Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 74298 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 297(@250wpm)___ 248(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74298 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 297(@250wpm)___ 248(@300wpm)
All night, my heart felt like it was slowly and surely loosening from the anxious straitjacket it had been in for the last few days. Tristan had a way of doing that, even though I knew the moment our date was over, I’d feel lost and confused all over again.
We drove back into Amberfield, making a pit stop at Hilltop Park, which sloped down slightly and gave a nice little view of the town lights below. Tristan parked and then put down the back of his truck bed, spreading a plush picnic blanket over the back and unearthing a couple of pillows.
“So what do you think?” he asked as we lay down in the truck bed looking out at the stars and town lights. “How did I do? Would you let me take you on a second date?”
“I don’t know,” I teased him. “Do you know of more restaurants that make everyday foods fancy?”
“Hey, that was the best mac and cheese I’ve ever had.”
“No doubt, same here,” I said. “But now I want to find more. Is there a place that does an elevated PB&J? A gourmet Sloppy Joe? A grilled cheese and tomato soup fit for a king?”
“I’m absolutely certain there’s got to be a fancy grilled cheese place.”
“And if not, we should start one.”
He bit his bottom lip. “I’m glad you enjoyed the date.”
“Still enjoying it,” I said. “I’d let you take me anywhere, Tris.”
The summer night had cooperated, too. There were no storms in sight, just the balmy air and occasional breeze that rustled the trees. As I made myself comfortable next to Tris, he put his arm around me, both of us leaned up against the pillows at the back of the truck bed.
“I thought this would be a good way to end the night,” he said softly.
“Oh yeah? The night’s almost over?” I asked, teasing him. “I thought it might just be beginning.”
He lifted an eyebrow, mischief in his gaze. “Why? You think I fuck on the first date, Blue?”
“From what I’ve heard about your past, yes,” I said.
He gave me a playful shove. “Shut up.”
“The One-Hundo Policy has gotten me some good gossip, I’ll tell you that much,” I said.
“That feels like so long ago now,” Tris said, relaxing back against me. The weight of the side of his body felt good against mine, and I took a slow breath in, wishing I could have this forever.
“What does?”
He sighed. “My… old life, I guess,” he said. “I have no desire to go around trying to pick up women like I used to. Men, either, though.”
“Oh no. Are you entering a celibacy phase?”
“Fuck no,” Tris said. “I mean, here’s a One-Hundo Policy fact for you: I’ve been jerking it more than ever, lately.”
“I thought Sam was the TMI king,” I said. “Also, celibate people can jerk off, Tris.”
As he laughed I could feel it against my side. “Sure, fine,” he said. “But I’m just going to be honest. Because I just took you out on the best date of my life, and I have to be honest with you all the time anyway.”
“And I love it,” I said.
He nodded. “The honest truth is that I’ve only fantasized about you, lately.”
I was already smoldering inside, and now it was a flare. “Well, me too,” I said softly. It still felt taboo to say it out loud.
There was a comfortable lull in the conversation. Tris snuggled a little closer to me, and I breathed in his scent, leaning over to press a soft kiss to his hair. I looked back out at the town, marveling at how much could be seen just from the little hill of this park.
“Such a gorgeous view,” I said.
He hummed but didn’t respond. His hand drifted down to my leg, his fingertips making slow circles at the top of my thigh.
“Blue, I…” he started, looking up at me from under his lashes. He didn’t finish his sentence, and for a moment I let his words hang in the air, waiting for him to continue. But a minute passed. Then another. And as the silence grew, the faint claws of nervousness started to creep up inside me.
“What is it?” I asked.
“I don’t know.”
“Bullshit.”
He looked up at me again, something steadfast and resolute in his gaze now that hadn’t been there before. It was a look I’d seen Tristan get before, when he summoned enough confidence to say something that really mattered to him.
And I knew exactly what he was going to say.
“I want you to move to Jade River with me,” he said, point blank.
Yep.
Knew it.
And of course, now, the straitjacket of anxiety was tightening around my chest again.
“It was a fun thing to think about,” I responded automatically.
“Not really,” he said, twisting to face me now. “For me, it still is a very serious thing to think about. The most serious thing I’ve ever really considered, actually.”