing to the bag.

“You need to grow up. Figure out what you want before you go telling girls you like them, then two seconds later deciding you don’t and walking away. It’s no wonder you don’t have a girlfriend.” I maybe, kinda snarl a little.

Not because I care. But he is blocking my view.

“I could get a girlfriend like that,” he says, snapping his fingers.

“Why don’t you then?”

He shrugs and lowers his voice. “I’m not sure.”

“Yeah, well, good luck with that.”

Dawson walks up to me, sweaty, but gri

He ignores Aiden and smacks my butt. “Come on, baby. Time to get you back in bed.”

One: he never calls me baby.

Two: he never so blatantly lets people know we’ve been in bed.

Three: he never so blatantly suggests we are going to go do things in bed.

Four: like, not even in front of his friends.

Five: like, his friends assume things, but they don’t know, because he hasn’t told them.

Six: and to say it to Aiden, of all people, who’s already punching my head, theoretically. If I’m not careful, he may make a voodoo doll of me, and I will be going around doing normal stuff and, like, stop in pain, or start doing weird kicks in dance. He could make my life miserable if the voodoo doll worked.

And, although on the inside, I am mortified by all this, apparently on the surface, I find his smack and “baby” adorable.

I grab his waist and giggle. “Already? Again?” And drag him away from the god.

And even though mere hours ago I was chewing Brooklyn out about his i

And the look I get back—let’s just say it’s a really good thing I’m inside because that look has the power to rain god-like bolts of lightning straight down on me.

All he does is piss me off.

3pm

Dawson and I don’t go back to his room. He drops me off at my dorm, tells me to shower and get ready because he’s taking me out.

My phone rings while I’m sitting on my bed, my hair still wrapped up in a towel.

“Hey, Mom!”

“How are you? I feel like we haven’t talked in forever.”

“I know. I’ve talked to and texted Tommy a few times.”

“Yeah, what’s that about? I thought you came to me for advice.”

“Well, Tommy says since he’s a boy, he knows what boys think.”

“How’s his advice been so far?”

“It’s hard to tell.”

 “So, how’s Gorgeous?”

“He’s really, really good. I know I shouldn’t have slept with him so soon. It was really stupid of me. I also want you to know I am not sleeping with another boy until I am very in love with him. Or engaged or something. But he was just so damn sweet. And hot. And I was really upset about B. And he doesn’t do anything that pisses me off.”

“And the god?”

“All he does is piss me off.”

“Well, it sounds like you’ve made the right choice then. So, I called because I wanted to hear your voice, and, well, to tell you something.”

“Are you pregnant again?”

“No, but we do have a new addition to the family.”

I laugh. “You got the dog?”

“Yeah, we did.”

“And its name is Kiki?”

“No. We settled on Aurora Jasmine Tinkerbell Michelle.”

“Michelle?”

“Yes. That was Gracie’s choice.”

“So is that what they’re calling it? All those names?”

“No. They’re still calling it Kiki. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, Mom. I don’t want them to forget me. At least they will be saying my name sometimes.”

“I love you and I miss you terribly. Are you sure you’re doing okay? I worry about you every single day.”

“I’m safe, Mom, that’s the main thing. And I love you too.”

Dawson takes me into town for a late lunch. We stop at this dive that he says has the best hamburgers ever and sit at a little picnic table out front, eating what actually is the best hamburger of my life. And I’m pretty sure it’s because of the company, not the actual meal. He feeds me French fries and buys me a chocolate cone with sprinkles for dessert.

Oh, and I started on the pill as soon as I unpacked them. I tried to figure out where I was in my cycle and started the pills at that point. From what I read online, I should be protected after being on it for seven days, but it also suggested to wait until after your first period to consider yourself fully protected. When I use the bathroom at the dive, I’m surprised to discover that my period has started. I was expecting it based on the pills, but I didn’t even have cramps! And I always know when it starts because I usually get horrible cramps. I need to call my mother back and seriously thank her.

Riley and Ace both text us to let us know that a bunch of people are meeting up to watch college football games at a big sports bar and then to have di

After that, he walks me to my dorm, kisses me over and over until I’m almost late, and then I fall, happily exhausted, into bed.