“I know.” I laughed. “It’s in the past, right?” When she nodded, I resisted the urge to squeeze her. “You know what else is in the past?”
“What?”
“These damn teddy bears on your bed. I think you’ve had the brown one since you were a kid. It’s probably covered in your germs.”
Syd pulled back, smacking me on my chest. “No it’s not, you ass!”
Laughing, I leaned back among the bears, knocking most of them on the floor as I brought her down with me. I turned so we were face to face, lying side by side. “Hey,” I reached around and picked up a ragged red one. “Is this the one I got you for your birthday years ago? You kept it?”
“Yeah.” She snatched it away from me, holding it between our chests. “Of course I kept it.”
A good dose of pressure filled my chest. I didn’t say anything as I watched her.
“What?” she asked, her eyes on mine.
Sometimes words weren’t enough—they couldn’t cover the feeling. This was one of those times. So I closed the distance and kissed her, putting everything I felt for her, every promise I made her, into that one kiss. When I pulled back, her eyes were glazed over and I wanted to throw that bear across the room and get all over her.
Parents downstairs and bedroom door unlocked? Not going to happen. And besides, I was just fucking thrilled to be here with her.
“This is the best early Christmas gift I’ve ever gotten,” I told her.
Her bright smile sucker-punched me. “I think that’s the smartest thing you’ve ever said, and I’d have to agree.”
“Uh-huh?” I caught a piece of her hair and twisted it around my finger. “I’m so lucky. I know that. So damn lucky to have your love.”
She wiggled closer and the bear was smushed between us. She kissed me in a way no other person ever could, because it was Syd. I cupped the back of her neck, holding her there as I took control of the kiss. It wasn’t long before the bear ended up on the floor and our arms and legs were tangled. We were making out like two teenagers sneaking a few seconds. She was under me, her hips rocking against mine, urging me on. With how thin her bottoms were, it was like having almost nothing there. Need was driving me insane, pounding through my veins, and I didn’t want to stop, even though I knew it couldn’t go any further than this. And it was too good to stop, and the way her body moved against mine was too perfect, and her soft, barely audible moans too sweet to pass up.
I don’t know how long we stayed like that, kissing and touching, whispering to one another and laughing. It was late when I looked at the clock.
“Can you stay a little longer?” she asked.
I doubted her dad would appreciate finding me in her bed in the morning, but I couldn’t refuse her. “How about I stay until you fall asleep?”
“Perfect,” she murmured, resting her cheek on my chest. “Just use the front door when you leave.”
Smiling, I smoothed my hand down her back, loving the way she moved closer to me, fitting her body to mine like we were made for each other. Hell, I think we really were and it just had taken me a long-ass time to realize it. But I finally did, and that’s what mattered.
I loved her. God, I loved her so much. I couldn’t believe I’d made it this long without telling her. I was an idiot, but I was one hell of a lucky idiot.