JENNIE
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—Seven years ago
"Lisa!" I scream as my feet leave the ground seconds before I'm tossed over her shoulder, her rich laughter dancing around me.
"You're getting in, Jen. Whether you want to or not."
The chuckles and hoots of encouragement from our friends fill my ears as Lisa takes off down the dock, me flailing over her. Seconds later, we're airborne. I catch sight of the end of the dock moments before I disappear under the warm water.
I kick free of Lisa's hold and push to the surface, sputtering and laughing the instant I find air. Lisa pops up next to me, her whole face alight with humor.
"You asshole." I splash at her, causing another bout of laughter to roll through her.
"Aww, Jen." She pouts out her bottom lip dramatically. "Don't be like that."
"I told you I didn't want to get in," I scold, all the while fighting the smile threatening to spill across my mouth.
"And I told you, what's the point of coming to the lake if you're not going to swim?" She kicks toward me, tugging me into her arms as she treads water.
"Um, hanging out with friends. Getting some sun."
"Well, maybe I just wanted an excuse to feel your wet body against mine." She winks, her gaze turning dark.
My stomach instantly tightens.
"Lisa," I croak, throwing a sideways glance to where a dozen or so of our friends are lounging a few feet from the water on a large grassy area.
"Relax. They can't see anything." She presses into me, showing me proof of her arousal. My entire body heats.
"You are bad," I tell her, wrapping my arms around her neck. "But if you think I'm doing anything with you in this disgusting water, you have another thing coming. Do you know how many germs and bacteria live in here?"
"You know, you've become quite the germaphobe since you started working at Dr. Peterson's office."
"No, I'm just better educated now." I stick my tongue out playfully.
"Oh, is that it?" She chuckles.
"It is." I nod.
"Well, if I can't do what I want to do, are there any rules about me kissing you? Or is that not allowed either?" Her hands slide around my middle.
I dramatically pause, pretending to think it over.
"I guess I could allow it."
"Oh you guess, huh?" She squeezes my side causing me to yelp. The sound barely makes it past my lips before she's there, swallowing it up.
Like every time Lisa kisses me, my entire body responds. Like it comes alive for her in a way that it doesn't for anything or anyone else. Like it understands that this is where it belongs. With Lisa. Always with Lisa.
I'm not sure when we went from friends to this. It happened slowly, like a natural progression. But since we've been dating, it's hard to remember a time when things weren't like this.
I crave her every minute of every day. And that's only gotten stronger since we started having sex last month. It's like a whole new world opened up in front of my eyes, and I've been blinded by how good the sun feels on my face.
"They're at it again," Johnson grunts loudly from the shore.
"Get a room," Holly chimes in.
I feel Lisa's arm move but don't realize what she's doing until I break the kiss and look up to see her middle finger high in the air.
Laughing, I reach up and cup her cheeks.
"I love you, Lisa Pranpriya Manoban," I announce for probably the hundredth time over the last few months.
"I love you, Ruby Jane Kim." She beams back at me. "And I always will," she promises, reclaiming my lips moments later.
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