Page 175 of On His Mind

“She asked if you make me happy.” She turns to look at me, and there’s a wonder in it she’s not bothering to hide. “She’s never asked me that. About anything. In my life.”

I don’t have words for the thing sitting in my chest. A mother who’s never once asked, asking now, because of me — because Penelope said my name to her like I’m someone. So I do the only thing I know how to do with a feeling this big. I reach for her. I kiss her softly. Then she grabs the back of my neck, pulls me in, and kisses me harder. When our tongues meet, I lose every bit of my self-control. We end up on my bed, my body hovering over hers.

“Do I make you happy?” I whisper against her lips, afraid to hear the answer. The last I knew, I didn’t.

She nods. “Of course, Pers. I love you.”

I kiss her hard, happy to hear it.

She’s taking my shirt off and yanking hers off. Then she’s reaching for my nightstand where the condoms are. I’m ripping it open and sliding it on. She looks into my eyes, and everything else fades away. It’s just me and her. I thrust into her while keeping her lips between my teeth. She breathes heavily, and I mask the sound with my mouth.

I watch her fall apart under my hand.

“Penelope,” I whisper against her cheek.

She inhales, opening her eyes to look at me.

“I missed you,” I say, not slowing down my pace. I really missed this, and I don’t know how to say that I never want to live life without her again.

“Missed you, too, Pers.”

I murmur against her jaw, “I’m no good without you.”

She nods, feeling the pressure.

“I want you––”

Her hips buck.

I hold my hips still, fully pressed inside of her. “Be my girlfriend, Penelope.”

She exhales, digging her nails into my shoulders. I move slowly and she closes her eyes, nodding. “I’m coming.”

“Is that a yes?”

She moans, “Yes.”

I pick up my pace, and she’s clenching around me, pulling me right over the edge with her. I press in deep and hold there while it works through both of us, my face dropping to her neck. I don’t move for a long moment after.

Then I lift my head. Her whole face changes as she runs her hand through my hair and says plainly, “My boyfriend.”

My heart kicks, so I lean down and kiss her. It’s supposed to be soft, and it doesn’t stay soft, but I’m spent, so it just goes long and slow until I pull out and she keeps my face in the nook of her neck.

“You’re supposed to be studying,” she says against my shoulder.

I’m not thinking about finals at all.

“I have a 4.0,” I mumble, and then lean up. “And a girlfriend.”

She laughs, and I kiss her through it.

An hour later, I’m sitting in my spot at the kitchen table, studying while Penelope is on the couch quizzing Gianna when Stanley leans back and says, “I need another break. Babe?”

“Ermington,” she replies from the living room.

He grins, looking at me. “Don’t worry. She loves me.”

Benson mutters, “I wouldn’t be so sure.”