New songs added to our playlist 🖤🎼

"A date?" Ma questions with a quirked eyebrow.

"That's what he said."

"How very... formal of him," she smiles.

"I'm feeling kind of nervous?" I say to her in confusion. "I don't know why."

She leans onto the kitchen bench and smooths out the tea-towel across the surface as she thinks for a moment.

"Maybe because this is the first time you two are being 'normal'," she replies using quotation marks. "'Normal' isn't the right word but you know what I mean."

"Yeah," I mutter. "It's a bit scary, being out in the open now. If we fight, everyone is going to know about it."

"That's normal, honey," she smiles. "No relationship is perfect."

I finish my beer and Ma swipes at the bottle and tosses it into the recycling bin. She said I'm allowed to have one.

"Another?" I tease.

She shakes her head. "Not for you."

I pout. "No fun."

"You look very handsome tonight," she compliments. "That blue looks great on you."

"You reckon?" I ask, looking down at my outfit.

I'm wearing a button up shirt and dress shoes. I settled with dark-wash jeans though, not to look too over-the-top. It's hard to predict what Jake is going to wear but I'm sure he will be in his trademark slit-at-the-knee jeans.

"Definitely," she nods. "What time is he coming?"

"Seven," I answer, glancing to the wall clock, which reveals its quarter-to.

I drum my fingers against the bench top as I watch the clock tick.

"Don't be nervous, Cal, it's just Jake," she says.

I give her a crooked grin. Little does she know how nervous this boy makes me. I'm wondering if I ever won't feel nervous around him.

A knock at the front door startles me. Ma gives me a broad grin.

"Have fun!"

I grab my coat, flinging it over my arm, before I walk to the door. Jake stands there with an adorable smile on his face. He's dressed in a dark grey button-up shirt and I grin when I see it's paired with his signature ripped jeans. He looks stylish, hot and bad ass, all at the same time. Everything I want, wrapped up in a neat package.

"You look hot," I state matter-of-factly.

He smiles, combing his hand through his hair. "Didn't really know what to wear on a date."

"What you're wearing is perfect," I say, leaning in and stealing a kiss from him.

He captures my face as I lean back, to kiss me a little longer. I press my forehead to his, our breaths mingling.

"I love you," I tell him. "Thank you. For everything."

He kisses me once more, before threading his fingers through mine. "I love you, too, shithead."

I roll my eyes. And that's Jake.

***

Dinner goes by quickly.

It's so nice to see him relaxed and carefree. He doesn't care about being seen anymore. The first hurdle of coming out is over and now we can finally be free. He's still a little hesitant to hold hands and whatnot in public, which is perfectly understandable because it's all new to me, too.

It's been interesting to compare this date to my one with Rhett. Rhett ticked all the right boxes, did everything by the book, but it still doesn't compare to this. I can't quite describe my reasoning, but when I look at Jake, nothing else matters.

We walk out onto the street, the cool night air washing over us. I hug my coat tighter to me, meanwhile Jake pushes his sleeves up, his cheeks flushed. The wind ruffles through his hair and I can't help but push him against the side of the restaurant and make out with him.

We take a long walk through town, past the skate park where we used to hang out, through to the rock wall and down to the beach. The wind is viciously cold but I don't mind. Spending time with Jake is my favourite thing to do, I don't care about anything else.

"I've been thinking about something for a while now," Jake says after there's the first lapse in conversation that we've had all night. I glance to him, digging my hands into my pockets. "I kind of want to go visit dad."

We've reached the end of the beach and I lean against one of the large rocks at the end, mulling over his words.

"Have you visited him before? Since he got sentenced?"

"No. It's been a few years now... a part of me is curious to see if he's changed at all. It's probably a stupid thing to think."

I shake my head. "He's your dad. It's not stupid to want to hope for the best."

"I think about the fact that your dad is dead and you'll never have a relationship with him and it always makes me wonder whether I'm being really selfish, not trying with mine?"

I try not to show the shock I'm feeling. For Jake to open up about something like this is huge. Knowing I'm the only person he would ever talk to about this makes me feel pretty damn special, too.

"I think it's fair if you don't ever see him, considering the hell he put you through. But I also think it's understandable that you'd want to. I guess it's up to you and what you think is best for you."

