“I thought you were spending the night in Bellingham.”
“I was planning on it, but the longer I stayed there, away from you, the more I needed to come back.” Her eyes never left mine as I spoke. “I was kind of a dick about you coming to this party, but only because I know what high school guys are like, especially when a beautiful girl who was previously unavailable is back on the market.”
“I didn’t come to the party to look for guys. I came because it’s what normal high school students do. It’s what I would have done before Cory died. I just wanted to do something ordinary.”
“I know.” When I lost her eyes I knew there was something she wasn’t telling me. “What is it?” I used my finger to bring her eyes back to mine.
“You weren’t entirely wrong.” Her words were whispered, as if she were afraid to say them. “There was one, um, situation.”
“What happened?” I left my finger at the bottom of her chin, the gentle pressure there not changing, but I could feel the tension in my body growing, my muscles tightening, the adrenaline coursing through me.
“It was Nate.” At his name, my blood ran hot and fast. “He tried to get me to go back to his tent with him, to get me drunk. But the guys stopped him and kicked him out of the party.”
“I’m going to kick his ass.” I let go of her chin, but only to run my hand through my hair, itching to punch a wall and angry there wasn’t something firmer than the nylon tent around.
“No, you’re not. Hayes, look at me.” This time it was her hand pulling my cheek around to look back at her. “You can’t let him get to you. He’s a douche bag who thought he had a chance with me, but he doesn’t. No one does. But you. Until we’re able to be out in the open with our relationship, you’re just going to have to trust that I’ll never let the Nates of the world come between us.”
I took real issue with the fact that I had to trust a bunch of high school guys to keep my girl safe at a party. It sucked that I couldn’t just walk into that party holding her hand, making sure every guy knew she was mine. But all that was my fault. I was the one who’d put us in that situation, and there wasn’t much I could do about it.
“I want to be the one to protect you.” Her eyes went soft at my words, and her body relaxed into mine. I rolled toward her just slightly, letting my lips find hers, loving the way her breath pulled in quickly at the touch. She kissed me back, her hands moving around my neck, up into my hair. I continued until I was over her completely, my legs straddling her sleeping bag, instantly frustrated with the thick and puffy layer between us.
As I kissed her, I fumbled for the zipper, found it, then unzipped the bag as far as I could without pulling my lips from hers. Once the sleeping bag was open, my hands reached for her, but all I felt were more layers.
“What the hell are you wearing?” I whispered as a laugh escaped me.
“I didn’t want to get cold,” she answered by way of explanation. I squinted in the dark and looked down at an oversized hoodie, a pair of sweatpants, and peeking just above the waistband of those, was the waistband of a pair of jeans.
“Are you seriously wearing two pairs of pants?” More snickers.
“I get cold easily.” She pouted and I wanted to kiss her lips so fucking bad. So I did.
I sucked her bottom lip into my mouth, biting gently, hands gently resting on either side of her neck. I released her lip only to ask, “Mind if I remove a few layers? I promise to keep you warm.” She nodded slightly, then reached down and pulled her hoodie over her head. Then she reached down again and I smiled as she pulled the long-sleeved t-shirt over her head, only to reveal a tank top. She threw both her tops in the corner of the tent, so I stripped off my own jacket, tossing it in the same corner. Then I moved down and pulled the sweatpants over her hips. She helped, lifting up so I could get them down her legs.
I wanted to take everything off, wanted access to all of her, but I knew we needed to take it slow. I also knew, no matter how much I wanted her in that moment, I didn’t want our first time together to be in a tent at a high school party. But I did want part of her, just a tiny piece to tuck away, something between us.
I leaned back down, one hand resting on the ground beside her head, the other on her waist, and put my mouth to her neck. I heard her gasp, felt her stomach muscles tighten beneath me, and it only spurred me on. I trailed wet, hard kisses up the column of her throat, only to move back down again. Her body started moving beneath me, breaths quickening, hips rolling. My hand moved up her waist, her tank top bunching up, moving with my hand, until I felt the swell of her breast. She arched into me and I knew she wanted me to touch her there.
I slipped my fingers beneath the hem of her thin tank, stopped kissing her, and breathed out a rough, “Is this all right?”