Aloha, page 74
Neither of them did.
But I broke free of Brooks.
I don’t know if I lost him or if he lost me.
I do know it hurt a lot. Every part of being with him hurt. And every part of losing him did, too.
He made me believe in something that was never really there, and then didn’t allow me to find it somewhere else. Not when he’d been able to reel me in with stolen glances and secret letters.
I guess in the end we’d lied too. He lied about it being over, but he didn’t let me go. I lied about moving on, but I couldn’t. And in the end, those lies had become the truth. I thought distance would be what made us move on. Turns out, it was proximity. I needed to be up close to see it all and he needed to see the fallout. And finally, years after the end, we found our finale.
He got over me and I moved on.
Or at least we tried.
Baecation
A Naughty Nerds Short Story
Kimberly Reese
/ˈbā-ˈkā-shən/
noun
: a period of travel or recreational time spent away from home with a romantic partner
Chapter 1
Theo
“Demi,” I hiss. “I don’t kn-know if I c-can do this.”
A beat of silence passes before the familiar sound of an incoming call fills my ear. I pull my phone away and glance down to see a FaceTime request from my best friend filling the screen. I quickly accept it, and her serious, serene face replaces my slightly frantic one.
“Theo, it’s going to be okay.”
“How d-do you know?”
“Trust me, I have a—” She stops, leans closer to her phone, and squints. “Are you on the toilet?”
Of all the times to get distracted. “Yes, but I’m not using it.” I lower my voice even further since I am, in fact, hiding out in Addy’s bathroom.
I showed up at her apartment a few minutes ago and immediately excused myself to the restroom in an attempt to calm my nerves. When splashing cool water on my face didn’t work, I panic texted Demi before giving in to the urge to call her. She’s at her dad’s house or else I would’ve initiated an in-person pep talk back at our place.
I don’t want to risk Addy overhearing this conversation, so I get up to turn on the exhaust fan before moving away from the door and whispering, “In case you can’t tell, I’m k-kinda freaking out.”
“No, I had no idea,” she whispers back dryly. My actions aside, she knows better than anyone how the resurgence of my stutter is a dead giveaway about my state of mind. “Do me a favor and take some deep breaths, please.”
I breathe in through my nose and steadily release the air through my mouth a few times, and working through the familiar exercise helps to somewhat settle my nerves.
“Thanks.”
A small smile lifts the corners of her lips. “Anytime, bestie. Now, I know why you’re nervous, but you have no reason to be. Everything is going to work out beautifully.”
I repeat my question from earlier. “How do you know?”
“I don’t know for sure, but what I meant to say earlier is that I have a feeling. I know deep down, under all those nerves, you feel it too.”
“What if . . .? What if she says . . .?” I stop myself. God, I can’t even finish this train of thought.
“She won’t.” Demi pushes her glasses up her nose and leans in further. “You say you’re not sure if you can do this anymore, but I think you should ask yourself if you still want to do this. Have your reasons for wanting to do this changed?”
There’s no hesitation or doubt. I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life. “Of course, I still want to. I love her, and that will never change.”
“And she loves you. So much.” I know this too, but it still doesn’t alleviate the mild panic.
“What if she thinks it’s too soon?”
“Then you guys wait. You won’t know for sure, though, until you throw it out into the universe. Take the risk.”
Her advice brings to mind Cohen’s words from when we first met. No risk, no reward.
Addy is the greatest reward I could possibly hope to earn, and I’m willing to risk putting myself out there if it means I can spend a lifetime trying to be worthy of her.
“Okay,” I whisper.
Oh, God, this is happening.
“Okay,” she echoes. Her smile is gentle and supportive.
Before either of us can say anything else, Addy’s muffled voice sounds from the other side of the door.
“Hey, hot stuff. When you’re done, could you grab the toiletry kit I left on the counter, please?”
The air leaves my lungs, and I choke out, “S-sure thing.”
“Thanks!” Her footsteps grow fainter as she walks away, and I look down at Demi.
“I’ve gotta go.”
She nods in understanding. “Have fun, stay safe, and have some faith, Theo.”
“You’re not gonna wish me luck?”
“Nope, because you won’t need it. Now, go get your girl, tiger.” Genuine encouragement radiates through the phone and practically smacks me in the face. “Keep me posted!”
With a promise to do just that, I hang up and exit my temporary panic room.
