Page 175 of Let's Kiss and Tell

Marsh raises his eyebrows, not sure what topic to tackle first. “Wow, that’s…Do you want to talk about it inside?”

“Please,” I say, so ready to just talk to the person I’ve been missing through all of this. I pull him into a hug, burying myself into his chest. “Can I say one more thing?”

“Anything.”

“I don’t know how to do any of this,” I say, my cheek against the fabric of his Henley. “I need to work on myself, and I need to figure out what I want…I just know I want to do it with you by my side.”

Marsh pulls me in closer and kisses the top of my head. “Idon’t know how to do this any better than you do. But we’ll figure it out together.”

“So, we’re doing this?” I say shakily, maybe from nervousness but mostly excitement. “We’rereallydoing this?”

“In case it wasn’t clear: I love you, Lucy…and I want to date you. For real,” he says. “I want it to be real.”

“Marsh.” My smile deepens, the embers in my chest flaring. “I think it was always real.”

36

Marsh

Three Years Later

By seven-thirtya.m.,I’ve already written six hundred words, taken Pepper for a walk around the neighborhood, and picked up two breakfast burritos. On my way home, I stop by the local coffee shop and pick up two iced oat lattes.

When I open the front door, Pepper’s paws clack against the hardwood floor. Her seventy-pound speckled white-and-gray body and blocky head greet me like I didn’tjustsee her fifteen minutes ago.

“Hi, sweet girl,” I say, leaning down to pet right behind her ears. I kick my shoes off and walk into the bedroom.

Slowly, I sit on the side of the bed and rub Lucy’s arm until she flutters her eyes open. Her dark hair is messy, her skin is soft, and she’s not wearing a lick of makeup. Her lips are plump after a long night’s sleep, and she still smells like strawberries.

Her eyes crinkle against the sun, and when she sees me, she smiles. “Happy anniversary.”

“Happy anniversary, baby.” I lean down to give her a kiss.

It’s been three years since we’veofficiallybeen together, and we’re still here.

Lucy booked a last-minute flight, and we went to Thailand together. A year into us dating, she moved in, and we adopted Pepper six months later. While we disagree on things, as most couples do every now and then, surprisingly, the one thing that we can agree on is how crazy we are about each other.

“Is that for me?” She eyes the iced latte in my grip and brown paper bag between my fingers.

“Chorizo, and oat milk.” I place the contents on the nightstand.

“Oh, babe.” She sits up. “I’m sorry, all I got you was a blow job.”

“I’d much rather have that than a burrito.”

“You just tell me when you want to cash it in.” She leans in and gives me another kiss.

“Get over here.” I pull Lucy into my lap so she’s straddling me. We start kissing and she rolls her hips as I reach under her shirt.

“Mmm,” she moans, and that’s when I feel something at my leg, nudging me.

I sigh and place my forehead on Lucy’s. “Really, Pep?” I look down, and our pit bull is staring up at us with these giant cartoon-like eyes.

Lucy breaks out into laughter. “Did you come here to wish Mom and Dad a happy anniversary?” She gets off me and pats the bed, telling Pepper to jump up.

In an instant, Pepper is comfy on the bed, staring at both of us, and I can’t help but give her a kiss on the forehead.

“We will have to rain check for tonight.” Lucy playfully rubs my dick, which is still hard. I grunt, and she swipes the burrito from the nightstand and takes a hearty bite. “How’s the story going?”