"UM..." AVERY CLEARED HER throat aloud. "Excuse me, you guys. Do you want us to call security so they can clear the airport for you?"

Auntie Jenny burst into laughter. I pushed my face closer to Art's chest, not wanting to show my face. I felt him kiss the top of my head.

If before coming here, I was a ball of nerves; the words happiness and love weren't enough to tell what I was feeling inside. If being enclosed in the warm arms of the man that made me feel this unexplainable swirl of emotions would best describe those two words, I couldn't care less what this feeling should be called.

"Let's continue this later," Art whispered before he freed me from his embrace.

As we all walked toward the lounge exit to the parking area, I felt the bursting feeling of the same unexplained emotions. I know it was still daytime. And if this is me daydreaming, I wouldn't want to quit it.

***

"Art seemed different. But good different." Avery said while we were transferring our clothes from our luggage to the wardrobe.

We were inside the guestroom in Auntie Jenny's ancestral home. The mother and son decided to go grocery shopping while Avery and I settled in the room we would share for the rest of our stay.

I glanced at Avery. "What do you mean good different?"

Unconsciously I touched my lips with my left hand. Hearing Art's name reminded me of the kiss we shared at the airport hours ago.

"Triple OMG!" Avery yelled.

Before I could look at her, I felt a piece of clothing smack my face.

"Ave!" I inspected the black lace bikini that she threw at me. It still has a price tag with my name in her handwriting. "What the hell is this?" I looked at Avery.

"Isn't it obvious?" Avery pouted. "I'm being a supportive best friend." She grinned.

"And how does this black lace bikini makes you a supportive best friend?" I threw the lace back at her.

Avery's eyes widened. "Oh, please, Shells! Don't feign innocence. Art confessed, you confessed." She rolled her eyes. "You exchanged saliva in front of Auntie Jenny and the whole of Washington airport. You know what's next!"

I wet my lips, still tasting Art's, and bowed my head. "I don't know what you're trying to imply."

"Okay. Let me remind you, then. Remember when we were sophomores? When we talked about losing our V card?" Avery looked at the door, ensuring it was closed. "You said you'll be happy to give your precious V to Art when you turned eighteen?"

"Triple OMG, Ave! We were crazy young then. Besides, we just reconnected hours ago. So I don't think it will be our priority. I want to enjoy being with him."

Avery started folding the black lace. "Sure. Suppose that's what you wish. I'll put this back in the box. Better I put a note on it saying, open after ten years."

I couldn't help but smirk. I reached for her hand. "Give me that. I'll keep it myself."

Avery pulled her hand away, still holding the lace. "Let's wish this will still fit you then! Next time remind me to buy you granny undies instead!"

"Ave!"

I stood up and walked towards her back, wanting to snatch it from her hand. But Avery was quick, too quick. Before I could touch her hand, she had already thrown the lace toward the door. And as luck would have it, the door opened at the same time the black number hit it. So instead of the door, Art's face welcomed the black lace.

"Oops!" Avery giggled. "There goes Shelly's special black lace bikini!"

"Oh, God!" I ran toward Art and grabbed the lace now in his hand. I glared at my best friend. "Avery! This is so embarrassing!"

"What is? It's just a bikini, Shells." She glared back at me. "You're not going to use it anyway."

I immediately placed it in my back pocket. When I looked back at Art, Avery was already standing behind him. I walked in Avery's direction. "I promise you will regret it if I get near you!"

She hid at his back. Art was chuckling. I pretended a sob and covered my face with my hands. My best friend will pay for this. And I mean it!

"I'm going to see Auntie Jenny in the kitchen." Avery stepped back.

"Come here." Art offered his hand to me. When I took it, he immediately pulled me in for a hug. "God, I missed kissing and smelling your hair!"

"Did you?" I asked in a whisper. Then, I showed him my cute puppy eyes when I looked up at his face.

"Triple OMG! I didn't come for this vacation to be you guys, official third wheel!"

I felt Art's lips shaking with laughter when he pecked me on the lips. I glared at a retreating Avery and mouthed I love you to her.

When she turned around and walked toward the kitchen area, she yelled, "Get in the room and lock it! You show-offs!"

I couldn't help but laugh in Art's chest. It dawned on me how different his chest was from the last time he hugged me in Boston years ago. He didn't just turn years older; his body developed in what I can say I could lose my V card to body.

Avery's words replayed in my ears. It reminded me of the black lace in my back pocket. My hand remembered it, too, and reached for it.

I felt my face flush when Art's voice sounded.

"What are you hiding?" he smirked.

"Nothing." I looked him in the eye. "Ave was a lunatic!"

"Um. You knew I saw it already, right?" Art winked at me.

"Oh, God! This is so embarrassing! She gave me a black lace bikini. It was a gift."

"I bet it will look sexy on you." He tucked my strayed hair at the back of my ear.

"Are you getting pervy on me now?" I bit my lip, trying to stop myself from laughing.

Art pulled me towards him. Softly he kissed me on the forehead. Then, when our eyes locked, he cleared his throat.

"I'm not getting pervy, and I would never be. If ever I feel the passion and the urge to be intimate with you, that's not me getting pervy. I want to show you how much I love and need you, Shells."

"Okay..." My heart's thudding sounds started sounding loud and alive again. Everything inside me felt warm and wanted to unleash. "I got it." I bit my lip and bowed my head.

"Are you sure?" Art asked, smiling.

I nodded. "I think we should go see them outside. I don't want your mom thinking pervy things about me. I meant about us."

Art chuckled. "My mom will never think that way, especially about you. You're her wet dream for a daughter-in-law. She marked you since we were eight."

He held me closer and tighter. I felt the protective, caring, and loving Art in his embrace. Then, my eyes widened when he slowly pulled away and took a blue box from his pocket.

He squeezed my hand with his other hand.

"Shells, I got you something...."

***