I find Addy in her bedroom packing, and like every time I see her, a warm feeling suffuses my chest. Wordlessly, I walk up to her, wrap my arms around her from behind, and drop the kit she asked for on the bed next to her suitcase.
My lips brush against her neck before I move them up to whisper in her ear. “Hi, beautiful.”
A shiver moves through her body, and my effect on her causes the warmth I feel to settle lower and heat. She makes me just as dizzy as the day she bumped into me over a year and a half ago.
“Hey, you. Everything okay? You disappeared on me almost as soon as you arrived.”
She doesn’t sound upset, just curious, and the squeeze I give echoes the one around my heart.
“Yeah, I just wanted to refresh myself.” She hums and tilts her head to the side as she considers what she has left to pack. “Are you almost ready to go? Is there any way I can help?”
“Yes, actually, there is a way you can help. Mind telling me where we’re going? My curiosity is killing me.”
I scoff lightly and give a playful nip to her shoulder. “Nice try. You’ll find out soon. I can’t really hide where we’re off to once we hit the road.”
“Please?”
For a split second, I almost cave; I want to give her everything, so she’s hard to deny. Ever since I dropped the news we’d be traveling for spring break, she’s been trying to get it out of me.
“Soon, baby. I promise.”
A dramatic sigh leaves her before she playfully wiggles her butt against me, and my blood starts to rush south.
“You sure I can’t convince you?” Her voice is husky, sly, and slightly smug. She knows exactly what she’s doing to me.
I bite back a groan. Correction: she’s really hard to deny. Speaking of hard . . .
“Are you trying to scramble my brain so I tell you?”
She slowly reaches for something that’s farthest from us on the bed and bumps her butt against me again, and I swear I feel a subtle grind.
“Is it working?”
I respond by shifting my hands down to grasp her hips, and instead of pulling away, I tug her closer and rub the evidence of my desire against her. She braces both hands against the bed to keep herself upright, and I smile at her gasp of pleasure.
Another twitch of her hips. “Are you trying to distract me so I stop asking?”
I mirror what she asked a moment ago. “Is it working?”
“Nope, not at all.” Her words and the way she presses back against me say otherwise.
I chuckle as I easily lift her slight weight, spin her around, and deposit her onto the bed so she’s on her back. I lean over her, an arm on either side of her head. Her flushed cheeks and glassy eyes tell me all I need to know.
“Mmhmm,” I hum. “You’ll find out soon enough, baby. We’ve gotta get going.”
She nibbles on her lower lip as she gazes up at me, and I give in to the temptation to kiss her full, supple mouth. When I pull away, her words are breathy.
“Could I get a clue, please?” I debate with myself for a moment, but she makes up my mind for me when she adds, “Tell me what you’re hiding.”
I know she doesn’t mean it in a negative way, just that she’s dying to know what I have planned, but my nerves from earlier start to buzz back to life when I think of what I’m actually hiding. She deserves the best, so I want everything to go perfectly. Besides, as much as my girl begs for details, her love of surprises means she really doesn’t want to know. She lives for the moment when a surprise is unveiled in all its glory and enjoys the push and pull leading up to the big reveal.
I shove my anxiety to the wayside and decide to give her a different truth. I back up until I’m kneeling on the floor and drag her yoga pants and underwear down with me. Her eyes widen in shock and excitement, and she moans when I press a kiss right above her clit. I smile against her skin and take a deep breath against her pussy.
Groaning, I say, “God, you smell so g-good.” I swipe my tongue over her slit, the light pressure more teasing than fulfilling, and close my eyes in pleasure. “You taste even better.”
“Oh, God,” she cries. “I thought we had to go?” It comes out as a question, and the last word drags out when I nuzzle against her.
I peer at the face of my watch before glancing back down at the shining feast before me. Thankfully, we’re only about ten minutes from the airport, so we’ll both benefit from the close proximity.
“We do. We need to be somewhere in less than thirty. Think you can come and finish packing in twenty minutes or less?”
I don’t wait for her response before I start pressing open-mouthed kisses against her pussy. I avoid her clit until she’s squirming, which only takes a few minutes, and a sense of satisfaction washes over me when her hips buck up to meet my mouth. I may still struggle sometimes with words, but the way my body speaks to hers makes up for it; my tongue has definitely found other ways to compensate. When I finally bestow her clit with my attention, Addy makes a keening sound and arches her back off the bed.
