“Doing what?”

“Bringing me back to life.”

There were times when we would visit and I wasn’t as strong as I was the day prior. Sometimes memories tried their best to pull at my heart about Gabby being gone, so Daniel would stop reading. He would put one of his ‘hipster’ upbeat CDs into the stereo and started blasting music.

“Dance break,” he instructed, pulling me up from my sadness.

“Daniel,” I whined, but I never declined a dance break. It was a few weeks ago that I told him how much I love dancing.

“Come on. Move it,” he said, shaking his hips and pushing out his lips. He looked like a freaking clown, and I fell for him that much more. I held my hands up in the air and slowly started moving back and forth. He reached for one of my arms and spun me around in a circle, pulling me closer to him. “Tell me her happiest fact.”

I smiled as we danced across the living room together. “Bentley Graves.”

“Tell me her silliest fact,” he said.

I bit my bottom lip in thought. “She loved to eat peanut butter and pickle sandwiches. When we were kids, she set up a business outside trying to sale lemonade and PB&P sandwiches. Needless to say, she didn’t become rich from that venture.”

He scrunched up his nose. “Have you ever tried one?”

“Ew, no. Gabby was the weird one, not me.”

“I beg to differ. You eat cereal with marshmallows. You’re a freak.” His finger brushed against my nose and he disappeared into the kitchen. When he came back, he had pickles, bread, and peanut butter.

“No,” I sternly stated.

He arched an eyebrow. “Bucket list. Try something new.”

I sighed, knowing that trying something new was on the list. But did it have to be so disgusting?

We each made a sandwich and took a bite. It was as disgusting as we both figured it would be, but at the same time it was the best sandwich of my life because it was a part of Gabby that I was able to share with Daniel.

“I get what you were doing,” I said, putting down my pickle sandwich. “Dancing with me.”

He smiled and shrugged. “Sometimes when you miss a person, you can only focus on how sad you feel that they are gone. Other times, it’s best to focus on the memories that bring you joy and laughter.”

I grinned down to my sandwich and added more peanut butter. “You’re a very great teacher.”

“You’re a very smart student.” He wiped his finger in the peanut butter and spread it against my neck.

“Daniel,” I whispered as he tongue danced across my skin, licking up the peanut butter. He breathed against me, sending chills throughout my entire being.

“Yes?”

“Teach me some more.”

His eyes met mine. I ran my fingers against his mouth. His eyes smirked as he lifted me up into his arms and took me to his bedroom for our next lesson plan.

“Don’t…stop…” I breathed heavily, begging as I lay in Daniel’s bed, “…reading… Don’t stop reading.”

My eyes were closed and I’d taken off my oversized sweatshirt, leaving me only in my white tank top and tight jeans. He hovered over me, shirtless. My fingers ran up and down his toned chest, feeling him inhale and exhale each and every time.

His left hand held up his body as his right held an open book. He smirked as he read me the next line from Much Ado About Nothing. “‘She’s but the sign and semblance of her honor.’” His voice was rigid and rough with every word he spoke, sending me into a wave of desire. “'Behold how like a maid she blushes here.’” He gently pecked my ear. “‘O, what authority and show of truth’”—he kissed my neck—“‘can cunning sin…’” He placed the softest lips to the curves of my br**sts. My hips voluntarily arched toward his, wanting nothing more than to feel him against me. He pulled down the straps of my tank top and outlined my bra with his tongue. “‘…cover itself withal.’”

My hands moved to the belt loops of his slacks and I pulled him down lower to me, pressing my body against his. I felt him against my jeans, making me well aware that reading was his biggest turn-on, too.

“Daniel,” I softly spoke.

“Yes?” He buried his face into my chest, into me.

My voice was shaky, unsteady from my apparent desires. “Close the book.” It only took a moment for me to hear the book slam shut. When I opened my eyes, his stare was intense; his pupils were dilated and dreamy. I kissed his chin, feeling my heart rate increase. “I want you…” He sat up a bit and moved his hands to the hem of my shirt. Pulling it up slow, he glided his mouth to my belly button, kissing me all over as my thighs longed for more attention. “Please, Daniel…”

“You’re perfect,” he sighed against my skin. “We’ll start slow.” He slid my tank top over my head and tossed it to the side of the room. He placed his hand over my chest and felt my heart beating for him. Only for him.

I sat up a little on my elbows and wrapped my hand around his neck, pulling him down to my lips. He pressed his mouth against mine, and I moaned his name softly as he took my breath away. Then he filled me back up, giving me life, giving me meaning, giving me him. I was shocked by his ability to awaken my spirit each and every time we were near one another. He was discovering all of my weaknesses and making them strong.

I slid my hand toward his zipper and unbuttoned his jeans, and as my fingers swept across him, he rewarded me with a soft groan. He wrangled them off completely, and I traced the waist of his boxers. A deep-rooted growl left his throat and I loved the sound. I cherished that I’d done that to him. He unzipped my jeans and helped me wiggle out of them, which wasn’t the easiest task. He laughed at the way they took a while to slide off me. I laughed because I’d never felt so comfortable unclothed in front of anyone.

“We’re not going to have sex, Ashlyn,” he warned.

I grimaced at the thought because he worked me up more than anyone ever had. I wanted to feel him against me. I wanted him inside me.

“I’m not scared, Daniel. I promise.”

“I know. But I want to take my time with you, with us. Besides…” His fingers glided against the cotton fabric of my panties. Ohmygosh! My mouth opened to catch the air he had driven out of my body. “There’s so much more we can do besides sex.” His head lowered down between my thighs, and I closed my eyes as my stomach filled with nerves.