Family Ties

”

“Oh, no! I wasn’t thinking that. I mean… I never—”

“It’s okay. I’ve thought about it too.”

She looked up at me again, this time in surprise. “You have?”

“Yeah, of course. I guess it’s been in the back of my mind since the Halloween party.”

“Mmm hmm. Besides, I think of it every time you tease me about ‘not until we’re married.’”

“I’m really sorry about that. I’ll stop saying it if it bothers you.”

“It doesn’t. It’s kinda cute. Besides, it gives me a chance to remind you that things are gonna happen between us long before we’re married.”

“You sound so confident.”

“I am. I mean, I’ll be honest, one of the reasons I fought so hard when Wren started trying to get us together was my experiences last spring. I dated one girl who was a serious Catholic prick-tease. She liked to flirt. And she dropped plenty of hints about sex, but she blocked me every time I tried to make a move. Told me she wasn’t ‘that kind of girl.’”

“And when Wren started matchmaking with you and me, that’s what I thought you were like. It was totally unfair, and I see that now, but at the time all I could think of was the girl I dated and how her being Catholic was the reason she had a screwed-up attitude about sex.

“But you aren’t really like that, are you?” I looked down at her. “I mean, we’ve been flirting for weeks, but you aren’t throwing up a wall and saying,

‘I’m not that kind of girl. I’m saving myself for marriage.’”

“You didn’t with Simon.”

She looked down and picked at the label on her beer bottle. After a moment she said, “But he was my fiancé.”

“But are you? My boyfriend?”

“That’s what I meant by making it official. So… are we? Boyfriend-girlfriend?”

“So do I. And now I guess it’s official.”

She beamed up at me, so I kissed her, long and lingering.

“Well, that was easy,” I said after. It even seemed a bit anticlimactic, but we’d been building up to it for a while. “Should we celebrate?”

“Wild sex on the beach? Run naked through the surf?”

She laughed. “It’s a little cold.”

“I’d like that.” She smiled and mused, “A beer with my new boyfriend.”

“Kinda has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?”

“I do.” She beat me to the punchline. “I know! Not yet.”

I reached into the cooler and pulled out two fresh bottles. We clinked

After we drank I said, “I meant what I said earlier. About things happening before we’re married.”

“In that case,” I said judiciously, “I’d tell you that sex is too important to leave to chance. I’m not going to marry anyone until I know we’re compatible in bed.”

“But can’t you just look at someone and know if they’re right for you?”

“Don’t be silly. No they aren’t.”

“Yes, they are. I love Trip like a brother, but I don’t wanna have sex with him. I had sex with Gracie, but I didn’t love her.” Christy stiffened with annoyance. “Sorry,” I said quickly. “I should’ve chosen a different example.”

“Do we have to talk about your exes?”

“Mmm hmm. ‘Her.’” I sat quietly for a moment. “She loves you, you know.”

She nodded a bit glumly.

“What? You don’t love her back?”

She debated and then shook her head.

“You’re a lousy liar.” I chuckled. I stared into the distance and decided what to say next. “My mother has a lover,” I said, very quietly. “Like you and Wren. They were apart for a while, but I don’t think they ever stopped loving each other.”

“What does your father think? Does he know?”

“That’s a much longer story, but yes, he knows.”

“And he doesn’t care?”

“He cares very much… about my mother’s happiness.” I looked down at her to see if she’d made the connection. Just in case, I said, “That’s how I care about you.”

She nodded and wiped a tear from her cheek.

“So it’s okay if you love Wren.”

“You aren’t jealous?”

“That’s good,” she said with a teary laugh.

“You don’t need to save anything else for marriage either.”

“But what if I want to?”

“I’m not talking about going all the way tonight.” I laughed and hugged her. “We’ll take things slow. Baby steps. And I never thought I’d say this, but…”

“Yes?” she said when the silence drew out.

“I’m kind of looking forward to the slow buildup.” Besides, I still had a lot to tell her about myself and my lifestyle. She wouldn’t change overnight.

“You really don’t mind?”

“Part of me does,” I said honestly, “but I’ll give him some attention later.”

She grinned and rolled her eyes.

“Until then, I think we should celebrate our new relationship.”

“Let me demonstrate.” I kissed her, and she sighed as I eased her back to the blanket. “How’s that?”

“Too soon to tell. You’d better try again.”

We kissed slowly and let the heat build.