“Yes,” she finally pants. “Keep that up, and it’ll be less than five.”
I smile into her pussy and nibble, lick, and suck at her with dedicated fervor until she comes, and I don’t let up until she’s a shuddering, incoherent mess. Needless to say, she’s sufficiently distracted. Hopefully, this pleasure-filled start to our carefully planned trip is a positive sign of things to come.
We make it to the airport with five minutes to spare.
Chapter 2
Addy
“We’re going to Maui?”
If my sweet, thoughtful boyfriend is tired of me asking this question for the umpteenth time, he doesn’t show it. Instead, he lets out a low laugh and gives my hand an affirmative squeeze.
The squeal I let out when I found out at baggage check reached a frequency range I’m sure only dogs could hear, but from Theo’s look of joyful relief, my reaction was what he was hoping for. I probably sound like a broken record at this point, much to the annoyance of our fellow passengers, but I’m beyond thrilled that I’m going to Hawaiʻi with my favorite person.
My enthusiasm isn’t dampened at the prospect of an almost twenty-hour flight with two stops. If anything, the anticipation over what he planned will continue to build.
I squeeze his hand in return. “You’re a sneaky one. I love surprises.”
“I know you do.”
The smug confidence curving his lips is almost as sexy as his bashful smiles. Whatever look he’s sporting, I want to kiss him right on his handsome face, so I do.
“Thank you,” I say sincerely. “You know you didn’t have to do something so extravagant. I would’ve been happy holed up with you in my apartment.”
For someone as extroverted as I am, that’s yet another sign of how much I love this man.
“It’s my pleasure. And I know, but I thought we could use a little escape.”
He doesn’t have to elaborate. Life has been busy in the best way, but busy is still busy.
My recent promotion at the boutique PR firm I’ve been working for since graduation has kept me busy and fulfilled, but even at my busiest, I’m in awe of how Theo handles his schedule.
Between his classes—he took on additional coursework so he can try and graduate early—TA work, and the lessons he occasionally plans and teaches under Professor Wilder’s guidance, I’m surprised he still balances his personal life so well. He spends quality time with loved ones, helps his mom around the house, swims regularly, finds time to get his nerd on, and dedicates every other ounce of free time to our relationship and spending time with me. If I didn’t know better, I’d think he really was a superhero with how he juggles everything. At this point, I wouldn’t be shocked to learn he has a clone or five.
Granted, he’s better than any fictional superhero, but his dedication to everyone and everything he cares about is impressive. If anyone deserves a relaxing getaway, it’s him.
I twist in my seat so I can face him head-on. “Thank you, Theo. I love you.”
My soft words are met with an even softer blush that stains his cheeks.
“I love you too, Addy.”
Our gazes hold, and I soak in the love his stare radiates. I’ve had plenty of guys spout some surface-level bull about how they feel about me, but Theo backs up his words with actions. Outside of family, he’s the first and only person whose love I feel on a cellular level, and it’s the ultimate game changer.
I’m a lucky, lucky girl, and I want him to know I know it.
“I can’t get over how lucky I am to have you in my life.”
His blush deepens, and it’s so endearing and earnest that I want to straddle him and do naughty things that’ll make it stick around longer. In the interest of not getting kicked off this flight at our first layover, I restrain myself and promise to blow his mind later. After all, I still owe him for the orgasm from earlier that left me barely able to walk. He’s proven he’s the best student on all fronts, and I feel the need to reciprocate.
His response shakes me of my dirty thoughts. “That’s how I feel about you.”
He lifts our entwined hands so he can place a kiss where our fingers meet, and the butterflies that never leave me in his presence flutter. I need to distract myself before I drag him into the bathroom to join the Mile High Club.
Don’t end this baecation before it really starts, you perv, I think to myself.
“So, hot stuff, what’s on our itinerary for Maui?”
Theo regards me quietly, a thick brow lifted in consideration. “Do you really want to know?”
My mouth opens but shuts just as quickly as I think carefully about how I want to respond. I love surprises more than anyone, but I don’t think anything can really top finding out about this trip. Besides, the travel duration that didn’t seem like an issue before now sounds interminably long to not know anything.
I settle for getting a tidbit. “What’s one thing you have planned?”
He smirks as he reaches into his backpack, grabs the Venom folder I got him recently, and pulls out a piece of paper. He hands it to me, and once I register what it says, it takes effort to not crinkle it in my enthusiasm.
