Page 80 of Perfect Distraction
He kissed her softly, and her pulse was like fire in her veins. She slid her fingers around to his lower back, gripping the waistband of his jeans. A low rumble rose from his chest, and he fisted his hands in her hair.
“This is…” He tore his mouth away, and his forehead came to rest on her shoulder. “I can’t even describe this.”
“Consuming,” Lauren supplied, and he nodded, tilting his head to brush his lips against her neck. “What…” Her voice wavered when he sucked on a particularly sensitive area of skin near her throat. “What are we going to do?”
Andrew lifted his head. “What do you mean?”
“How are we going to do this? Your last chemo is in twelve days. I don’t want to be with you publicly until then, and to be safe, I don’t want to tell anyone until after your scan.”
Andrew searched her face. “We can’t go back to the way things were. I can’t.” He brushed his fingers across her lips. “Not after this.”
Lauren couldn’t, either. “We have to be careful. Especially at the cancer center, but in public, too. We can’t go on dates or show outward affection when we’re around people. You never know who could see us…” She thought of Gavin and his warning.
“I’m all for lying low until after the scan. You’ll just move in here, yeah? We’ll hole ourselves up at my apartment for the next two weeks. I mean, if you insist, we don’t even have to leave my bed.” He grinned and winked, a boyish, hopeful gleam in his eye.
She smacked him on the shoulder, smiling. “I still have to work, big man. And you don’t get me in your bed yet.”
“That’s fine.” His expression turned serious. “I was kidding about that part. I’m in no hurry. I want to take this slow, do it right.” He stopped for a second and gripped the back of his neck with one hand, suddenly appearing vulnerable. “I chose you even when you weren’t an option. I won’t do anything to mess this up now that you’ve chosen me, too.”
“Andrew,” she murmured, reaching up to tug at his hand. He let her bring it between them, where she pressed it against her chest. “My heart chose you a long time ago. Even if it took my mind a while to catch up.”
Lauren didn’t make it home that day, and not because a foot of snow covered the ground.
She and Andrew were all over each other all day, kissing, touching, and tangled up together. Lauren had, without question, never enjoyed kissing someone so much. He alternated between slow, languorous minutes where he took his time learning what she liked and how she responded, and greedy, hungry kisses where it seemed he couldn’t get enough.
She’d never felt so safe and wanted. Was this how it felt, to be in a real relationship? With someone who cared about you, who maybe even loved you? It felt surreal, the joy inside her, ready to burst at any moment.
No wonder people loved falling in love.
Lauren saw Andrew every day the following week. After work on Friday, she tried to keep her distance so she could get some things done.
Key word: tried.
Andrew: Come over.
Lauren: Can’t, I need to study.
Andrew: Study over here.
Lauren: You know that’s not what I’ll end up doing.
Andrew: I can control myself.
Andrew:Promise
Andrew: I miss you.
Lauren:You said we’d study last night, and when you came over you pinned me to my couch for two hours.
Andrew: Funny, I didn’t hear you complaining.
Lauren: Duh
Lauren: Regardless, I really have to study tonight.
Andrew: I want to see you. I should study too. The Grind House?
Lauren: Can you keep your hands to yourself?
