wonderful. And I’m not going to pretend that it isn’t an ego boost every time I was noticed.”
“But?”
“I didn’t like it this time. I was worried about you, worried about getting out, just plain worried. It’s not even like any of them were scary, they weren’t. I wasn’t expecting it, but even then, I didn’t want it as they started to surround us.”
Reaching out my hand, she slips her palm in mine across the center console. I kind of wish I would have brought the square body truck, it has a bench seat and she could sit right next to me, it would be a hell of a lot more comfortable than this plastic box between us.
“I guess I can understand that,” I murmur.
She squeezes my fingers, then lifts our hands to her mouth and touches her lips to my knuckles. “I’m happy, Ford. Really happy about the journey we’re getting ready to take. I want everything that it entails and I can’t wait for all of it, every ounce.”
I grunt, unsure of what to say, and wondering if I should even say anything. I don’t have anything to add to her words, just that I love her, but that seems too much too soon. I supposed that I need to know the Stephanie that she is now, but I can’t help that my heart, it still fucking loves her, no matter what.
STEPHANIE
Inhaling a deep breath, I stare at my reflection in the mirror. This whole bathroom needs an update, including the glass of this mirror, but right now I don’t care about any of that. I’m nervous and I don’t know why.
I had sex with Ford last night, so why does this seem gigantic? Maybe because I’m officially living with him. We moved my suitcase into his bedroom after we came back from the airport. He already had space for my things cleared out and ready to go.
Maybe part of the reason is because this is the master bedroom. Not only is the bedroom that his grandparents shared, but also his parents.
It feels forbidden to be in here, like Mrs. Matthews is going to pop around the corner and scold us for being ungodly in her home. Every time we fooled around in Ford’s room as teenagers, I could sense that she knew.
Mrs. Matthews never really liked me much. She was pleasant to my face, but I could sense that I wasn’t the first choice for her perfect boy. My family didn’t go to church nearly enough for her taste, and I wasn’t a cheerleader, something she reminded me of often.
“Honey,” Ford calls out with a soft knock on the bathroom door. “You okay in there?”
I shake my head, with it shaking out thoughts of Mrs. Matthews and her distaste of me. None of it mattered back then, Ford loved me and that was all that mattered—all that still matters.
“I’m coming,” I call out.
Pressing my hand to my belly, I attempt to calm the butterflies that are flittering around. I don’t know why, but I decided to wear something sexy tonight. I bought it in LA, Damion demanded that I had to have it for Ford.
Now that I have it on, in this dainty old-fashioned bathroom, it feels all kinds of wrong. Chewing on my bottom lip, my eyes search my reflection and I shake my head once, deciding to just go for it.
It’s a naughty football jersey and little cotton white panty costume. The only reason I even mentioned it at all, was that the little crop top jersey was Ford’s number in high school.
I kind of made a joke to Damion, and he insisted that it was fate and I needed to buy it, along with knee-high striped socks.
My hair is in pigtails and I feel really stupid and kind of wrong. Maybe I should just take it off and go out into the bedroom naked?
Inhaling a deep breath, I shake myself out of my own consuming thoughts and spin around, reaching for the door handle. I let out an exhale before I tug it open and simultaneously turn the light off.
The bedroom is bathed in soft glowing light coming from the closet. Taking a step into the room, I allow my eyes to adjust to the darkness as I find Ford. He’s sitting straight up in bed, his back facing the headboard, his eyes glued to mine.
“It’s dumb, I’ll take it off,” I rasp when he doesn’t say anything immediately.
He shakes his head slowly, shifting his