“Scarlett, Scarlett, I have your bracelet!” Chloe ran down the stairs. “Hey, you started without me.”

“I told you it was almost time for dinner,” Uncle Matt said.

Chloe rolled her eyes. “Put your arm out,” she said to me.

I put out my hand. She tied a beaded bracelet that she’d made to my wrist.

“Thanks, Chloe. I love it.”

“The green looks really good with your hair,” Jacob said.

I turned to him and smiled.

The song had changed to a slow one. I needed to get back to cutting up veggies, but Jacob grabbed my hand and pulled me in close.

“What did Uncle Matt whisper to you?” I asked Jacob as his hands fell to my hips.

“That I need to leave my door open if you’re in my room again.”

I laughed. “What did he think he almost walked in on?”

“He probably thought I was about to kiss you.”

Uncle Matt had apparently started taking notes from my dad, I guess.

Jacob’s fingers tightened on my waist.

I looked up at him as his words spun around in my head. Wait. Was he saying that he had been about to kiss me? It felt like every time we were close, something got in the way. And it suddenly felt like I’d been waiting a lifetime to be kissed by him.

We both just stared at each other. I was pretty sure the song had changed but we kept dancing close. I’d never danced like this here before, that was for sure. We were usually hopping around and laughing like the rest of Jacob’s siblings. But today felt different. The air had shifted around us.

Uncle Matt cleared his throat. “Time for dinner.”

Chapter 32 – The OG Kiss Thief

Monday

I carried the bowl of salad that Chloe had finished preparing over to their kitchen table. I’d eaten at Jacob’s house a million times. But for some reason tonight felt different. And I just stood there, not sure of where to sit. Normally I’d just plop down wherever. But nothing about tonight felt normal. It felt monumental.

Jacob pulled over an extra chair for me.

I quickly sat down and was happy that he sat down next to me. I smiled as he served me some chicken pot pie. And then I helped myself to some salad.

His hand fell casually to my thigh. “This looks great,” he said to his mom.

“Just wait until dessert. Scarlett, I have a new cupcake recipe I’m trying out and I can’t wait to see what you think of it.”

“It’s amazing,” Jacob said.

I tried to focus on Aunt Brooklyn instead of Jacob’s hand on my thigh. But his touch was very distracting. “What flavor?” I asked.

“I think I’ve finally captured the perfect mint chocolate chip cupcake.”

“It tastes just like the ice cream,” Max said. He seemed very excited about this.