“We’re going to Kahului Con?” Only our favorite word can convey how ecstatic I feel. “I think I just had a nerdgasm.”
It’s a struggle to keep my voice low. Since our epic first date, going to comic conventions has been our thing. Sometimes we go as a pair, sometimes with Demi, and we always have a blast. I’m proud that I manage to swallow my squeal, but it must be louder than I thought when a dog under a nearby seat whines in response, confirming my suspicion about the decibels my excitement can reach.
Theo busts out laughing, and he quickly presses his face into his hand to try and smother the sound. His wide shoulders shake, and I can’t help but laugh along with him as quietly as I can.
“Y-yes,” he gasps, and I know instantly his stutter is born from his laughter rather than nerves.
“Oh, my God. We’re going to have so much fun. Thank you!” I swivel in my seat so I’m facing forward again, and I pull his arm into me so I can hug it. “I can’t wait to pull up the schedule of events so we can plan around the panels we want to see. Are there any you know you want to add?”
Once his laughter eventually subsides, he leans over, presses a kiss to the top of my head, and lets out a contented sigh.
“I haven’t looked yet, but I’m down for anything as long as it’s with you.”
My heart skips a beat because I feel the same, and considering the beautiful destination we’re headed to, it’s only fitting that I borrow my response from one of my favorite Jack Johnson songs.
“Same. It’s always better when we’re together.”
Chapter 3
Theo
“Oh, my God, my feet.”
Concern and amusement battle each other for supremacy as I watch Addy duck walk around the college where Kahului Con is taking place. It’s the second and last day of the convention, and we haven’t had a moment of respite as we’ve bounced around between panels, photo ops, vendors, and food. We’ve seen all we want to see, spent an obscene amount on souvenirs for ourselves and loved ones, and have just been casually strolling the last hour, so it may be time to call it quits.
“Addy, hold on,” I call out from behind her.
She halts and rotates her weight from hip to hip to try and alleviate the pressure on her feet. I move to stand in front of her and kneel down, arms outstretched behind me in a signal to hop on.
She doesn’t hesitate to press herself against my back and wrap her arms around my neck, and when I grasp her thighs and straighten, her groan of relief is borderline indecent.
But I broke free of Brooks.
I don’t know if I lost him or if he lost me.
I do know it hurt a lot. Every part of being with him hurt. And every part of losing him did, too.
He made me believe in something that was never really there, and then didn’t allow me to find it somewhere else. Not when he’d been able to reel me in with stolen glances and secret letters.
I guess in the end we’d lied too. He lied about it being over, but he didn’t let me go. I lied about moving on, but I couldn’t. And in the end, those lies had become the truth. I thought distance would be what made us move on. Turns out, it was proximity. I needed to be up close to see it all and he needed to see the fallout. And finally, years after the end, we found our finale.
He got over me and I moved on.
Or at least we tried.
Baecation
A Naughty Nerds Short Story
Kimberly Reese
/ˈbā-ˈkā-shən/
noun
: a period of travel or recreational time spent away from home with a romantic partner
Chapter 1
Theo
“Demi,” I hiss. “I don’t kn-know if I c-can do this.”
A beat of silence passes before the familiar sound of an incoming call fills my ear. I pull my phone away and glance down to see a FaceTime request from my best friend filling the screen. I quickly accept it, and her serious, serene face replaces my slightly frantic one.
“Theo, it’s going to be okay.”
“How d-do you know?”
“Trust me, I have a—” She stops, leans closer to her phone, and squints. “Are you on the toilet?”
Of all the times to get distracted. “Yes, but I’m not using it.” I lower my voice even further since I am, in fact, hiding out in Addy’s bathroom.
I showed up at her apartment a few minutes ago and immediately excused myself to the restroom in an attempt to calm my nerves. When splashing cool water on my face didn’t work, I panic texted Demi before giving in to the urge to call her. She’s at her dad’s house or else I would’ve initiated an in-person pep talk back at our place.
I don’t want to risk Addy overhearing this conversation, so I get up to turn on the exhaust fan before moving away from the door and whispering, “In case you can’t tell, I’m k-kinda freaking out.”
“No, I had no idea,” she whispers back dryly. My actions aside, she knows better than anyone how the resurgence of my stutter is a dead giveaway about my state of mind. “Do me a favor and take some deep breaths, please.”
