Chapter 5: Making out with Aeri (R-18)
"So what would you like to do now?" I asked, my voice easy but curious.
I stood there in the kitchen, my hands resting on the counter behind her, the air still warm and thick from everything that had just gone down.
"I don't know, Ezra..." Aeri said, her tone soft and unsure. She was still perched on the counter's edge, her dress crumpled around her hips, her bare legs swinging just a little.
Her face was flushed, and she fiddled, avoiding my eyes in embarrassment.
"I get it," I said, leaning in a bit closer. "It's a lot, right? But you do trust me, don't you?"
She looked up at me then, her brows scrunching like she didn't get why I'd even ask.
"What are you saying? I raised you, Ezra. I trust you—feel comfortable around you—more than anyone else in this world." A small smile tugged at her lips, warm and real, cutting through the awkwardness for a second.
"Okay then," I said, grinning back. Before she could react, I slid my arms under her, scooping her up off the counter. She was lighter than I expected.
"Ezra! Where are you taking me?" she yelped, her voice jumping with surprise. Her cheeks went red again, and she grabbed onto my shoulders, half-laughing, half-shocked.