A Billion Stars

Chapter 23

"I didn't mean to wake you up." I say gently and Ricky shakes his head, stepping a little closer to me. "That's okay and couldn't possibly be more beside the point. Are you okay?" He asks and I sigh. "I'm so tired, I'm so so tired." I say and Ricky nods, picking up on the fact that I meant figuratively. "You won." He says and I tilt my head. "He walked away." He elaborates and I shrug. "He's drunk, he probably won't even remember this tomorrow." I say and Ricky smiles. "But how many times did you say no to him when he was like that?" I shake my head, a smile playing on my own lips. "Never." I mutter and Ricky grins, taking a step closer to me. "Exactly, never. You're doing this." He tells me softly and I laugh, reaching out to take his hand. "I am, oh my god." I say, excitedly as I rethink the conversation. Suddenly, I remember much of what I said and I turn to Ricky. "How much of the conversation did you hear, by the way?" He bites his lip and intertwines our fingers. "Um, all of it?" He asks and I hang my shoulders in defeat. "I felt you get up from the couch, but I didn't come over here until I heard you getting a little frantic." He says and I nod, focusing on his fingers. "Just so you know, there is something way better out there for you. He's not the one." Ricky tells me softly and I smile weakly, fully standing up against the door. "I hope so." I admit quietly and Ricky looks down at me. "You know, I knew it from day one but it's almost 4 in the morning and you've just reminded me. You're amazing." He shrugs, like it's a fact and I laugh, shaking my head. Before he can say anything else though, I take in his lopsided grin and his messy hair, his strong stance and the way he watches me with admiration. I move close to him, close enough for our fronts to touch and I begin to lean up slowly. Ricky watches me carefully, making sure I'm initiating the close contact and then he begins closing the distance between us too. I feel the sides of our noses touch as we remain there. His hands hold onto mine tightly and I breathe out shakily before standing up onto my tippy toes to press my lips to his. When our lips touch, everything feels right and I take my hands from his, wrapping them securely around his waist as he pushes his up into my hair. The kiss is slow, dizzying and perfect all at once and I involuntarily lean into him as he presses one of his hands against the back of my neck to draw my closer. When we pull back, I'm completely out of breath despite the slow paced kiss and by the way his chest rises and falls heavily, I can tell he is too. Ricky clears his throat but doesn't let go of me. "It's early, do you want to go watch the sunset- I mean sunrise at the beach?" Ricky asks, stumbling over his words and clearing his throat again. Part of me hopes his brain is just as foggy as mine and I nod. "Yeah that sounds good." I whisper out, not really trusting my own voice to work. He nods and he moves to pull away but I press my hands firmly against his back and pull him close again. He looks a little surprised and he tilts his head and I blush, standing up on my tippy toes again to press a timid kiss to his lips. Life is too damn short not to I decide, and as I feel his arms come around me again, encircling me tightly I decide I made the right choice. The kiss is dizzying and slow again and when Ricky pulls back, he presses his forehead against mine. His eyes are closed and his breathing is completely unsteady, matching mine. "You're making me lose it Nins." He tells me and I blush. "Sorry." I say and he shakes his head. "No, I'm good with it." He says and as I process his words he surges forward once more, kissing my lips with eagerness and tenderness. "Let's go to the beach." He says after he pulls back and I nod, escaping his grasp and telling him I needed a sweatshirt from my room. My mind feels foggy and confused the more he and I kiss, and every time he speaks to me like I matter I get pulled in more and more. When he peaks his head into the bedroom telling me he grabbed two iced coffees from my fridge for us, my heart swells. Damn.