Page 35 of Love On Time

“Can you see okay?” I whisper, my face inches from hers.

She nods quickly, her eyes tracking my hands.

My heart feels like it’s about to explode. I’ve been dreaming of this moment for over a year. I bring my hand back up, cupping her cheek, and she melts into my palm, leaning into my touch. I shift my body closer, watching her eyelids flutter shut as I slowly lean down.

I gently press my lips to hers.

A jolt of electricity runs straight through my veins. Her lips are impossibly soft and tender beneath mine. When we pull back, her eyes slowly blink open, meeting my gaze. A small, breathless smile tugs at her lips.

Cami glances down at my mouth, and before I can think, I move forward and pull her back into me. This time, our lips crash together more frantically, like maybe she’s thought about this moment too. My mind goes completely blank. A small, quiet whimper escapes her throat as I part her lips, sweeping my tongue into her mouth slowly and delicately. The sound drives me absolutely wild, my heart thrashing in my chest. We stay wrapped up in each other's arms on the roof, mapping out every curve of each other's lips.

I never want this night to end. I never want to let this girl go. I would risk everything just to stay right here in this moment with her.

When we finally pull apart, her lips are swollen, and her eyes are glassy.

“Can I walk you back to your window?” I whisper against her cheek.

She nods silently. I stand up, carefully pulling her up by her hands. I hold her steady as we walk across the roof, back to her window ledge. She crawls back into the safety of her bedroom and turns around, leaning over the wooden windowsill to face me.

“Cooper can't know,” I say hesitantly, the reality of the situation creeping back in. I instantly regret the words falling out of my mouth. “Not yet, at least.”

“I know. It's okay,” she smiles softly.

“I don't want you to feel like I'm hiding you. Or that I don't want people to know how I feel.”

“Drew, I know.” She reassures me, her voice soft and sweet.

I look down at her mouth, already addicted to the taste. “Can we do that again sometime?”

In response, she reaches out, grabs me by my shirt, and pulls me down for one last, slow, perfect kiss goodnight. This girl sets every single one of my nerves on fire.

“Goodnight,” I whisper when she lets me go.

“Goodnight, Drew.”

I crawl back through my own window and collapse onto my bed, my head spinning. I touch my fingertips to my lips, a massive smile breaking across my face. I unlock my phone and open our text thread.

Drew

I’m definitely going to lie awake all night thinking of that.

Cami

Thank you for making my wish come true.

We are a few weeks into the school year, and football season is in full swing. We’ve already won four out of five of our games, so our stats look strong, and I’ve officially been named team captain for the second year in a row. It’s an honor to have these guys trust me to lead them for another season. Every single practice, I push them harder and harder, striving for perfection. I have to. This is my make-or-break season.

We’re undressing in the locker room after an exhausting, humid practice when Coach Jay steps out of his office.

“Drew, a word, please,” he calls out from the doorway, gesturing for me to join him.

Half the guys snap their heads up, curious about what the coach wants. Cooper steps into my path, giving me a solid pat on the shoulder. “I’ll meet you out at your car, man,” he says.

I nod and step inside the air-conditioned office, the door clicking shut behind me. A knot of nerves tightens in my chest.

“Sit down, Drew.” Coach says, leaning back against his desk. “I just got word from a scout. UCLA is sending someone out to the game this Friday.”

My heart drops straight into my stomach. This is it. The single moment that I’ve poured my blood, sweat, and tears into.