Uncharted Territory

As much as I loved having dinner with Josh’s parents, I was just as happy to be out on the driveway, with Josh leaning against his car while he placed soft kisses against my forehead. His arms were wrapped around my waist, pulling me as close to him as he could get me. After another kiss to my forehead, he pulled away from me and looked down at me with a smile.

“You could come back to my place if you’d like,” he said, running his finger over my cheek as he waited for my answer.

I chuckled at him as I puffed my lips out in a fake pout. “But I have to work in the morning.”

Josh shrugged his shoulders and moved his fingers to tug at the ends of my hair. “So do I.” He paused and pouted himself – one that looked infinitely more real than my own. “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you wake up with plenty of time.”

I twisted my lips to the side as I looked at him, his too convincing pout making it impossible to say no.

“You promise?” He nodded, his pout loosening up a bit. “Fine, then I will,” I continued, “but only because you look so depressing.”

Josh chuckled before wrapping his arms more tightly around my waist and pulling me into his chest. “We better go before my mom starts flashing the light at us.”

“She’d do that?”

Josh shrugged, and I was too scared to question it, so the two of us hopped in our separate cars and made the short drive back to Josh’s place. He got there a few minutes before I did because he always drove a little too fast for my liking, and he was standing outside his car waiting when I pulled up.

“Took you long enough,” he joked as he opened my door for me.

“What’s it like to get a speeding ticket?” I countered, smiling at him mischievously. “I thought it’d be best to ask someone with a little experience in that field.”

Josh rolled his eyes at me, before attaching his hand to my hip and pulling me against him so we could walk side by side into his house.

When we walked through the door, I went straight to the guest room so I could put my purse down before saying goodnight to Josh.

“What are you doing?” He asked as he opened the door, eyeing me with his head tilted to the side.

I looked back at him with my lips twisted in confusion. “I’m just putting my things away,” I said as I pointed towards the door.

He chuckled as he took a few steps forward, reaching his hands out so they latched onto mine again. “I didn’t invite you over to not see you for the rest of the night.”

“I’m going to have to sleep eventually,” I said, not able to keep myself from laughing at the ridiculous look on his face.

He leaned forward and placed a soft kiss against my lips before he smiled. “That’s what my bed’s for.”

I laughed again, shoving his chest forward with my small fist. “You always have been a little pervy, haven’t you?”

Josh chuckled and smiled at me, his hand reaching out for my fist and capturing it in his own. “I’m serious, Erin. No funny business. I just wanna be with you.” He looked at me, his eyes blinking quickly. “Your skin will not touch my skin, I swear.”

I let out a small breath, my heart fluttering in my chest as I looked at him. At that moment, nothing sounded better than lying with him.

“Okay,” I said, nodding my head. “But no funny business.”

He smiled again. “I promise.”

I followed him upstairs and to the master bedroom, where his bed was made perfectly, and it looked so much bigger without him sprawled out on top of it with the blanket wrapped around him.

“Which side do you want?” he asked as he fluffed the pillows and looked back at me.

I shrugged my shoulders and kicked off my shoes. “Whichever is fine.”

Josh laid down on the right side and patted the space to his left, smiling at me as I took a few steps towards him. He pulled the blanket up so I could slide under it, and once I was laying in his bed, he wrapped it around us both.

His arm instantly moved around my body, and he used it to press me against him, where my head then fell comfortably on his chest. His breathing made my head move up and down, and it was like a perfect melody of my childhood.

“See, I told you,” he said, as he rubbed his hand across my shoulder. “Nothing above PG over here.”

I laughed, pressing my head deeper into his chest. “We used to take baths together, Josh. I think I can handle at least PG-13.”

Josh chuckled and shifted a bit, so his hand rested on my chin, and he used his fingers to tilt my head up. His eyes met mine and he smiled, pulling me up so I could feel his warm breath on my lips.

“Good,” he whispered against my lips before he pressed them together, running his fingers up and down my back while his lips moved against mine. He tasted like a mix of honey and peppermint, and I wasn’t sure I’d be able to stop kissing him long enough to get any sleep.