"Would you come with me?" he asks, finally looking up from the ground.

"If you want me there, I'm there."

He pushes from the rock he's on and comes to sit beside me. He leans his head onto my shoulder, lightly tracing his finger over my knuckles. I wrap my arm around him, securely tucking him in to my side.

"I want to ask Haze to come but I don't think he will."

"You can always ask. Worst he's going to say is no."

"True."

"If you decide this is something you want to do, J, I'll support you," I say to him.

"You're the best. Thanks for not freaking out."

I lean over, giving him a kiss on the cheek. We begin to walk back across the beach. The waves tumble loudly beside us and I gaze out at it. I wish it was warmer, so we could swim.

"One of my cousins got engaged," I say. "Going to get married right down south. It'll be such an amazing wedding."

"When is it?"

"Not for ages, they want to be engaged for a year or two. This is thinking ahead really far, but when it comes around, we should go for a road trip around there and then on the way home, go to the wedding."

"That would be awesome."

"Gives us plenty of time to save for it," I say.

"Even better."

We get back to the restaurant and pile into Jake's truck. I adjust the heat so that it's on full ball. I rub my hands together and hold them over the vents.

The house is dark when we get home. Jake squints through the windscreen as he pulls into the driveway.

"Is your Ma out?"

"She's going salsa dancing with the ladies from book club," I say with a laugh. "I love that she's out there doing so much now. She never did anything like that when Pa was here."

"Good on her," he says.

"Yeah. Want to come in?"

Jake's buckle is unclipped before I even finish my sentence. I grin at him as I slide out of the car.

"There's an apple pie in the fridge, if you feel like dessert," I say, flicking on the lights.

"Oh yum," Jake makes a beeline for the fridge.

I dart upstairs and begin to frantically light the candles that I organised pre-date. After I light them up, I head back down stairs, the reality of what is probably going to happen next sinking in, making me feel sick with nerves. But also extremely excited.

"Good?" I ask.

"Try it," he says.

I lean across the bench and he spoon-feeds me. Our eyes are locked on each other and I slowly lick the spoon clean.

"Mmm," I smile, licking it once more.

Jake slaps the spoon from my hand and almost knocks me over as he kisses me. I kiss him just as hard back, our bodies pressed tightly against the other's. We stumble through the house, barely pausing to take a breath. I'm mounting the stairs backwards as he kisses me. Somehow, we don't end up in a tangled mess. He pushes me through my door and finally pauses, his wide-eyes roaming the room.

"Oh," he says, looking at the candles. My room is a golden glow. I flick my stereo on, a soft hum of music playing from the speakers. Jake turns to me, his beautiful smile on his face. The one I adore so much. "This is it. The perfect moment."

I nod. "Finally."

"That's an understatement," he grins.

He places my head between his hands and kisses me slow, long and hard. I fumble for his shirt and begin to unbutton it. I can feel the strong, fast beat of his heart. Once all the buttons are undone, I skim my hands over his hard abs, loving the feel of his warmth and strength underneath my fingers.

He gently pushes me and when the back of my knees hit the mattress, I let myself fall. I tug at my buttons, my hands trembling. With ease, he expertly unbuttons them for me. The silk material slips off my shoulders. I toss it to the side and Jake's eyes drink me in, his lips parting.

"Fuck," he breathes.

We're kissing again and this time it's different. There's no stopping now. The rest of our clothes fall off us in smooth movements. His skin on mine is the best feeling in the world. His hands down my body make me feel things I've never felt before.

"I've wanted this for so long," he whispers, our foreheads touching, his warm breath on my lips.

I try to capture each moment in my mind so that I'll never forget one second of this.

"Me too."

"I love you so damn much."

I kiss him so hard that my head spins. "I love you more."

"Impossible."

He trails his finger down the side of my face. "Are you ready?"

I nod, smiling at him. "Hell yeah."

------------------

I don't know how to write a boyxboy sex scene soooo I'm gunna just leave that there, sorry. Maybe that's something I can work towards for the sequel. Anyway, I hope you enjoy nonetheless ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

Instagram: laurenj_22

Snapchat: laurenj_22