I breathe in through my nose and steadily release the air through my mouth a few times, and working through the familiar exercise helps to somewhat settle my nerves.
“Thanks.”
A small smile lifts the corners of her lips. “Anytime, bestie. Now, I know why you’re nervous, but you have no reason to be. Everything is going to work out beautifully.”
I repeat my question from earlier. “How do you know?”
“I don’t know for sure, but what I meant to say earlier is that I have a feeling. I know deep down, under all those nerves, you feel it too.”
“What if . . .? What if she says . . .?” I stop myself. God, I can’t even finish this train of thought.
“She won’t.” Demi pushes her glasses up her nose and leans in further. “You say you’re not sure if you can do this anymore, but I think you should ask yourself if you still want to do this. Have your reasons for wanting to do this changed?”
There’s no hesitation or doubt. I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life. “Of course, I still want to. I love her, and that will never change.”
“And she loves you. So much.” I know this too, but it still doesn’t alleviate the mild panic.
“What if she thinks it’s too soon?”
“Then you guys wait. You won’t know for sure, though, until you throw it out into the universe. Take the risk.”
Her advice brings to mind Cohen’s words from when we first met. No risk, no reward.
Addy is the greatest reward I could possibly hope to earn, and I’m willing to risk putting myself out there if it means I can spend a lifetime trying to be worthy of her.
“Okay,” I whisper.
Oh, God, this is happening.
“Okay,” she echoes. Her smile is gentle and supportive.
Before either of us can say anything else, Addy’s muffled voice sounds from the other side of the door.
“Hey, hot stuff. When you’re done, could you grab the toiletry kit I left on the counter, please?”
The air leaves my lungs, and I choke out, “S-sure thing.”
“Thanks!” Her footsteps grow fainter as she walks away, and I look down at Demi.
“I’ve gotta go.”
She nods in understanding. “Have fun, stay safe, and have some faith, Theo.”
“You’re not gonna wish me luck?”
“Nope, because you won’t need it. Now, go get your girl, tiger.” Genuine encouragement radiates through the phone and practically smacks me in the face. “Keep me posted!”
With a promise to do just that, I hang up and exit my temporary panic room.
I find Addy in her bedroom packing, and like every time I see her, a warm feeling suffuses my chest. Wordlessly, I walk up to her, wrap my arms around her from behind, and drop the kit she asked for on the bed next to her suitcase.
My lips brush against her neck before I move them up to whisper in her ear. “Hi, beautiful.”
A shiver moves through her body, and my effect on her causes the warmth I feel to settle lower and heat. She makes me just as dizzy as the day she bumped into me over a year and a half ago.
“Hey, you. Everything okay? You disappeared on me almost as soon as you arrived.”
She doesn’t sound upset, just curious, and the squeeze I give echoes the one around my heart.
“Yeah, I just wanted to refresh myself.” She hums and tilts her head to the side as she considers what she has left to pack. “Are you almost ready to go? Is there any way I can help?”
“Yes, actually, there is a way you can help. Mind telling me where we’re going? My curiosity is killing me.”
I scoff lightly and give a playful nip to her shoulder. “Nice try. You’ll find out soon. I can’t really hide where we’re off to once we hit the road.”
“Please?”
For a split second, I almost cave; I want to give her everything, so she’s hard to deny. Ever since I dropped the news we’d be traveling for spring break, she’s been trying to get it out of me.
“Soon, baby. I promise.”
A dramatic sigh leaves her before she playfully wiggles her butt against me, and my blood starts to rush south.
“You sure I can’t convince you?” Her voice is husky, sly, and slightly smug. She knows exactly what she’s doing to me.
I bite back a groan. Correction: she’s really hard to deny. Speaking of hard . . .
“Are you trying to scramble my brain so I tell you?”
She slowly reaches for something that’s farthest from us on the bed and bumps her butt against me again, and I swear I feel a subtle grind.
“Is it working?”
I respond by shifting my hands down to grasp her hips, and instead of pulling away, I tug her closer and rub the evidence of my desire against her. She braces both hands against the bed to keep herself upright, and I smile at her gasp of pleasure.
Another twitch of her hips. “Are you trying to distract me so I stop asking?”
I mirror what she asked a moment ago. “Is it working?”
“Nope, not at all.” Her words and the way she presses back against me say otherwise.
