Pretty Sweet - Christina Lee Page 0,60

huge, and I already had so many firsts with Seth. Truth be told, he might’ve said the other night he was grateful his first time with a guy was me, but I was equally grateful it was him too.

He lifted the controller to click on the TV but then seemed to change his mind and turned toward me. “How’s Bonnie?”

Fuck, I had gotten so caught up in being with him, I almost forgot to fill him in.

“Good.” I cleared my throat. “I told her about us tonight.”

“That I’m your guy?” He dipped his head, mortification lining his face. “Sorry, that was dumb. It’s just that…you sent that text, and I didn’t know what to think of it, so I thought I’d ask, and oh my God, someone shut me up.”

I laughed and pulled him toward me for another kiss. “There. That shut you up.”

“It totally worked,” he said dreamily, then bit his lip. “What did Bonnie say?”

I smirked. “She was thrilled.”

His eyes softened. “She approves?”

“Definitely. But I did want to talk to you about…” I motioned between us. “About exactly what it is we’re doing.”

“Hanging out and liking each other?” he offered.

“Yes, that,” I replied with a smile. “I…uh…want you to know that I don’t plan on seeing anyone else, not while I’m exploring this with you.”

When his eyebrows pulled together, I knew I’d said the exact wrong thing.

“That didn’t come out right. I’m not just exploring my sexuality with you. I want… I like being with you, Seth. A lot.” His breath hitched as he stared at me. “I look forward to talking to you and seeing you. I’ve never really dated anyone before, but I want to try that with you, at least take you on a real date. I mean, if that’s something you’d want.”

“I definitely want,” he squeaked out, his eyes round and searching, and there was that stitch in my chest again.

“But if this becomes too much for you or not something you want, I only ask that you be honest with me and we talk it through like adults.”

He grinned. “Deal.”

“Okay, good.” I tapped our lips together. “Now, how about that movie?”

23

Seth

“You sold your car?” Mom asked the second I answered the phone. My nerves were already shot. I should have ignored her call, but I knew her; she wouldn’t stop, and I didn’t want my phone ringing off the hook tonight.

“Yes.” There was no use denying it. I knew eventually she would find out. I was surprised it had taken this long. Mom’s hand was in everything I did.

“You didn’t think you should talk to me first?”

“Why? It’s my car. I bought it with money Dad left for me. I bought what you wanted and realized…I realized it’s not me, so I bought a car that is. I don’t see why you should have a say in what vehicle I drive.” My hands were shaking. I had never spoken to my mother like that in my life. I couldn’t believe I’d done it now, and my stomach flipped and dipped, nausea rolling around in there, but God, it was a car. My car. Why did it matter?

“What’s gotten into you? Is it that boy you let live with you? I’ve never liked that idea, and I’m still angry you tried to hide it from me. You never used to talk to me this way.”

I rolled my eyes. She had never met Jesse, but she hated him. She’d caught a glimpse of him in full makeup one day when we were FaceTiming, and that had been the end of that. She didn’t trust him. Everything was always his fault. “Jesse doesn’t even live with me anymore.”

There was another pause, and I could tell that while she liked that development, she wasn’t real fond of the fact that she hadn’t known. Mom wanted to be in on every decision I made—no, she wanted all my decisions to be hers.

“Good. He had no business being there in the first place, but that was a good car, Seth. It was safe. We’ve always driven—”

“You,” I cut her off. “It’s what you’ve always driven, which meant I always had to drive the same thing. Why does it matter if I have a BMW or not? It doesn’t make sense. Is it a way for you to control me? I can’t see why else it would matter.” The second the words left my mouth, guilt suffused me. “I’m sorry,” I said softly. A Mini wasn’t a Corvette like Dad