I stared at the door, thinking about what he’d said. I didn’t know how to fix things, but I needed to at least see Dayna and apologize.
But before I could knock on the door, it swung open.
“Freckles, what are you—”
Dayna threw herself at me, anchoring her arms around my neck. “I’m going to kiss you now,” she said. “And I’m really hoping you’ll kiss me back.”
I smiled against her lips and chuckled.
This girl.
This fucking girl.
“Well, hotshot? What do you say?” she grinned up at me, and I lowered my face to hers, breathing her in.
“Your wish is my command.”
* * *
“We’re going to head in,” Mr. Benson said. “It was good seeing you, Aiden. We’ll have to do it again soon.”
“Sounds good, sir.”
“Please, call me Derek, son.”
“Son?” Dayna mouthed as she fought a grin.
“Behave,” I whispered, my chest tightening at the whole interaction.
“Goodnight, Mom, Dad.”
“Night, sweetheart. See you in the morning.”
Dayna’s parents headed inside leaving me alone with their daughter. It was strange as fuck, knowing they trusted me out here with her. But I liked it.
I liked them.
They’d welcomed me into their family without hesitation or judgment. And even though I’d told Carson more than once that I didn’t want to be adopted by the Bensons for the summer, it felt pretty fucking good that they wanted me around.
“Do you think they know?” Dayna asked, shifting up onto her knees on the patio sectional.
“Know what?”
“That I’ve thought about nothing but kissing you since we came back out here.”
“You have, huh?” I dipped my head, brushing my nose over hers.
Jesus. She was under my skin.
After she’d kissed the shit out of me outside her house, we’d agreed to spend some more time with her parents—without telling them about us—and then talk.
I guess the talking part came now.
Although from the glint in her eyes, Dayna seemed to want to do a whole lot more than talk.
“Is this okay?” she asked, and I frowned. “I don’t want to push you into anything you’re not ready for. But I meant what I said, Aiden. I like you, and I think there’s something here. Something I’d really like to explore. But I know you don’t date.”
A beat passed while I tried to figure out what to say. Her expression fell, and I cupped her face, bringing her eyes back to me. “I want to try.”