Where We Left Off Read Online Free PDF

forked the lasagna and ate the entire bowl of leftovers in about four bites. Mom’s cookies weren’t warm any longer, but they were the underdone kind where the middles remained all gooey and the outsides were just the right amount of crumble. I slipped two into a Ziploc bag and took them with me to my room. My backpack was on my unmade bed and I opened it to throw the cookies in, right next to my calculus and chemistry books. I planned to give them to Mallory tomorrow at school. I didn’t know if she liked peanut butter, but my guess was that she probably loved it.
    In fact, I wondered if there was anything she didn’t love.
    I had to find out, so I grabbed my phone and punched her number into it. Plus, I really just wanted to hear her adorable voice.
    “Heath!” She answered on the second ring. “How the heck are you?”
    We’d been together twenty minutes earlier. I loved that she still asked the question, as though something had changed between then and now. Something had changed, entirely altering my mood: I wasn’t with her anymore.
    “I’m hanging in there. You?”
    “I was better when you were here.” Honesty. Everything she said was always truthful, regardless of whether it made her vulnerable or not. People were usually vulnerable with those they felt safe around. I took it as a compliment that she could open up so easily to me. “I had a lot of fun with you tonight. As always.”
    “Me too.” Though she couldn’t see me, I still felt self-conscious as I tugged my hoodie over my head and undid my belt, one hand still on the phone. My jeans dropped to the floor and I stepped out of them. I kicked them to the side and walked over to my bed, ready to get in.
    “What are you up to?”
    I laughed. What would her reaction be if I told her I was just lounging around in my boxers? I knew I’d get a genuine response, but I didn’t want to embarrass her. She was too pure and so good and over the weeks we’d been dating, that had only become clearer.
    “Just getting ready for bed.” It was a safe reply. My heart suddenly jolted, wondering if she was doing the same. “You?”
    “I’m already in bed.” Her voice was soft and quiet. This was where the phone wasn’t enough. I wanted to be there with her. The thought of holding her, the covers wrapped around us, made me sweat.
    We hadn’t really done anything in the three short weeks we’d known each other. Maybe that was because we spent all our time at her house with her grandmother and Tommy, who I’d found out was actually her dad. Hanging out with relatives was often a buzzkill, but in our case, I actually enjoyed their company.
    I just enjoyed Mallory’s company more.
    We’d brushed hands and fingers and sat so closely next to one another that we could feel the rhythm of our breathing in the way our bodies pulled up and down against our touching shoulders. But I hadn’t made that move to grab her hand and keep it in mine. I’d wanted to. I’d wanted to do that and more. But something about Mallory made me want to protect her, too. Made me want to take my time with her.
    She had all the qualities of a girl you’d fall in love with, and I knew if I didn’t go slowly, all our firsts would rush together. I wouldn’t be able to help myself.
    So I put it all off.
    “What are you wearing?” The words fell out, mostly as a joke, but I didn’t know if she’d interpret it as one.
    “Heath!”
    “Hey, it’s an innocent enough question.” I wanted her to pick up on the flirt in my voice. We could have a lot of fun with this.
    “I’m wearing pink polka dot footsie pajamas.”
    “You are not.”
    “Sure I am. The kind with the flap and the buttons on the back. You?”
    “I’m in my superman undies.”
    Mallory was in full hysterics. The way her laughter echoed through the phone would’ve made anyone else hold the device out from their ear to avoid the blare , but I didn’t. I pressed it between my cheek and my shoulder as I slid down