It Starts with Us by Colleen Hoover

tonight, it was hard to focus on anything other than wanting it to happen
again. I could tell Lily craved to be alone with me as much as I wanted to be
alone with her. Being forced to patiently sit next to her after what happened
between us in her hallway was torture.
As soon as we got to the reception and Lily saw how crowded it was, she
was relieved. She said Lucy would never know if we left early, and I don’t
even know Lucy, so I wasn’t about to argue with her when, after less than an
hour of mingling, she grabbed my hand and we slipped out.
We’ve just pulled back up to Lily’s apartment complex, and while I’m
almost positive she wants me to go upstairs with her, I’m not going to
assume. I open her door and wait for her to put her shoes back on. She took
them off in the car because they were hurting her feet, but they look difficult
to fasten. There are strings, and Lily is struggling with them in the passenger
seat. I doubt she wants to walk barefoot on the parking garage floor, though.
“I can carry you on my back.”
She glances up at me and laughs like I’m joking. “You want to give me a
piggyback ride?”
“Yeah, grab your shoes.”
She stares at me for a moment, but then she grins like she’s excited. I turn
around and she’s still laughing when she wraps her arms around my neck. I
help her hoist herself onto my back and then I kick the car door shut.
When we make it to her apartment, I lean forward so she can use her key
to unlock her door. Once we’re inside, she’s laughing when I lower her to her
feet. I turn around just as she drops her shoes and starts to kiss me again.
Picking up right where we left off, I guess.
“What time do you need to be home?” she asks.
“I told Josh ten or eleven.” I look at the clock and it’s just after ten.
“Should I call him and tell him I might be late?”
Lily nods. “You’re definitely gonna be late. Call him and I’ll make us
drinks.” She walks to the kitchen, so I take out my phone and call Josh. I
video-chat him so I can make sure he’s not throwing a party at my house. I
doubt Theo would let him, but I’m not taking any chances with either of
those two.
When Josh answers the video call, the phone is lying on the floor. I can
see his chin and the light from the TV. He’s holding a controller. “We’re in
the middle of a tournament,” he says.
“Just checking in. Everything okay?”