Beautiful Together by Andrea Wolfe Read Free Book Online Page A

school and still a virgin? What the hell is she waiting for?"
    I giggled and gave him a playful jab in the gut. It felt like a rock. "You're a jerk. My question is, how the hell is the quarterback still a virgin? Every girl in the school wants your super hot body."
    "Just been waiting for the right one," he said. "I have very refined tastes," he said in a really bad French accent.
    I swallowed hard, unable to play around. "Am I really the right one?" I asked, speaking every word with incredible deliberation. "You mean that?"
    He leaned forward and kissed me hard. "Of course you are," he said. "You're the most beautiful, intelligent, gorgeous, funny, witty, wonderful girl I've ever met in my life. I lose my mind when I'm with you, Naomi."
    His words hit me like bullets from a gun at close range—and oh God, they hurt. My defenses were totally gone; his words pierced right through to my heart, and I was so powerless to stop them.
    "You... really mean that stuff?" I asked. In that moment, I wanted to compliment him back, but I couldn't find the words. I saw flashes of color in my brain while detached thoughts rushed by.
    I thought about my conversations with Arielle. I thought about the sexually promiscuous teens in the slasher movies. I thought about Mason—and I looked at him too. Well, more like consumed him with my eyes.
    His wide, strong shoulders and chest, so chiseled and full, the kind of muscles that make you lose your mind when they're glistening with sweat. He didn't really have any hair on his chest, but that didn't make him seem any less masculine. That gorgeous, slightly lopsided smile. Teeth that were naturally straight, even without any orthodontic work. Biceps that were both threatening and comforting depending on the circumstances.
    His cheeks were red as usual too, a product of our proximity under the blankets. Although I had felt aroused in the past, tonight I felt different.
    Very different. I felt awake .
    "I do," he said. "I meant every word I said. You're perfect, Naomi."
    I gazed into his eyes, still speechless. My mind suddenly jumped to my backpack and the knowledge of the hidden condoms. Thoughts continued rushing by at a thousand miles an hour, my brain overloaded.
    Lust, love, longing, fear, anxiety—they all made an appearance.
    "What are you thinking?" he asked. It was clear he was struggling to read my mind.
    "If I said... I wanted to do that ," I whispered, "would you know what to do?"
    His expression eased into a look of focus. "I think I know," he said. "I mean, I've got a really good idea. But what about—"
    "Protection?" I asked. "I have some."
    He raised an eyebrow. "You didn't have to do that. I mean, I definitely could have picked up—"
    "No," I said, cutting him off. "Planned Parenthood has free condoms. I went and grabbed some." I swallowed hard, feeling like maybe I had disrupted a sacred becoming-a-man ritual. I mean, didn't high school guys like to buy condoms and high-five each other because it meant they were finally having sex?
    I waited for what seemed like an eternity for some kind of response. Finally, Mason's lips curled into a smile. "That's such a good idea," he said. "I meant it when I said you were smart." He kissed my cheek. "Are you on the pill?"
    "Should I be?" I asked, feeling dumb and a little exasperated. "I w-was too worried my mom might find out or something. Maybe I should do that too before we—"
    "No, we can be safe," he said. "With just the condoms.”
    I nodded, still staring at his perfect body, barely comprehending what he said. "Yeah."
    "So wait," he said, sitting up. "You have condoms here ? Does that mean you actually want to... do that ? I thought you said—" His words dropped off an audible cliff and were replaced by the soft hum of his computer.
    My head blissfully spun. Did there have to be a ton of planning? I knew it wouldn't be perfect the first time, so why did the circumstances have to be? We were fine to take our time in his house; Mason's