Free Eternal Starling (Emblem of Eternity Trilogy) by Angela Corbett

stared at me in disbelief. “You know where that was heading.”
    I looked away. At some point, I knew I would consider having sex with Alex, but I didn’t want to confuse the relationship by moving too fast. I wished Alex would give me some credit; I wasn’t completely void of self-control. But maybe it was Alex who would have lost control? The thought made me strangely euphoric.
    Alex spoke again, his voice was soft and the words seemed difficult for him to say. “What I mean is that there’s a lot going on right now. I don’t think we should take that step yet.”
    I scowled at him. “What could possibly be going on that has anything to do with this?”
    “More than you realize.”
    I gritted my teeth. “I don’t think we should be going that far yet either. But you’re making such a big deal out of kissing, I wonder if you’ll ever want anything more with me.”
    Alex looked at me like I’d lost my mind. “Don’t be ridiculous. I am absolutely sure I want this as much, no more, than you do. You have no idea. . .” He mumbled something under his breath that I couldn’t hear and gazed at the blank white wall across the room. He shifted his eyes back to me. “I promise; I want to be with you more than anything—but not yet.”
    At least we were making some progress. “If not now, when?” I asked.
    “I’m not sure. But I hope it will be sooner than later.”
    I frowned. “That makes two of us. So, now kissing is off-limits?”
    “No. We— I —just need to be more careful.”
    He moved closer and reached for me, wrapping his arms around my shoulders and pulling me into his chest. He gave a happy sigh as he pressed his lips to my neck whispering in my ear, “You have no idea how long I’ve waited for that kiss.”

Chapter 5
     
    It didn’t take long for Alex and me to realize that we needed to keep ourselves busy or we’d end up on the living room floor again. Over the next week, we watched every movie playing at the theater, washed both of our cars, baked cookies, and even toilet papered Jasmine’s bedroom. By Saturday, we’d exhausted our activity database. Instead, we decided to drive downtown and get ice cream—in Alex’s Audi, of course. We pulled into the parking lot of the ice cream parlor and Alex opened the car door for me. The action, courteous or not, made me feel helpless and I didn’t like it.
    “Thanks,” I mumbled as he closed the door.
    He smiled as he placed a hand on my lower back, guiding me to the front of the shop. “You’re welcome,” he said, adding, “even if you don’t mean it.”
    I reiterated my opinion, which he already knew. “I appreciate the gesture, not the meaning behind it.”
    “The meaning is a matter of interpretation,” he said as he opened the ice cream shop door for me too.
    After several tastings, we placed our order. I got mint chocolate chip in a waffle cone and Alex decided on dark chocolate in a bowl. I stepped to the cash register to pay for the treat, but Alex cut me off, handing the guy at the register fifty bucks and telling him to keep the change. I squeezed my lips and pulled my eyebrows together in a scowl; once again, Alex wasn’t letting me pull my own weight. In my mind, his trust fund wasn’t an excuse for him to pay for everything we did together. As we walked out of the store, I turned to him. “You realize the tip you gave that guy was enough to buy fifteen ice cream cones?
    He shrugged. “He was doing a good job. Plus, I doubt many people tip them.”
    I licked my ice cream and arched an eyebrow. “Not like that I’m sure.” We were approaching Alex’s Audi, but I didn’t feel like going back to my house. “Do you want to eat at the park?” I asked.
    “Sure,” he said, reaching for my hand. It still sent tingles through my body and heat over my lily birthmark every time he touched me. I hoped the feeling would never go away.
    We walked in silence until we came to a secluded park bench surrounded by trees and