I chuckle as I easily lift her slight weight, spin her around, and deposit her onto the bed so she’s on her back. I lean over her, an arm on either side of her head. Her flushed cheeks and glassy eyes tell me all I need to know.
“Mmhmm,” I hum. “You’ll find out soon enough, baby. We’ve gotta get going.”
She nibbles on her lower lip as she gazes up at me, and I give in to the temptation to kiss her full, supple mouth. When I pull away, her words are breathy.
“Could I get a clue, please?” I debate with myself for a moment, but she makes up my mind for me when she adds, “Tell me what you’re hiding.”
I know she doesn’t mean it in a negative way, just that she’s dying to know what I have planned, but my nerves from earlier start to buzz back to life when I think of what I’m actually hiding. She deserves the best, so I want everything to go perfectly. Besides, as much as my girl begs for details, her love of surprises means she really doesn’t want to know. She lives for the moment when a surprise is unveiled in all its glory and enjoys the push and pull leading up to the big reveal.
I shove my anxiety to the wayside and decide to give her a different truth. I back up until I’m kneeling on the floor and drag her yoga pants and underwear down with me. Her eyes widen in shock and excitement, and she moans when I press a kiss right above her clit. I smile against her skin and take a deep breath against her pussy.
Groaning, I say, “God, you smell so g-good.” I swipe my tongue over her slit, the light pressure more teasing than fulfilling, and close my eyes in pleasure. “You taste even better.”
“Oh, God,” she cries. “I thought we had to go?” It comes out as a question, and the last word drags out when I nuzzle against her.
I peer at the face of my watch before glancing back down at the shining feast before me. Thankfully, we’re only about ten minutes from the airport, so we’ll both benefit from the close proximity.
“We do. We need to be somewhere in less than thirty. Think you can come and finish packing in twenty minutes or less?”
I don’t wait for her response before I start pressing open-mouthed kisses against her pussy. I avoid her clit until she’s squirming, which only takes a few minutes, and a sense of satisfaction washes over me when her hips buck up to meet my mouth. I may still struggle sometimes with words, but the way my body speaks to hers makes up for it; my tongue has definitely found other ways to compensate. When I finally bestow her clit with my attention, Addy makes a keening sound and arches her back off the bed.
“Yes,” she finally pants. “Keep that up, and it’ll be less than five.”
I smile into her pussy and nibble, lick, and suck at her with dedicated fervor until she comes, and I don’t let up until she’s a shuddering, incoherent mess. Needless to say, she’s sufficiently distracted. Hopefully, this pleasure-filled start to our carefully planned trip is a positive sign of things to come.
We make it to the airport with five minutes to spare.
Chapter 2
Addy
“We’re going to Maui?”
If my sweet, thoughtful boyfriend is tired of me asking this question for the umpteenth time, he doesn’t show it. Instead, he lets out a low laugh and gives my hand an affirmative squeeze.
The squeal I let out when I found out at baggage check reached a frequency range I’m sure only dogs could hear, but from Theo’s look of joyful relief, my reaction was what he was hoping for. I probably sound like a broken record at this point, much to the annoyance of our fellow passengers, but I’m beyond thrilled that I’m going to Hawaiʻi with my favorite person.
My enthusiasm isn’t dampened at the prospect of an almost twenty-hour flight with two stops. If anything, the anticipation over what he planned will continue to build.
I squeeze his hand in return. “You’re a sneaky one. I love surprises.”
“I know you do.”
The smug confidence curving his lips is almost as sexy as his bashful smiles. Whatever look he’s sporting, I want to kiss him right on his handsome face, so I do.
“Thank you,” I say sincerely. “You know you didn’t have to do something so extravagant. I would’ve been happy holed up with you in my apartment.”
For someone as extroverted as I am, that’s yet another sign of how much I love this man.
“It’s my pleasure. And I know, but I thought we could use a little escape.”
He doesn’t have to elaborate. Life has been busy in the best way, but busy is still busy.
My recent promotion at the boutique PR firm I’ve been working for since graduation has kept me busy and fulfilled, but even at my busiest, I’m in awe of how Theo handles his schedule.
Between his classes—he took on additional coursework so he can try and graduate early—TA work, and the lessons he occasionally plans and teaches under Professor Wilder’s guidance, I’m surprised he still balances his personal life so well. He spends quality time with loved ones, helps his mom around the house, swims regularly, finds time to get his nerd on, and dedicates every other ounce of free time to our relationship and spending time with me. If I didn’t know better, I’d think he really was a superhero with how he juggles everything. At this point, I wouldn’t be shocked to learn he has a clone or five.
