Chapter Twelve

“Are you going to be able to handle the next whole week without me being here?” Austin pulled Emery by the hand so that she would sit down beside him on his bed. He’d reminded her once again that he was leaving tomorrow for football and cheer camp for the week and wouldn’t be back until next Sunday.

“I’ve made it almost eighteen years without you, so I think I’ll be good for one week.” Emery tried to act like she was being serious, but knew that the grin spreading across her face wasn’t helping her pull this one off.

“You’ll miss me and you know you will.” Austin started tickling her sides, which caused her to start laughing and squirming to get away. In the midst of their play, somehow Emery ended up on her back, lying on Austin’s bed with him halfway on top of her. Her shirt had come up and exposed her flat stomach. The tickles had stopped and became more like light, gentle caresses. Austin waited for some sort of sign that she wanted him to stop, bu