All Over Again

| Chapter Twenty-Five |

Ruth hadn't realized how long her and Raffo were dazedly kissing each other until the buzzing of her phone interrupted them. They both paused, finally giving each other just a little room so she could dig her phone out of her front pocket and look into the screen. One glance told her two things.

One: Jana wanted the steamy details.

Two: They've been kissing for at least thirty minutes.

She didn't know which one was worse.

She was kissing Raffo Leflore, at a basketball court at 7:45 pm, and had no desire to stop. Even then, with Raffo affectionately fixing some of her curls, she wanted him to mess them up again. She didn't care if it would be hell to brush them out when she got home. Detangling the mass was nothing compared to kissing him.

And, to bring it back to her first point, she didn't want to share how special that night was with anyone; not even her cousin. Whatever happened, she wanted to keep that magic between them. She couldn't imagine Raffo wanted her running around blabbing her mouth about them kissing. He was private like that, and she didn't want to disrespect that.

He never opened up to anyone. So, to see him do so with her, she knew she couldn't mess it up.

"You should get back to your uncle's soon," he finally whispered.

Ruth looked up at him with a pout. He chuckled at the deflated look and tried rubbing the pucker of her lips away. "You're too aiukli to sulk."

She cocked her head to the side in confusion, having never heard of that one before. "Aiukli?"

He grinned, his teeth sparkling in the night. She mentally swooned at his answer. "Beautiful."

Her poor heart stuttered to a halt in her chest, her breath hitching. Focus Ruth.

"I thought it was pisa achukma?" she questioned, wrapping her arms around his neck to draw him closer.

"You're that too," he added smoothly. His fingers traced a lazy circle against her cheeks and a flood of warmth rose to the apples of them. "Pisa achukma is pretty."

"Or handsome," she added. She pressed a soft kiss to the palm of his hand. "Chi-pisa achukma."

His smile turned cocky. "Pretty or handsome?"

"Both."

He pursed his lips. "I'll take it."

"Good, because that's all you're getting."

Raffo scoffed, mockingly shaking his head. Then, he did something she hadn't expected him to do. She supposed nothing should surprise her after the night he gave her, but she still had room for one more unexpected action. The big mystery of a man wrapped his strong arms around her waist and pulled her to his chest in the warmest embrace possible.

Ruth laid her head comfortably on his chest and tucked her arms around him, enjoying the hug she didn't know she needed. His familiar woodsy scent wafted through her flared nostrils and she subtly breathed him in. Though kissing was definitely the highlight of her night, maybe even the entire year, there was something perfect about being held. His hold was protective, locking her in the safety of his arms as he rested his head against hers, dispelling any memory of Mirana against him at the bonfire.

In that moment, only they mattered.

Not the mess that could arise because of it.

Because there were two issues she could already foresee. One, Mirana. Two, Ruth wanted to leave next year. Three, were either of them ready to be with one another? She didn't think she wanted a boyfriend, but she wanted Raffo. And Raffo didn't seem like he wanted a girlfriend, so would she be offended if he claimed he didn't want anything out of it? He was trying to focus on whatever he had going on and she'd let him take all the time in the world.