Chapter 24

                                    

                                          
Riley's POV
                          
James lays me down in his bed, and crawls in next to me. I'm wearing a tank top and leggings, so I figured I would just sleep in that. 
                          
I lie on my side so my back is facing James. He wraps his arm strongly around my waist. I just had started to drift off when James starts to speak. 
                          
"I love you so much Riley." He murmurs in my hair. 
                          
"I love you too James." I reply. There's was a long moment of silence. I turn on my back so I'm looking up at him, his arm still around my waist, hand placed on my hip. He stares at me with a serious face. 
                          
"What's up?" I ask. He softly kisses my cheek. 
                          
"I love you so much. I have said it so many times, but letting Beth kiss me was the worst mistake that I ever made. Our breakup was probaly the most depressing time of my life and I'm still so sorry Riles." He pleads. 
                          
"I know that James. I forgive you and I love you." I tell him. Him bringing up the Beth situation again was really starting to make me uncomfortable. 
                          
"I know, but if I never let Beth do that, you wouldn't have broken up with me, and Josh..." He continues to plea but I cut him off. 
                          
"It's okay James." I say in a tone clearly meaning that I want to end this conversation. He opens his mouth to say something but I cut him off again. "Can we please stop talking about this, it's making me uncomfortable. Please." I beg and turn back on my side. Silence fills the room for a minute before he speaks up again. 
                          
"I'm so sorry Riles. I'm just saying it because I love you more than anything." He whispers in my ear. I smile to myself and turn back on my back and face him. 
                          
"Kiss me?" I ask in my sweetest voice. His serious expressions turns into a big grin. He leans down and our lips connect. Our mouths move in sync. Until the door swings open. 
                          
"James who are you talk...Oh sorry!" I push James off of me and see James mom standing quite shocked. She takes a look at me, and than realizes who I am. "Oh Riley! I didn't know that was you. Wait, what are you doing here? I thought you and James were..." She starts to trail off as James begins to groan. 
                          
"Mom, do you mind? It's late." He mutters. She scans us for another minute until she got the picture. A smile spreads across her face. 
                          
"Oh, I get it. Good night. And it's so nice to see you again Riley!" She gushes and leaves. 
                          
"Yes, you too." I respond, quite embarrassed. I look up at James. "You never told her?" 
                          
"No. I didn't really know how, but I was planning on to soon." He tells me. "My sister doesn't know either." I nod. 
                          
"Alright, no big deal." I say. He nods and starts staring at me for a while grinning. I can feel heat rising to my cheeks. 
                          
"What?" I giggle and bite my lip. He leans in close so his face is just inches from mine. 
                          
"Your just so perfect." He says and leans in closer so his lips press against mine. I kiss him back, until the door flies open. Again. 
                          
"James, what are you...Oh!" This time it was James thirteen year old sister Jenna. She stares at us for a minute. "Is that you Riley?" She asks. I laugh a little at her surprise. 
                          
"Yeah, it's me." I laugh. Even in the dim light I can see her grin. 
                          
"James! Why didn't you tell me that you were back with Riley!" She squeals. She turns on the light, but her expression changes when she see's my face. She stands in shock. "What happened Ri?" She asks. I bite my lip and look up at James. 
                          
"It's complicated Jen." He tells her. She studies my face closely. 
                          
"Looks like it hurt." She says as if that wasn't obvious. 
                          
"Can you just leave please?" He groans. She stares at my face for a little bit longer until she spoke up. 
                          
"Yeah goodnight." She says and walks out. James looks back down at me, serious again. 
                          
"Sorry about that." He says. I shake my head. 
                          
"No, it's fine." I tell him. "Anyway, goodnight." He leans down and gives me a long, gentle, passionate kiss on the lips and grins. 
                          
"Goodnight Riles." He says. I turn back on my side and fall into a deep sleep.