“Go home!” I cry, shoving his shoulder and taking a step backward.

He catches my hand before it falls to my side and tugs me forward, his playful smile growing. “We’re going to have really hot make-up sex one day when I get your panties all tied up in a knot like this.”

“Don’t count on it. Plan to make up for it with gummy bears and new charcoals.”

“I can do that too.” He kisses me again, the edge of the hunger returning in a much smaller degree that poses as a challenge, one I want to meet. Before I can, he pulls away. “I don’t want to wake her up,” King says, looking over my shoulder at Kenzie’s bed. “Get some sleep and text me tomorrow.”

“I thought you were calling me.”

“I am.” King moves his left hand from my hip and coasts it along my jaw. “Don’t look at me like that. For six months I’ve wanted to see your name light up across my screen multiple times a day. Granted, there are many other things I’ve been wishing to see as well … but we’ll address those hopefully in the near future.” His eyebrows do one quick dance to ensure I catch his intent that has me laughing.

“Thanks for coming.”

“If you need anything while I’m gone—”

“I won’t. I swear I’m capable.”

His eyes tell me he wants to argue with me, but he obliges and gives me one last lingering kiss. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

I TRY to ignore my phone to see if King texts me as I sit in the theater. I’ve carefully propped it in my bag so I can see if the little light goes off, alerting me to a message, but Allie spent the drive here and previews explaining to me how she’s felt ignored and forgotten since Charleigh began dating Brandon. I hate that I understand both of their sides so intimately.

King knows I’m here and I doubt that I’ll hear from him because yesterday when I told him I was going to be working on my portfolio, he didn’t say anything but to enjoy and to send him a few pictures of my work afterward so he could share them. He remained silent for the four hours I worked, creating a picture of his face that I was only able to capture the slightest hint of the lust and longing his eyes had exposed. When I sent him a picture of it, he called within seconds and much to my surprise, we talked for hours. He explained that his meeting had been rescheduled for the next day due to a partner having a family emergency, and that he’d spent the afternoon wandering through Pike’s Place Market, comparing my artwork to others who set up small kiosks and stands where people could have their face drawn for a small fee. We talked about my submission for Italy, and the heels I promised to wear for the next two weeks, into a slightly more substantial discussion about my design for the shop. There were durations of silence we shared as we sought new topics, but neither of us seemed willing to end the conversation. It didn’t matter that we had nothing to share, or that the footing was slightly uncomfortable, sharing our silence was more than enough.

This morning he called after hitting the hotel’s gym, something that is as foreign as Mars for me. Vacation has never equated a workout in my book. We were more flirtatious this morning, our comments daring to cross back over that slight barrier we’ve built up over the past six months until they were nearly forgotten.

I feel like I can’t focus on a single thing other than him. Like every minute detail reminds me of him. I want to tell him about everything I’m seeing and doing. The buzz of anticipation of seeing King tomorrow has my muscles tight and my steps giddy. My chest feels tight with the expansion of swarming thoughts and thrills running through my imagination. New pictures of King are being painted and sketched at nearly every second. And I love every single bit of what I’m feeling.

“Looo.”

I turn in my seat and blink several times to focus on Allie beside me. “Sorry, I’m in creative land.”

“No, you’re in King-dom.” Allie sits back in her seat, her eyes reflecting a sad smile.

“I’m sorry. I swear, I’m having a good time. I want to be here with you.”

“I’m not comparing what you’re experiencing to Charleigh. She just met this guy; you’ve known King for months. Plus she and I have been best friends since freshman year.”

I know she’s justifying her thoughts verbally and that it shouldn’t hurt that she’s said what I’ve already known. But a piece of me envies their relationship. I wish I had someone I could share everything that I’m feeling about King with. “You should tell Charleigh how you’re feeling. I’m sure she’s just caught up in that haze that makes us all a little crazy at the beginning. I know I’m lost in that same fog.”

“But you aren’t giving everything up for him, and you actually know him!” The theater is emptying around us for the intermission between films, and while my mind is itching to see if I’ve heard anything from King, my eyes keep hers, seeing the pain this is inflicting upon her. “Plus, King’s hot. Anyone would be lost in a fog with him.”

“I think King could be scrawny and look sixteen and I’d probably be just as lost.”

“You haven’t seen Brandon, Lo. I’m not kidding when I tell you he looks young.”

“I believe you. I just know that what I feel for King is so much more than physical, I don’t think it would matter.”

She huffs out a reply that tells me she wasn’t looking for anything more than someone to listen to her woes, which makes me feel guilty because I understand that yearning. We don’t always need someone to put things back together for us. Sometimes we just need someone to try to understand our pains and frustrations and validate that what we’re feeling is okay.

“I’m sorry,” I say, reaching across the double armrest and placing my hand on hers. “You’re right. She’s gone to some pretty hefty extremes, and your concern for her and her future is completely justified. You guys are best friends, and while she has a shiny new toy that is fun to play with, she shouldn’t abandon everything else.”

“Exactly!” Allie cries. “What if they break up in a month? What is she going to do? Even if it’s in a year or ten years, she’s still missed this opportunity to follow her dreams.”

I don’t allow the rebuttals in my head to become clear. I simply nod in agreement and settle back into my seat as the next movie’s previews begin.

After the second movie, I take a little extra time in the restroom to check my phone for any missed calls or texts. There aren’t any, and it makes Allie’s previous sentiments more understandable.

I DON’T take the time to see who’s calling before I answer. It’s late, and though I’m not sure if Kenzie is home tonight, I feel bad that my phone likely just woke her. “Hello?”

“Are you okay?”

I scrunch my eyes and blink several times before narrowing them and focusing on the alarm clock that’s too bright to clearly view.

“Lo?” The concern in his voice is heightened.

“I’m fine, just sleeping. What’s wrong?” My groggy thoughts are beginning to shift at a quicker speed, traveling directly to Mercedes.

“You said you were going to let me know when you got home.”

I look over to Kenzie’s side of the room as I sit up further and see her bed is vacant. “Sorry, I was hanging out with Allie and then got some work done with my portfolio and just lost track of time.” I’m lying through my teeth. After the third movie with Allie, we did spend some more time together, but my phone was set to the loudest ringtone, and then I went up to my apartment where I attempted to work as the phone stared at me.

At one point I got so desperate I went back downstairs and asked Allie to text me to ensure my phone was actually working—it was. I spent another couple of hours mindlessly flipping through channels until I gave up and went to bed.