Free Summer Apart by Amy Sparling Page B

wearing a motocross shirt I’ve seen before, only know it’s budging around his biceps and chest. If my knees weren’t already weak from the nerves, they’d be practically collapsing as I take in the sight of something I hadn’t thought was possible: Park got hotter.
    “Hey, Becca.” He runs a hand through his hair as he stares down at me, letting his elbow hover in the air a moment while he grips the back of his neck. I’ve always loved his forearms, the way his veins stick out when he flexes. Now, the effect is doubled.
    “Hi, Park,” I say, gnawing on my bottom lip.
    He takes a step closer to me. “You look beautiful. As always.”
    I swallow, feeling blood rush to my cheeks. “You look…big.”
    He laughs and glances down at himself for a moment. “I’ve been working out a lot,” he admits, taking another step toward me. My legs might seriously turn to mush any second now. I back against my car, keeping the door open as a barrier between us. I’m afraid if there wasn’t a massive piece of metal in front of me, I might dive straight into Park’s arms and beg him to take me right here on the concrete.
    “I can tell,” I say quietly, letting my eyes rake over his gorgeous sculpted body.
    He shrugs. “It’s the only thing I can do to avoid going crazy. Working out and racing.”
    “Why would you go crazy?” I ask. My fingers tighten over the top of the car door. Surely he can see my heart pounding through my chest. I watch his chest, watch the muscles tighten under his shirt as he takes another step forward. I can’t see if his heart is racing, but I hope it is. Otherwise, I’m getting the wrong idea about what’s going on right now.
    “Becca,” he says, stopping to inhale a deep breath. “I can’t live without you. I can’t be without you. These last weeks without have killed me. I learned things about myself that I had no idea existed—like how I am completely and totally in love with you.”
    I realize my mouth has been open this entire time, so I close it. Park takes one final step forward, taking my hand and gently pulling me to the left until I’m clear of my car’s door. Carefully, hesitantly, his other hand slides around my waist. As much as I want to wrap my arms around his neck, I keep my hands firmly at my sides. Park still has explaining to do, and I want to hear every word of it.
    “It’s true, Becca. I swear on my life it’s true.” The warmth of his hands pressing into my back lulls me into a sense of security that I haven’t felt in a long time.
    “Why am I supposed to believe you?” The words are out of my mouth before I realize what I’m saying. But good for me. I need to question him. I can’t just take him back at the drop of a hat—he has to prove that he’s real.
    “I haven’t so much as looked at another girl in months,” he says, his eyes never leaving mine. “That stupid photo online was nothing. Her dad works for Cycle-R Industries and she said I should go to this corporate party with her to get a leg up on my career. I didn’t realize she had planned on the paparazzi to be there, documenting what looked like a date just so she could piss off her ex-boyfriend. And I’m sorry I was an ass about it last time. I just wanted you to trust me and believe me at my word. I want you to know that I would never lie to you, and when you didn’t well—” He sighs. “I’m sorry. I should have explained back then. Instead I lost my temper and lost you in the process.”
    “How often are you going to lose your temper now?” I fold my arms across my chest to let him know I’m serious. His eyes plead with mine.
    “Never again. I swear on my life. I’ll let you know everything that happens with me from now on. And I’ll sure as hell never go anywhere with any girl again. I need you in my life. I want to tell the entire world that you’re mine and that I have no intention of ever dating anyone else again.”
    “That sounds…” I say slowly, letting him