"What's your sweatshirt say?" He asks.

I blush.

"Oh, that's the studio where Baylor teaches dance," Tami offers.

"You dance?" He asks sounding shocked.

I nod.

"I tried to get her to dance competitively for years, but you know how darn stubborn that girl can be."

"I like teaching it. It, uh...makes me feel good," I reply.

"You're a star and should be dancing competitively," Miss Tami urges.

"Ugh, I know, I know."

"When did you start dancing?" State asks.

"Sometime in high school." I shrug. "It started out as a way to communicate."

I pause for a second and no one comments.

"That sounds dumb. I just like it."

"Not dumb at all, Baylor," State whispers.

"It was easier to dance and not talk. Bossy pants, over there, insisted in enrolling me into lessons and I found that I love it."

"Can't wait to see some moves," State jokes.

"Oh, just wait until her and Rowe face off in a twerking challenge."

That garners a hearty chuckle from State.

"I always lose. Go figure."

"Well, kids I'm going to bed." She stands up and goes to Rowe.

"I'll get her. Go on."

She comes over to me and kisses my forehead. "Night, Baylor. Love you."

"Love you, more."

"Night, State."

"Night." He stands up, carefully placing me to the side, and wraps her up in a hug. "Thank you for taking care of my girl."

"You have no idea how big of an honor it was. I knew you'd come back one day."

I stand listening to them while fiddling with my fingers. I already have a hard time with words and then when a conversation is being held about me, right in front of me, it makes everything even more odd.

"I'm going to take Rowe to bed. I'll be right back." I leave the two and scoop Rowe up in my arms.

"I promised her I'd take her flowers to bed with her."

"Okay, I'll come back for them."

I know State would love to help, but is so smart about walking the line of not spooking Rowe. He stays in the living room while I tuck her in and bring her flowers to her night stand.

"She still out?" He asks, running his hand over the back of his head.

"Like a princess." I hold my arms out. "What do you want to do?"

"That's a dangerous question, Baylor."

God, the way my name rolls off his tongue melts me.

"Are you ready for bed or a movie?"

"Bed?" He arches an eyebrow.

"Stop." I jump into his lap. "You know what I'm trying to get at."

He kisses my cheek. "Pick a movie."

"Any movie?"

"Your pick," he challenges.

"I don't think you'd like my pick."

"Hit me with it." He hands me the remote control to the TV.

I power up Netflix on the TV and find my all-time favorite movie. I've shed so many tears watching this. It never gets old.

The first scene of Ghost appears on the television. Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore make my breathing hitch. Their love story tears me apart every single time. It's a reminder of my past. And this may have been a mistake.

I peek up to State. "Have you seen this?"

"No, but I'm curious to why it's my girl's favorite."

"It will be obvious. Trust me." I snuggle down into him, letting my arm wrap around his middle.

State has the ability to just hold me with one strong arm, but he winds both around me and rests his chin on the top of my head. We watch in silence. The gripping scene of losing the love of your life appears, and the tears roll down my face on cue. I feel State pull me closer to him. We don't talk.

I finally speak up when Demi's character believes in the ghost of the love of her life.

"That's how I've felt for years, until now."

I don't give State a chance before turning in his lap to face him. Tears stream down my face. He tries to wipe each one away, but they fall too fast. I cry for our past, for right now, and our future.

"Kiss me," he whispers.

I take the lead, leaning forward and brushing my lips up against his before I indulge in all things State. He drags the pad of his thumb down my jawline, opening up to me. I sweep my tongue in his mouth, letting everything pour into him. State grips the back of my head, pulling me in tighter as we explore each other.

"Bedroom," I pant into his mouth.

He stands and walks us into my bedroom. We're careful not to make any noise as he lightly shuts the door and lays me back on the bed. My cheeks are flushed.

State remains standing, he slowly unbuttons his shirt until it falls off of him, leaving an impeccable portrait of his perfect sculpted chest and abs. His woodsy scent mixed with a hint of citrus hypnotizes me. My lips part as I take in all of the man standing before me.

He eyes me up and down before making a move and when he lowers his body on mine, he completely covers me from the top of my head to the tips of my toes. He keeps most of his weight centered on his elbows.

I kiss him quickly before I let my deepest and darkest secret flow from me. "I'm not a virgin."

State tilts his head.

"I've never had sex." I close my eyes regretting this. "It happened in Kings."

"Sssshhhh." He presses his fingers to my lips. "I know."

"I'm scared, State. I want you, but I don't know if I can."

He again presses his finger down into my lips. "It's okay."

Our lips crash together, my hands roam up and down his strong back. The desire to give him all of me tortures me.

"Tell me to stop if you need to." He kneels up and pulls the sweatshirt from my body and tosses it to the floor. "We're not going to have sex, so relax, baby."

His palms skim down my sides and then back up until he's cupping my breasts.

"You're fucking gorgeous," he growls.

I writhe up into him pleading for more. My gesture is not lost on him. The straps of my bra are pulled down my shoulder. He follows their path with light kisses on my skin. He sneaks his hands behind my back and unsnaps the bra, then sits back up on his knees.

I finish shedding the bra for him, then lay back down, bared to him. His pupils flare and lips part before he dips his head. His lips graze both peaked buds before he swirls his tongue around one. I moan loudly with the sensation.

He covers my mouth again with one finger. I bite down on my bottom lip to control my voice. He pays the same attention to the other nipple before looking up at me.

"So perfect." State rolls to my side and slides his large hand down the front of my stomach until it disappears under my pants. My legs part welcoming his touch.

"Tell me when to stop."

I put my hand over his, leading him down. His fingers snap the top of my panty line before he goes any further. He brushes my sensitive parts, forcing me to bite back another moan. I buck up into his touch, enjoying the sensation coursing through me.

He circles a piece of me rhythmically until it hurts so good it breaks a piece of my newly open heart. Wave after wave of sensation slam into me until I'm falling over a hopeless cliff. I slam a palm over my mouth to muffle the pleasure.

I melt back into the bed with State holding me close to his chest.

"I'm going to show you how good it feels, before we have sex."

"State."

"Yeah?" He mumbles into the crook of my neck.

"That was a first."

His smile spreads across my skin. "We have so many more firsts ahead of us."

Sixteen.

"I have an early practice."

"No," I protest.

I want nothing more than to spend the rest of the day with him.

"Shitty timing, I know, but the next few months will be packed with football."

I grin up at him as he pulls on his shorts, and I pull the covers up to my chin.

"Still not a morning person, I see," he smiles at me.

"Nope. Some things never do change."

"I remember having to run to your house and drag you out of bed for school on more than occasion."

"And now you're dragging me into bed."

My own words make me flush with embarrassment.

"You're cute." He kneels down on the bed and tugs back my covers.

"I'll text you later." He kisses me lightly on the lips.

"You'll answer." He kisses me again.

"God, I'm going to miss you." He kisses me again.