Epilogue 2: Resa

" A re we still having our self-defense lesson?" I ask Blaine.

Garrison and Vaughn are working on a case. We're supposed to be having our twice weekly self-defense lesson, but when Blaine came to remind me of it, I said I needed to get changed and now we're lying on my bed talking.

He nods. "If you want."

Neither of us moves.

"Was there anywhere that didn't hurt?" I suddenly ask.

He blinks at me. "What?"

"You once said that you didn't like anyone touching you because touch equaled pain after the car crash. Was there anywhere that didn't hurt? I'd like to try something."

He points to his left elbow, his brow furrowed in a confused frown. "Here."

"I'm going to kiss you there." He stares at me. "Um. I mean, if you don't mind."

After a bemused look, he lifts his left arm. He's wearing a T-shirt today, but he doesn't every day.

I kiss his elbow very lightly and immediately pull back.

He's holding his breath.

"Did that hurt?" I ask.

Slowly, he shakes his head. "It did not."

We stare at each other.

He clears his throat. "Did you want to maybe try kissing me somewhere else?"

Okay, so maybe he liked it. "If you're sure it won't hurt. But you have to tell me if?—"

"I will," he interrupts.

I shuffle a little closer to him and touch my lips to his jaw.

He releases a soft breath.

I pull back. "How about?—"

"Didn't hurt. If you wanted to?—"

"Keep going?" I interrupt, noting the growing heat in his eyes.

He nods.

I kiss his jaw again, and this time I don't stop trailing soft, light kisses along his throat. It takes me a second to realize the faint touch on my lower back is his hand.

I pull back. His breathing has changed, and his eyes dip to my mouth.

"If I were to kiss you ," he looks at my mouth, "would that be something you wanted?"

I don't know why he would think I wouldn't want his kiss.

"I would love it if you kissed me."

The moment his lips touch mine, I know we're not having self-defense lessons today.

"You're very good at that," I say, trying to control my breathing.

"You liked it?"

"I think I might need you to do that again. Just to make sure. For… science reasons."

He leans toward me, lips twitching. "Science reasons?"

His lips brush mine as I nod. "Hmm-mmm. Need to be sure."

He angles his head as he deepens the kiss. He's rolling me onto my back and I'm sliding my palms under his shirt when my door flies open.

I shove Blaine off the bed and bolt upright. "Yeah?"

Vaughn stands, filling the doorway, eyes narrowing with suspicion. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing."

His eyes narrow further. "You're all hot and bothered. Do you have a boy in here?"

A boy?

"What makes you think that?"

"Violet." His blue gaze roves over my room. "She snuck a boy into her bedroom once and tried to hide him in her closet."

I scramble out of bed, face hot. "Oh, no. I'm just hanging out."

"On your bed with the top button of your blouse undone, lips all rosy, and pupils dilated?"

Unbuttoned shirt? When did Blaine do that?

I lift my hand to confirm it on my way to the door. Damn, I didn't feel a thing. "You can tell all that in a second?"

"I'm extremely observant," he says, once again raking his eyes around my room.

"Well, nothing to see here."

Vaughn slowly retreats from my room, eyes still narrowed. "I thought you had a self-defense lesson with Blaine."

"I do."

"Hmmm." He gives me one last probing look, then kisses me before he steps back into the hallway and closes the door.

I turn around.

Blaine rises from the floor, wincing as he rubs his hip. "Was there a reason you shoved me to the floor like that?"

"I didn't want him to see." I walk back to the bed and climb onto it.

"Because?"

My eyes dip to his mouth. "Then we would have to stop."

"And science is very important," he says, getting the message as he joins me in the middle of the bed.

"Very."

As he kisses me, I giggle and can't stop.

"Resa?"

"He called you a boy." I try to muffle my laughter. "Jeez, I felt like I was fourteen, hiding my first boyfriend from my dad and his baseball bat."

A grin splits Blaine's face. "I can see Vaughn chasing me out of a window with a baseball bat."

"Vaughn seemed suspicious, but he still left. Why?"

"Because Vaughn knows what you were up to and wants you to get back to it," Vaughn yells from right outside.

I sit up and yell back, "Then why did you leave?"

He pushes the door open and leans in. I have never known anyone to hang off doors as much as Vaughn likes to. I never know if I should worry he's going to rip a door off its hinges or stare at his muscled arms. Naturally, I choose option two.

"It's a step forward." He looks at Blaine. "See you on the mat tonight. I want to learn a new throw."

"We're doing movie night tonight," I remind him, frowning. "And I want to snuggle on the couch with you."

"Snuggling it is. You're picking it this time, beautiful. Garrison's taste in movies leaves a lot to be desired. I was snoring ten minutes into that epic fantasy that was a little too epic and not nearly fantastical enough."

"I know," Blaine mutters. "You were drooling on me."

"Was I? Blame Garrison for his choice in movies." Vaughn leaves whistling.

I scramble to my feet. "Wait!"

Vaughn halts. "Yeah?"

I hurry over to him, loop my arms around his shoulders and rise to my tiptoes, kissing him. "See you later."

He presses a hand on my lower back, extending the kiss. "See you later, beautiful."

"I love you." I must have said it every day since I realized my life was with Pack Lucas, but it hasn't gotten old yet.

His expression softens. "I love you, too. I'll leave you to get back to your medicinal kissing."

I fake a scowl. "Did you even try not to eavesdrop?"

"Nope." He grins cheerfully and leaves. For real this time. I hear his footsteps on the stairs as I return to bed and lie on my side, facing Blaine.

"Should we maybe try that kissing thing again?" I ask, shyly.

Blaine draws me closer, pulls his glasses off and sets them aside. "I thought you'd never ask."