Granted, he’s better than any fictional superhero, but his dedication to everyone and everything he cares about is impressive. If anyone deserves a relaxing getaway, it’s him.
I twist in my seat so I can face him head-on. “Thank you, Theo. I love you.”
My soft words are met with an even softer blush that stains his cheeks.
“I love you too, Addy.”
Our gazes hold, and I soak in the love his stare radiates. I’ve had plenty of guys spout some surface-level bull about how they feel about me, but Theo backs up his words with actions. Outside of family, he’s the first and only person whose love I feel on a cellular level, and it’s the ultimate game changer.
I’m a lucky, lucky girl, and I want him to know I know it.
“I can’t get over how lucky I am to have you in my life.”
His blush deepens, and it’s so endearing and earnest that I want to straddle him and do naughty things that’ll make it stick around longer. In the interest of not getting kicked off this flight at our first layover, I restrain myself and promise to blow his mind later. After all, I still owe him for the orgasm from earlier that left me barely able to walk. He’s proven he’s the best student on all fronts, and I feel the need to reciprocate.
His response shakes me of my dirty thoughts. “That’s how I feel about you.”
He lifts our entwined hands so he can place a kiss where our fingers meet, and the butterflies that never leave me in his presence flutter. I need to distract myself before I drag him into the bathroom to join the Mile High Club.
Don’t end this baecation before it really starts, you perv, I think to myself.
“So, hot stuff, what’s on our itinerary for Maui?”
Theo regards me quietly, a thick brow lifted in consideration. “Do you really want to know?”
My mouth opens but shuts just as quickly as I think carefully about how I want to respond. I love surprises more than anyone, but I don’t think anything can really top finding out about this trip. Besides, the travel duration that didn’t seem like an issue before now sounds interminably long to not know anything.
I settle for getting a tidbit. “What’s one thing you have planned?”
He smirks as he reaches into his backpack, grabs the Venom folder I got him recently, and pulls out a piece of paper. He hands it to me, and once I register what it says, it takes effort to not crinkle it in my enthusiasm.
“We’re going to Kahului Con?” Only our favorite word can convey how ecstatic I feel. “I think I just had a nerdgasm.”
It’s a struggle to keep my voice low. Since our epic first date, going to comic conventions has been our thing. Sometimes we go as a pair, sometimes with Demi, and we always have a blast. I’m proud that I manage to swallow my squeal, but it must be louder than I thought when a dog under a nearby seat whines in response, confirming my suspicion about the decibels my excitement can reach.
Theo busts out laughing, and he quickly presses his face into his hand to try and smother the sound. His wide shoulders shake, and I can’t help but laugh along with him as quietly as I can.
“Y-yes,” he gasps, and I know instantly his stutter is born from his laughter rather than nerves.
“Oh, my God. We’re going to have so much fun. Thank you!” I swivel in my seat so I’m facing forward again, and I pull his arm into me so I can hug it. “I can’t wait to pull up the schedule of events so we can plan around the panels we want to see. Are there any you know you want to add?”
Once his laughter eventually subsides, he leans over, presses a kiss to the top of my head, and lets out a contented sigh.
“I haven’t looked yet, but I’m down for anything as long as it’s with you.”
My heart skips a beat because I feel the same, and considering the beautiful destination we’re headed to, it’s only fitting that I borrow my response from one of my favorite Jack Johnson songs.
“Same. It’s always better when we’re together.”
Chapter 3
Theo
“Oh, my God, my feet.”
Concern and amusement battle each other for supremacy as I watch Addy duck walk around the college where Kahului Con is taking place. It’s the second and last day of the convention, and we haven’t had a moment of respite as we’ve bounced around between panels, photo ops, vendors, and food. We’ve seen all we want to see, spent an obscene amount on souvenirs for ourselves and loved ones, and have just been casually strolling the last hour, so it may be time to call it quits.
“Addy, hold on,” I call out from behind her.
She halts and rotates her weight from hip to hip to try and alleviate the pressure on her feet. I move to stand in front of her and kneel down, arms outstretched behind me in a signal to hop on.
She doesn’t hesitate to press herself against my back and wrap her arms around my neck, and when I grasp her thighs and straighten, her groan of relief is borderline indecent.
