Family Ties

“When I introduced you as my future husband.”

“I feel guilty, but I wanna explain.”

“I was pretty drunk, and—”

“Uh-uh. I told you: don’t use alcohol as an excuse.”

“Like me being your future husband?”

“And tonight, when Danny asked if you were missing a ring? You said ‘I wish.’”

“What were you scared about tonight?” I waited while she worked up her courage.

“Losing you. Again.”

She nodded and wiped her cheeks. “After I broke up with Simon, I hoped… Well, you know.”

“Yeah. And then you were such a jerk, and… I started those horrible rumors to get back at you, and… I was so miserable.” She laughed sadly and wiped her cheeks again. “At the start of the summer, I even told Wren I didn’t want to see or hear your name ever again.”

“Ah. Okay. That explains why you didn’t know I’d broken up with Gracie. I wondered… I knew Wren had sent you letters, but…”

“Yeah. I was trying to pretend you didn’t exist.”

“I probably deserved it.”

“You did,” she said with a teary laugh. “I knew I couldn’t avoid you forever, though. Then I saw you again, and you’d changed so much. You

were quieter. More intense. Less self-absorbed. And you were so nice to me.”

“Except when I wasn’t.” I sighed darkly. “Sorry about that.”

She shrugged. “I wasn’t very nice to you either. Like when I said I’d never sleep with you.”

“But I was just scared, ’cause I was falling for you again. Only… I didn’t want to. So I said that because I wanted it to be true.”

I nodded and worked through the Christy-logic to make sure I understood.

“I got scared again when Wren told me about Gina and the wedding. But I promised myself I wouldn’t be mean or do anything dumb.”

“At the party I guess I got scared that you might not like me the way I liked you. So I said what I did when I introduced you.” She paused and drew a deep, shuddering breath. “And then tonight. I had fun with you all day, even though I barely saw you… I knew you were with me, if that makes sense.”

“But then I panicked and thought you might not like my family or something. So I said that stupid thing about the ring.”

“It wasn’t entirely stupid. I thought it was kinda cute, actually.”

“But you didn’t think it was cute what I said at the party.”

“Um… no. I thought you were moving way too fast.”

She nodded. “I wanna take it slow too. I just forget sometimes.”

“That’s okay. I do too.” I rested a hand on her knee. “Do you think it’d be moving too fast if I kissed you?” She shook her head, so I followed through.

“And I think we’ll be okay if we make out a little.”

“Do you mind if we do it under the blankets? I’m freezing.”

“Oh my gosh! Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Well, we were having such a good talk, and…” I shrugged. We stood, and I had a sudden idea. I gestured at her pajamas. “Are you wearing anything underneath?”

She thought about it for a long time before she nodded.

I reached for the top button of her pajama top. I gave her a silent three-count before I started unbuttoning it. It was weird because it was made for a man and the opposite of what I was used to. She wore a light silk camisole underneath. She shivered from more than the cool air when I peeled the flannel away.

She stood very still as I reached to her waist and untied the knot in the drawstring. The pajama pants fell off her slim hips as soon as I let go. She stepped out of them and looked down. She wanted to cover herself but kept her hands at her sides instead.

I took off my own shirt and studied her silently. Her panties matched the camisole. They weren’t anything fancy, but they weren’t everyday cotton either.

“Scrawny, I know,” she said.

“I was thinking ‘beautiful.’” I lifted her face for a kiss.

She leaned into me and sighed.

After a moment I gestured for her to climb under the covers. I joined her and pulled them over us. I held my weight off her, but our bodies still touched at every point.

“And you’re a little furnace.”

“I told you, I’m hot-natured. I think it’s my metabolism.”

She laughed softly. “You do, do you?”

“Mmm hmm.” I kissed her, long and deep. “I think we should work some of it out.”

“You don’t think that’s moving too fast?”

“Kiss me again and we’ll see.”

“Still couldn’t tell,” she said. “You’d better—”

“Nope. Not quite sure. Be—”

I kissed her hard and rested my hand on her stomach. She squeaked when I slid it under the camisole and cupped her bare breast. I rolled her nipple between my thumb and forefinger.

“How about now?” I said at last. “Too fast? Too slow? Just right?”

“The last. Just right.”

I kissed her again and we began making out. She moaned into my mouth as I teased and twisted her nipples. We were both breathing heavier after several minutes.