Free Hotbox by Delia Delaney Page B

parking lot .
              “ What? Why are you apologizing? You’re right; y ou do n’t even know what happened. W hat are you sorry for? Aaron’s a jerk .”
    “This always happens. Always. I’m so tired of it. I can’t even have a stupi d boyfriend without there being egos and… Chris every time…”
    I stopped where we were, right in the middle of the parking lot. “Now I’m stupid?” I asked with a smile.
    She laughed and shook her head . “Ty, t hat’s not what I meant.”
    “I know. I just wanted to see you smile again.”
    She locked her eyes with mine and wrapped her arms around my neck. “You always make me smile,” she said.
    I leaned down and kissed her. It quickly became more passionate than what I was used to with her so far , and I was a little surprised we were almost making out in the parking lot.
    “Okay,” I exhaled, pulling away from her. “I should probably take you home.”
    “I don’t want to go home.”
    “Where do you want to go?” Based on the way we’d been kissing, I was afraid she would say she wanted to go home with me .
    “I want ice cream,” she smiled.
    “Ice cream? It’s midnight. What’s open?”
    “The grocery store. I want Ben & Jerry’s C hocolate Fudge Brownie .”
    I laughed and took her hand. “Okay, rock star. Let’s get you some ice cream.”
     
     
     
    I knew I was break ing curfew again, but being with Jayden took priority over anything. The next day was Sunday , and I could be with her all day if she agreed, but it was just so hard to end the night.
    “I really should take you home so your dad doesn’t worry,” I told her. We were sitting in my truck, parked at the river. She was nestled in my arm with her head against my neck .
    “ My car is at Cali’s, so I’ll probably just stay there tonight . And I’m not sixteen, Ty. Yeah I still live in my dad’s house, but I’m free to have my own life, you know. ”
              Oh, boy. Did I really want to risk having Judge Adams find out his daughter was not at the Davis ’s? How far would he go to hunt me down?
    “Well if that’s where I’ll be taking you, then I should probably get you there. ”
    “Are you trying to get rid of me?” she lightly laughed.
    “N o way. But I don’t want the entire police force out looking for you.”
    She sat up straighter and stared at me. I wasn’t sure what I saw in her eyes through the moonlight, but she looked a little sad. “Well, what are you doing tomorrow?” she finally asked.
    “That’s easy. If I can’t spend it with you, I’ll be thinking of you.”
    She smiled . “I would love it if you spent it with me. I’m busy in the morning, but after that I’m free. ”
    “All right, it’s a date.”
    I pulled her close again and kissed her. That incredible rush surged through me once more and I found myself completely lost in the moment. She kissed me like she did in the parking lot earlier, but this time my hands probably explored more than they should have . She suddenly stopped.
              “Ty,” she breathed.
    “Okay.” I moved away from her and let out a breath of air. I had pushed my luck and instantly regretted it. “I’m so sorry,” I told her. “I got a little carried away.”
    “It’s okay,” she smiled, “s o did I. I ju st… I’m not…”
    Her phone rang and I think she was relieved. I was sure she was going to tell me I wasn’t about to get lucky any day soon. I hoped she didn’t think I was that kind of guy .
    “Okay,” she was saying to Cali, “I’m on my way.” She hung up and smiled at me. “They’re just leaving the club , so I’m going to head to her house.”
    “Sure,” I nodded.
    I started the engine and pulled out of the parking lot. She slid to the passenger’s seat and buckled her seatbelt, and then took my hand in hers.
    It had been an interesting night to say the least, and if I had been able to predict certain things to happen, I would