I nodded and attempted to smile. She asked me about San Francisco and if I liked Bellingham. Small talk wasn’t where I made my best impressions, but I answered as best I could. I was tempted to ask her if she wanted to pick up a crayon and join us.
“I’m really glad you and Justin met. He was pretty down when he got here in June, but I see a little more of the kid brother I once knew every day.”
I stopped scribbling. “You think that’s because of me?”
She smiled. “Well, you’re definitely helping. So thank you for that.”
I handed my drawing to Madison. “He’s helped me just as much.”
She shuffled it in her pile, a little grin forming on her face.
“Hey, quit talking about me,” Justin said, grabbing my shoulders.
“Oh, I wasn’t saying anything bad. I—”
“I’m only messing with you,” he whispered.
“How’d it go?” Nicci stood up.
He exhaled and massaged my shoulders. “A lot of awkward silence. But it was good to hear his voice, you know?”
She walked behind me. “He’ll come around. I need to get started on dinner. We’ll talk more later, okay?”
“Sure.” He leaned into my ear again. “You want to go back to my room?”
I got up and followed him back to the garage. As soon as he shut the door, I gave him a hug. He looked like he needed it.
“What did your dad say?” I asked, sitting on his bed.
He stood in front of me, hands in his pockets. “He asked how I was. Told me a few friends called looking for me. That was about it. But it’s the first time he’s spoken to me since court. It’s a step.”
“Are you happy?”
He studied my face for a second. “Yeah, I am.”
“You told your sister I was your girlfriend.”
His eyelashes lowered to the floor. “Is that okay?”
“Only if that’s what I am to you.”
“I’d like that.” He glanced up at me, his eyes filled with something I couldn’t identify. Fear or uncertainty, maybe. At least that was what I felt.
“Me too.”
A little smile played at his lips. “Guess it’s settled, then.”
I fell back on his bed. The sheets felt velvety against my hands. “Your bed smells like you.”
“Imagine that.”
“Come here.” I wrapped my legs around his, pulling him closer. But he wasn’t moving. I let him go.
Justin sat next to me. “I want to take things slow with you, Drea.”
My body tensed at his words. I didn’t feel ready for sex, but I didn’t want to be treated differently either. “Why with
He met my gaze then. “Because I didn’t know the people I had sex with. Not like I know you.”
I looked away and traced patterns against his sheets. “I don’t understand.”
“I’m not ready yet. Does that simplify things?”
“Yes.” I glanced up at him. “Does that mean we can’t mess around anymore?”
“No, it definitely doesn’t mean that.” He smiled and then kissed me.
We fell back onto his bed. His mouth grazed my neck, moving slowly to my earlobe. I wondered if the shivering would go away eventually. It hadn’t yet. I moved my hands under his shirt, pulling it up.
“Can I see your tattoo?” I asked.
He smirked. “You’re slick.”
“What do you mean?”
“Finding a way to get my shirt off without having to ask.” He pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it aside.
My cheeks burned. Considering the only shirtless guys I saw were on TV or the gag calendars Mom’s friends gave her, seeing Justin was pretty exciting.
But I wasn’t expecting silver bars through his nipples. “Whoa. Did that hurt?”
He propped himself up on his elbow. “For a couple seconds, yeah. Then the endorphins kicked in and I didn’t feel much.”
I poked at one of the bars, but tore my hand away for fear I’d hurt him. Just looking at them made me want to cover my own nipples and cringe. Maybe it was different for guys than girls. “Why did you get them?”
