Who would have thought? I’ve known Pepper since she was a little girl, when she was a knock-kneed Pippi Longstocking character with buckteeth and braces. But now, feeling her curvy body beneath mine is all I can think about. I couldn’t focus at work, and could hardly even make small talk with Sam. He probably thinks I’m going senile.
A sudden knock at the passenger window makes me jump. It’s Pepper. She waves at me, a shy smile on her beautiful face, and I start to get out to open the door for her, but she pops it open herself and slides in.
“Sorry I’m late,” she murmurs. She fills the car with the scent of strawberry and mint. “I had to meet with my professor about midterms.”
“That’s okay. I didn’t wait long,” I say with a smile before backing out of the parking lot and turning onto the street. God, this woman is gorgeous and I can’t believe I got to sample her body. “Anything you need to worry about?”
“Nope! I was just asking to make sure she had posted the study guide online.”
“Makes sense.” Silence falls between us, but it’s a comfortable one. Of course, my heart is pounding against my ribcage in a way that it hasn’t before, and I can’t get myself to say anything because Pepper looks like a fantasy come true. Her hair has a reddish glow to it in the sunlight and she has it pushed over the side of her shoulder. Her burgundy sweater compliments her hair, and even her lipstick seems well-matched.
“So,” she says, breaking me out of my thoughts, “we’re going to your alma mater?”
I nod. “That’s right. There are plenty of places to eat there, and the campus itself is beautiful. I’d love for you to see it. You’re thinking of transferring when the time comes, right?”
She bites her lip.
“Maybe.”
I smile.
“Sweetheart, we both know you’re too smart for Prescott Community College. The University of Wyoming will be much more your speed.”
She sticks her tongue out at me.
“Okay, now you’re starting to sound like my guidance counselor.”
I merely shrug and grin at her.
“No, I’m serious, baby. I’ve known you for a long time, and you deserve a four-year education. You’re smart, honey. You’ll be challenged in ways you never have before.”
But Pepper looks thoughtful, merely gazing out of the window as we drive.
“What is it, honey?” I ask patiently. “What’s on your mind?”
“Well,” she says tentatively. “Not a lot of people will know us once we’re in Laramie right?”
I nod.
“Yes. Why, is that bothering you?”
She shakes her head.
“No, I just want you to be okay with it too. I get it. It wouldn’t be great if word got out about us before we’re ready. After all, I’m still in college, while you graduated ages ago, right?” She blushes and looks down. “Plus, it’s only been a couple of days since we started dating. I mean… maybe we don’t know if we want to get serious or not.”
Her words put uncomfortable pressure in my chest because it makes me see red to think of her dating someone else. But I try to stay calm. I take her hand and lift it to my lips. “I don’t want to scare you, Pepper,” I say, “but to be honest, I feel pretty damn sure that I want to get serious with you. I don’t know if it’s just my age, or—”
“It’s not,” she interjects. “Your age, I mean. I didn’t want to scare you away either, but I already know I want to take things seriously too. You’re already so different from my last boyfriend.”
Happiness rushes into my chest.
“I’m glad we’re on the same page about this.” I kiss her hand again and we drive in silence, but there’s a nagging feeling at the back of my mind. A question that I’m not sure how to ask. “Pepper, can I ask you about your last boyfriend? Or is that off-limits?”
“Yeah, of course.” Her eyes flash with amusement. “I wondered when you’d bring him up. What do you want to know?”
“You said I was different from him. What was he like?”
She blows out air and rolls her eyes.
“OMG, he was a total asshole. I caught him cheating on me the day we—” she cuts herself off, blushing again. “The day we had sex. He’s the quarterback for my school’s football team.”
“And you caught him cheating? Who would cheat on you anyways? What a fucking moron.”
“I know, but it was a big shock. Why cheat, anyways? He should have just broken up with me and then slept with that cheerleader.”
I shake my head.
“Mindy never mentioned you were dating anyone.”
Pepper nods, growing serious.
“Yes, it’s because I didn’t really bring it up.” She runs her hand through her hair and looks dejected. “Carl Stenson and I only dated a few months, and it wasn’t really anything anyways, so I didn’t mention it to Mins.”