I listen until I can't take it anymore. The song is amazing but I need his arms around me. I need him throwing me on the bed, peeling off my clothes, and reminding me how well we fit together.
"Hey." I knock on the practice room's open door.
Ethan steps into the hallway, his smile already at his cheeks.
He slides his arms around me to scoop me up then he's spinning me around.
I squeal, holding onto his strong shoulders as tightly as I can. This is how things are supposed to feel. And I haven't even told him yet. It can only get better.
Ethan and I are a team. It might be tough doing long distance, but a master’s is only two years. That's nothing compared to us having the rest of our lives together.
"Let's go to your room." I press my lips to his. The peck isn't enough. My hands go to his dark, wavy hair. I pull him closer and I suck on his lower lip until he's groaning in my mouth.
"What the fuck did I do to deserve this, Vi?" He sets me down. His eyes are on fire, that look that screams I need you naked immediately. "You look hot as hell in that skirt."
"Do I?"
"You teasing me, honey? I'll get you back for that." His blue eyes light up as he smiles. He slides his hands to my ass and pulls me closer.
Then his lips are on mine and his tongue is in my mouth. This is the first time we've really kissed since it happened. This is the first time it's felt like everything really is going to be okay.
I soak in the feeling of his tongue dancing with mine. Then his hands are under my skirt. He presses his palm against my sex, over my panties.
His breath is heavy when he pulls back. "You're wet."
"Why do you think I want to go to your room?"
His smile widens. It's earnest. It's without defenses. The pain and distance of the last two months is already melting.
It's all in his eyes. I'm back. Grief isn't drowning me any longer. It hurts, yeah, but I can feel pleasure too.
God, the pleasure I can feel.
I take his hand and lead him to his room—Ethan lives with his parents too. He has other options, but he prefers it this way. His parents are always out of town. He and his older brother don't want their teenage sister stuck in the big house all by herself.
His room is clean and bright. With the window open, the whole place smells like the ocean.
Ethan slides his hands to my hips. "How about you come on my face before we talk?"
"How about after?"
"How about you come on my hands then my face after?"
"You drive a hard bargain, Mr. Strong."
He smiles and presses his crotch into mine, so I can feel his erection. "You have no fucking i
dea how badly I want you right now."
"Ethan…" I'm buzzing everywhere. I stare into Ethan's gorgeous blue eyes. This is an important moment. I want to remember every second of it.
"You gonna tell me or you gonna give me blue balls?" he teases.
He has an excellent point. I need to tell him so we can move on to the celebrating properly part.
"I got in." I pull my letter from my pocket, unfold it, and offer it to him. "I got into the master’s program at NYU."
He's not smiling.