“Then, let’s go.” I pushed up from the couch and extended my hand, waiting for Julia to take it. I knew she would. I just knew.

And, when she finally did, interlacing her fingers with mine, all the pieces of my cracked heart pulled themselves back together.

I glanced back, noticing Jeanine peeking out from her bedroom door, and gave her a reassuring wink. She gave me a thumbs-up. I pulled Julia outside, down the stairs, and toward my waiting car. We’d come back for her things later. Julia wouldn’t be staying here anymore, and I knew it. She was the only one who didn’t.

The drive back to her place was quiet, much like our first date. I waited for her to ask me a million questions, but when they never came, I stayed silent and gave her space. But I never pulled my hand from hers. And, each time I glanced over at her sitting in my passenger seat, she was already watching me with those big doe hazel eyes that I loved.

We belonged together. I’d always known it, but nothing solidified it more than seeing her sitting next to me in my car. She couldn’t hide the way she felt about me either. Not anymore. Not even if she tried. My girl was the walking heart-eyed emoji come to life. Of course, I’d never tell her that because I didn’t want it to stop, and purely out of spite, Julia would definitely try to be another emoji if she knew.

When we pulled onto our properties and I maneuvered my car toward her side instead of mine, her breathing escalated.

“What are you doing?” she asked nervously as she tried to yank her hand from my grasp, but I only gripped it tighter.

“Calm down. It’s okay,” I said before releasing her, so we could both get out of the car.

I hopped out as quickly as I could and made my way toward her side of the car, but she had already gotten out. I trapped her there, pressing her body against the cold metal as I stood in front of her, blocking her path.

My hands snaked down the curves of her waist before landing on her hips and holding on tight. She opened her mouth to say something, and I took the words from her, my lips pressing against hers as my tongue moved inside, making her moan. Her body simultaneously relaxed and tightened as her hips started softly grinding against me. I didn’t think she even realized she was doing it, but I noticed every single way her body reacted to my touch.

Breaking the kiss, I took her hand in mine once more in a show of solidarity. We were walking into the La Bella home the same way we’d be leaving it—together.