Glancing down at her phone, she tapped on the shortcut to their channel. Clearly people loved juicy gossip because the footage with an explanation of how it related to the video of the screaming match had been uploaded weeks ago, and it too was now getting a ton of hits.
“Hey.”
Clutching her chest, Vannah practically jumped out of her skin. She glanced up to a weirdly smirking Byron standing outside her door. “Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you.” He glanced down at the phone in her hand. “Got caught up texting?”
“No.” She shook her head gathering her school bag and laptop from the passenger side seat. “I was checking our channel to see how many hits and likes a certain post has gotten.”
Byron helped her with her things as she got out of the car, but his lips were on hers as soon as he got the chance. Savannah smiled feeling the now familiar tingling her insides did any time he touched her. “I can come back for my bags later. I’d like to get started on that paper. I hate having stuff like that hanging over my head.”
They walked hand in hand into the shop, and up to his apartment. There was no shortage of kissing, groping, and fondling each other, even as they’d walked up the stairs but more so, the moment they were behind closed doors.
Vannah attempted in vain to calm her pounding heart. She’d discussed this in length on more than one occasion now with her mom, Nena and with Xochitl. They were all in agreement that the subject of virginity had very likely been brought up by Byron that very first week when they’d spent so much time video chatting, and on the phone, because of her age. She’d been honest with him and told him about being active with her boyfriend during her senior year of high school. But she’d been vague. She now knew Byron’s intensity when it came to things of that nature was the norm and it’d been instantly on display even back then. Because he’d quickly moved onto another subject altogether. Clearly, he hadn’t been anxious to hear any intimate details about her relationship with her ex. Especially about that in particular. But she’d known when the time came, she’d be more specific about just how much experience, or lack thereof, she actually had. Each time they were together now, she knew it was just a matter of time. Today she’d even come prepared and worn the brand-new sexy panties and matching bra.
Except thinking about moving their relationship to the next level, made Vannah nervous. Byron was proof she’d never been in love with her ex. Not once in the entire relationship with her ex had she felt anything even close to what she felt for Byron in just a month. The crazed frenzy her body felt from his kisses alone, didn’t even compare. She also knew sleeping with Byron would exceed any expectations she’d been imagining for weeks. The little experience she had in that department, was no doubt laughable in comparison to anything Byron might have to offer. Already even the things he had done to her had her tingling just thinking about them sometimes at the most inappropriate moments—like in class. Not only was she nervous about living up to the standards of a man like Byron, but of falling even harder than she already had this quickly.
But her mother was still of the adamant belief that complete honesty and openness was the only way to go. Vannah agreed, especially since it seemed to be Byron’s thought process as well. Only putting her feelings out there like that so soon was scary. Despite how much she felt for him already, it still felt too soon. For now, she’d play it by ear.
After more marathon making out, Byron finally let her be so she could get her paper done. As if it weren’t hard enough to concentrate on anything else in the past month, being here in his apartment, knowing what might be happening when she was done, proved so much harder.
A couple of hours later, when she was finally done going back and forth between thoughts of Byron, and obsessing with her paper, Byron stuck his head into his bedroom where she was working on it. “You wanna take a break so we could go grab lunch? Or if you still need time, I can order something. We can eat here.”
The question alone, had her insides whirling with excitement already. Chewing the corner of her lip, she thought about how best to word it without sounding too obvious. “I’m actually getting ready to wrap it up. But I think I’d rather stay in anyway.”
He gazed at her in a way she was certain he’d picked up on what she meant—not just for lunch—but all day. Feeling her face heat, she knew she was likely blushing over just that. Without saying anything, he walked over to the bed where she sat, and kissed her so profoundly, she thought she might swoon.
When he finally pulled away, he looked as enthralled as she felt. “I’d rather stay in too.”
His kisses always did things to her she’d given up trying to understand, but this one felt different somehow. Hearing him say he’d rather stay in too, but mostly seeing how genuinely rapt he seemed, she wondered now if he was feeling it too.
Licking his lips, he cleared his throat as he glanced away momentarily. “Anything in particular you feel like having?”
“Anything but Mexican,” she said trying to shake off her dazed demeanor. “We’ll be having that all weekend I’m sure. Surprise me.”
Leaning in again, he pecked her softly. “Got it. I’ll go order in the kitchen so you can finish up.”
She nodded staring at him the whole time as he walked out. Inhaling deeply when he was finally out of sight, she exhaled a bit exaggerated, feeling silly suddenly. Going back to her paper, she tweaked it a few more times before she forced herself to stop obsessing and just send it already. She met him back in the kitchen where he was tapping at his phone screen. As soon as he saw her, he put the phone down on the counter and reached out for her.
Pulling her to him she was instantly wrapped in his arms as he gazed down at her. “Food should be here in about twenty-minutes.”
She smiled big. “What are we having?”
“Chinese. Best place in town. Guys downstairs are always ordering it, but I haven’t had it in a while.”
“Ooh, Chinese sounds good, and I’m hungry.”
“Yeah?” he smiled pecking her a couple of times. “Good, ‘cause I wasn’t sure what you’d want so I ordered a little of everything. So, what do you feel like doing today?”
She smiled feeling timid suddenly and shrugged. “Enjoying a nice quiet day, just the two of us would be nice. This weekend is going to be hectic. My family.” She shook her head with a wince. “I’m the first to bring anyone around and my mom warned me that my uncles already said they’re gonna be all over it.” His squeezing his eyes shut had her smiling again. “They’re not so bad, I promise.”
His eyes flew open, and his brows leapt nearly to his hairline. “Really? Are they big harmless teddy bears like your dad?”
“They really are,” she insisted, even if she couldn’t help smirk. “And my mom said Uncle Romero is more excited about you being Beast’s brother and grilling you about him. Oh, and Uncle Manny and Max,” she laughed outright now. “You’re gonna love them. They’re hilarious.”
“How many freaking uncles do you have?”
Glad for the change in mood and distraction about what would very likely be happening before the day was over, she happily explained more about her family’s dynamics. The food arrived and they sat down to eat in front of the TV.