He laughed too.
He started the car, revving the engine, and put down the window. Pulling away from the curb, the two of us drove in silence. I looked out the window and watched the scenery whiz by. The colors of the trees blended together until it was one big blob.
“So, ah, I hope you don’t mind too much but I packed some Italian food. I’m always a sucker for Italian.”
“Sound great. I love Italian food actually. It’s one of my favorites.”
Turner sighed in relief.
“That’s great. We’re almost there.”
Turner drove for a bit more, changing lanes. Finally he pulled into the parking lot and threw the car into park.
“We’re here.”
I exited the car. Turner grabbed the basket in the back seat and then followed me.
He grabbed my hand and to my surprise kissed me. We didn’t stop holding hands as we climbed the hill. When we finally reached the top, Turner smoothed down a blanket and I looked out into the horizon, watching the sun set. It was gorgeous.
“This view is amazing!” I breathed.
“Isn’t it?”
He appeared behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist.
“I was hoping that we would get here on time to see this.”
In the distance I could hear kids screaming and playing. There was music playing somewhere but I couldn’t pull my eyes away from the sun to even look around.
“Turner it’s gorgeous.”
“No, you’re gorgeous. The sun doesn’t hold a candle to you.”
My heart swelled.
“So when I was in high school I was the epidemy of a good girl. I wore pleated skirts and knee high socks with loafers.”
“That sounds sexy,” Turner said and I laughed.
“Trust me, I was anything but sexy,” I told him. “I wore ire rimmed glasses and my hair was always tied in braids down my back. I didn’t wear any make up and I always had my nose in a book.”
“Why is that so bad?”
“Because I was lame. People made fun of me, talked about me behind my back. I was the odd one out.”
“Or you were unique,” he countered. “I think that if I saw you in high school I would have gone out of my way to get to know you.”
“Well then you would have been the only one.”
“That’s because I have a thing for nerdy girls who read too much.”
“How about good girls that go to church every week and doesn’t do anything fun?”
“Even better,” he said with a wicket grin.
I rolled my eyes and pushed Turner. He lost his balance and toppled to the ground. He winced as his elbow met with a tree root.
“Goddammit!” Turner cursed as he rubbed his elbow. “Damn that hurt!”
“Oh God, are you okay?”
I lost my smile and watched Turner rock back and forth, cradling his arm.
“I’m sorry, Turner. I didn’t mean for you to hit your elbow.”
Turner rubbed his elbow roughly and then looked up at me.
“Oh well, it’s not any worse than getting hit in the head with a basketball. I’ll survive.”
“Good...”
I was scared for a moment.
After finishing our meal, Turner started packing up the basket. I folded the blanket in half, then in quarters, until the blanket fit snugly inside the basket.
“So what would you like to do now? Do you want to walk? Go back to the dorm and watch movies? Go get ice cream?”
“I don’t think I could eat another bite,” I told Turner as I held my stomach.
“Okay, how about your dorm?”
“That is fine.”
We stepped in the elevator in the dormitory and Turner was about to push the button for my floor but I put my hand over his.
“Let’s skip my floor. Sabrina is probably going to be there with Elizabeth and I don’t want the third degree. Let’s go hang out at your dorm. Is that okay?”
“Sure,” Turner said and something flickered in his eyes.
He didn’t say anything more, though. He enfolded my hand in his and we rode the elevator together, connected. When we got out on the eighth floor, Turner let me pass first and then led me to the end of the hall. I could hear parties going on in all different dorm rooms as well as the sound of video games.
“How do you get any studying done?” I asked as I winced at the sounds I heard. “I’m so glad that my floor is nothing like this. I would never get anything done.”
“You learn to tune it out after a while.”
He unlocked the door at the end of the hall and pushed it open.
“This is me. Come on in.”
I stepped gingerly over the threshold and tried not to curl my lip in disgust. The dorm room was a mess. There were clothes everywhere and dishes were stacked on the floor.
“I know it’s a little messy,” Turner said and had the common decency to be embarrassed. “I didn’t think that we were going to come back here and… Well I’ll admit it, I’m lazy. I keep finding other things to do, other things that I want to do, than clean here. Now I’m kind of regretting everything.”
“Don’t worry about it,” I said, trying to sound relaxed. “It’s really not that big of a deal. I’ve known people who are way messier than you.”
“Really?”
I hesitated and then shook my head.
“Yup.”
His arms lashed out and wrapped around my waist. Before I knew what was happening, Turner’s hand was cradling my neck and his lips were on mine. Shock turned into desire and my eyes fluttered closed.
Turner’s kiss wasn’t soft or hesitant. He kissed me with heat and passion that I only read about in books. His lips were soft and yet firm against mine. His fingers ran up and down my spine, tracing the bones. My arms found their way around his neck and I pulled him closer, grinding my body up against him.
My heart vibrated in my chest and my mouth couldn’t get enough of him. I dug my finger nails into his back and moaned as he moved from my lips to my neck. His hands went from my back to the front, cupping my breasts.
“Stop,” I said and pulled back, shaking my head.
I felt foggy and disoriented. Immediately Turner dropped his hands and stepped back.
“I’m sorry,” I murmured as I fixed my sweater.
“No, I’m the sorry one. I shouldn’t have done that. I didn’t bring you back here to have sex with you.”
Turner took my hands and kissed my palms.
“You deserve better Lily. You’re worth more than that.”
“If we are ever going to be together I want it to be special, something that you can remember. I don’t want you thinking back and remembering our first time being in this disgusting dorm.”
Turner pulled me close and kissed my forehead.
“I want to be with you, Lily, but I want to make it perfect. If we ever get that chance I promise I will give you the stars and the moon.”
I looked up at him from underneath my lashes as my hands found the buckle of his belt.
Chapter Eleven
“You don’t have to.”
“I want to,” I said, my voice cracking and his breath hitching.
Maybe this was a bad idea. I turn down Nash but I’m okay with having sex with Turner?
“A-Are you sure you want to do this?”
The truth was that I wasn’t sure I wanted to do this, or anything. I didn’t even know howto do any of it. He was kind to me. Was that why my brain was saying yes? Or was it to get back at Nash?
I was nervous, so nervous.
“Yes, I want to do this.”
I dropped my hands from his belt buckle and ran my fingers up and down his arm.
“Let’s take this to the bed, what do you think?”
“Sure…”He grabbed my hand, linking our fingers together, and pulled me to the bed.