The Boy Who Didn't Love

22 - new beginning

  Ali chewed on the inside of her cheek, feeling her stomach churn with anxiety.

She hadn't spoken to or seen Sawyer since last weekend at the fair, and she was drowning in worry ever since she woke up for work today. She had clocked in earlier than usual, hoping that she would be able to calm herself before he arrived.

"City girl, you good?" Brady questioned as he came up to the customer service counter.

She nodded vigorously. "I'm good, I'm great. Fantastic. Yes."

"Okay..." he drawled suspiciously, then lifted up a small cardboard box from the ground and plopped it down on the counter. "Anyway, since you're here early, would you mind taking this to the back room? They're just extra products that didn't fit on the shelves, and I don't feel like—"

"Yes, I'll do it," Ali interjected as she quickly took the cardboard box, grateful for the distraction.

  Brady grinned. "Great! You can put it anywhere it fits in the back, but make sure you tape it closed first. I would've done it myself, but I used all of the tape at my station to make a trap for Marina. Trust me, it'll be worth it."

  "Okay, I'll do it right now," Ali muttered as she put the box down and grabbed a roll of tape by her computer. Brady walked back to his cash register with a mischievous smile, envisioning Marina's reaction to his prank in his head.

  Once the box was secure, she blew out a breath and turned around to head towards the back room. She was only able to take one step forward before she collided with a hard chest that seemed to materialize out of nowhere. The box dropped to the floor with a loud thud, and she looked up at the culprit.

  Her eyes widened, her heart hammered, and she instantly averted her gaze. She pursed her lips and swallowed roughly. "Um, sorry, I didn't see you."

  "It's okay," Sawyer replied calmly.

  Ali inhaled shakily, speechless for once, then awkwardly crouched down to lift up the box. He, too, lowered to the ground and grabbed the other side for her.

  Then she froze.

  All of her muscles seemed to go weak as the unexpected happened once more.

  Sawyer was looking at her. Into her eyes. Again.

  Her heart warmed, but fear was still bubbling inside of her. Did he regret what happened at the fair? Was it too much, too fast? Did he not like her that way?

  Her mind was overflowing with questions, yet she couldn't seem to get one word out. He was still as inscrutable as ever, but little did she know, he couldn't read her either.

  They remained there, crouching down on the ground, for a moment. None of the other customer service employees had clocked in yet, and the counter hid them from any wandering eyes.

  It was just them.

  Just like that night.

  Sawyer gazed at every inch of her face, feeling almost relieved that he could look at her so freely and openly now. But he didn't want to simply look at her anymore.

  "Alice," he whispered lowly, his voice sending chills down her spine.

  "Yes?" she whispered back.

  "Can I..." Sawyer hesitated, desperately searching her eyes for any hint of what she was feeling. But he had to ask; he had to know. "Can I kiss you?"

  Her breath got caught in her throat, taken aback by his question, but her response was immediate. "Yes."

  A small smile crept onto his face, and he slowly leaned over the box in between them. His hand gently cupped her cheek, electricity springing from the warmth of her skin, before his lips met hers with both a tender familiarity and a foreign urgency.

All of her doubts seemed to melt away like snow in the summery sun as they deepened the kiss. It was obvious now, to both of them.

They wanted this. They wanted each other. But it was more than a physical craving, as shown from the way their hearts pounded to a beat that was almost musical.

  When they pulled away, he leaned his forehead against hers as his thumb slowly stroked her jawline. She smiled and lifted her hand up to his, looking up into his dark eyes.

  "Hi," she whispered quietly.

  He pecked her nose and returned the smile. "Hi."

  A new beginning.