Adorable

Chapter 31 | With My Life

Sophie had transmitted to Keefe again that he should not come to her house tonight. She didn't care if he failed the class, she needed her sleep. Plus, they would get in huge trouble if they got caught.

But Keefe could probably hear in her transmission that she wouldn't really mind if he came. Which she was sure he would. So she sat on her desk chair, determined to wait for him to come.

But she must have fallen asleep, because she opened her eyes to a pitch black room. She looked around for a minute, disoriented, until she heard a soft ping on her window- probably what woke her up.

She walked cautiously over to the window, peered outside- and nearly screamed. Because floating outside her window, holding a small box- was Keefe.

Sophie quickly unlatched and opened the window. "What on earth, Keefe?" She whispered-hissed. "What are you doing here?"

He smirked and tumbled into her room, then stood and straightened his clothes. He handed her the box he'd been holding- which was half full of Prattles. He must have been throwing them at her window. "I knew you were missing me, so..." he spread his arms wide. "Here I am!"

Sophie groaned quietly. "What if Grady comes up here?"

"It's two o'clock. He won't unless he hears something."

He wasn't wrong. Sophie set the Prattles on her desk. "So why are you really here?"

He looked hurt. "To see you, of course!"

She laughed and touched his soft face gently, then ruffled his hair playfully. He ducked. "Not The Hair!"

She just ruffled harder, until he reached up and grabbed her hand. They locked eyes and Sophie's pulse quickened. Keefe brought her hand down and touched her fingers to his lips. They were soft and warm, and parted ever so slightly. Keefe let go of her hand, but she kept it on his face.

He stepped closer. Sophie looked into his intense gaze until she couldn't any longer. Then she closed her eyes and slid her hand back up into his hair. Only a second later, she felt his lips press against hers.

Sophie kissed him back, and he wrapped his arms around her waist. His hands rested on her back, and he pulled her even closer. She kissed him again, both her hands in his hair now, and he kissed her for so long she lost track of time. The sparks running through her body made her feel dizzy and lightheaded, but his strong arms around her kept her steady.

Sophie didn't know how long they stood there, but it was long enough that her legs started to cramp. She barely noticed though, lost in Keefe's perfect kiss.

Several minutes later, Keefe pulled back just enough to whisper, "I love you so much."

Their eyes only locked long enough for her to whisper, "I love you more," before Keefe kissed her again- this kiss even more perfect than the last.

When he eventually pulled away for real, they were both flushed. One of his hands came up to tuck her hair behind her ear. She leaned into the caress, closing her eyes.

Sophie whispered. "We are going to get in so much trouble."

"Only if he finds out." He kissed her yet again, and Sophie couldn't keep her lips from curving into a smile. He smiled too, and suddenly they were both laughing, eyes locked.

"I love you," Sophie whispered.

"I can feel it. But how am I supposed to show you how much I love you?"

"Kiss me again." Sophie leaned into his arms, barely able to stand.

"Gladly."

The next time they parted, Keefe shouldered his pack. "Almost forgot what I actually came for."

"I think you already did what you came for," Sophie whispered, trying not to smile.

"Maybe, maybe not. C'mon, I already set up the stellarscope."

He sat on her windowsill and levitated out, holding out his arms. "Jump," he whispered with a smirk.

"Keefe, you can't-"

"Can too. You trust me, don't you?"

They locked eyes. "With my life."

"Then jump."

Sophie hesitated a minute longer before leaning down and jumping out her window. She freefell for just a second before Keefe's strong arms caught her. They dipped for a terrifying moment before he lifted them both up and carried her gently through the air. She rested her head on his shoulder, her heartbeat slowing. He had definitely improved his levitating since Ravagog.

When he set them down at the edge of the cliffs, Sophie noticed the picnic blanket and stellarscope neatly laid out- but for the wrinkle in the center of the blanket. Sophie wondered how long Keefe sat here before coming to get her.

Keefe propped up the stellarscope, motioning her over. She peered into the guide, and he wrapped his arms around her from behind to hold it. Her heart fluttered, but she ignored it. She had been in this exact position with both Dex and Fitz- it wasn't a big deal.

Sophie could practically see Keefe smirking. "You good there, Foster? Feeling some interesting mood swings."

She flushed. "Focus, Keefe. What's the star you need?"

"Agamernine. What happened to your photographic memory?"

She slapped him lightly on the arm. "You'd better be nice- I'm helping you cheat."

He just held her tighter. She leaned her head back on his chest for a minute before looking through the stellarscope to find Agamernine. When she did, Keefe helped her turn the knobs to bottle the light. She pulled it out of the stellarscope and handed it to him with a flourish.

He took it with equal pomp, sweeping her a bow. "Much obliged, Lady Fosboss."

She giggled, and he slipped the bottle into his cape pocket. Then he took her hand, twisting their fingers together in a complicated pattern. Sophie smiled at him, and he kissed her gently on the forehead.

They walked hand in hand up to the house, where Keefe floated them up to her window. He started to boost her up, but she clung to him- not quite ready to end this night. He pulled her close, whispering into her hair. Sophie couldn't hear the words, but his meaning was clear.

I love you too, she transmitted. He pulled her even closer, and she pressed her head tightly into the space between his neck and his shoulder. After a minute she pulled her head up a little so that their cheeks touched. He leaned his head in, brushing his lips from her ear across her cheek, and finally to her lips. She kissed him back, and Sophie knew she would never be able to pull away from this.

But suddenly they were falling, and Sophie's lips parted in a small scream. They only dropped for a moment before Keefe caught them and levitated them back up to the window.

"Sorry," he whispered. "Guess it was a little hard to concentrate."

"Understandable," she whispered back. They kissed again before Keefe boosted her up to the window and she crawled in. "Goodnight, Keefe."

"Night, Foster. See you tomorrow- and thanks for the help."

"Anytime." Before she could say anything else, Keefe floated away and disappeared in a flash of moonlight.

Sophie turned, then collapsed onto her bed. She couldn't help but smile as she drifted off into an exhausted sleep.