Sixteen Read Online Free

seemed so romantic -- but these were her parents, not some movie. She asked, "So what came next?"
    Nicole chuckled. "A week later, we went to an apple orchard where Matt's dad volunteered, to pick apples with him.”

 
     
     
    "Little lady, you seem to have a knack for this." Matt's father wiped his arm across his glistening forehead.
    Nikki shrugged, using her body weight to stabilize the bottom of the ladder they stood by. "I like fruit?"
    The large man chuckled. "I can tell!" He wiped his hands on his faded denim overalls and ran a hand over the receding patch of brown hair atop his head. "I'm going to head inside and call your mother, Matthew. Looks like we're going to be a bit longer than she's expecting. You all right out here?"
    "We're good, Dad!" Matt called down from his position on top of the wooden ladder, currently propped against a sturdy apple tree's branch.
    The man picked up a full bucket of apples and started walking towards the only building in the orchard. "Holler if you need anything."
    "Will do, Mr. Monroe." Nikki waited for a few more minutes on the bottom of the ladder before Matt came climbing back down.
    He dumped a shirtful of shining red apples into the nearest bucket. "Which one should we do next?"
    Nikki was already standing under the next tree. Matt laughed when he looked up to see her staring up at its branches, hands on her hips. "Okay. That works."
    He picked up the ladder and carried it over, before realizing there weren't any thick enough branches to prop it against. Nikki began picking the lowest-hanging fruit while he set the ladder against a different tree.
    She dropped her harvest carefully into a bucket, then set her sights on the next apple. It didn't seem that high. No matter how many times she jumped, though, Nikki couldn't seem to get a proper grip on the stubborn thing. "Matt, come over here and help me! I can't reach."
    She watched as he slowly made his way over to her tree, hands in his pockets. He wore the same style of old denim overalls as his father; Nikki had missed the memo and worn shorts with a Princess Jasmine top. The sunlight danced over Matt's blond hair, which stuck out in all directions today.
    "Why don't you just find a new tree, or help me over there?"
    Nikki pointed up at her gleaming red antagonist. "Because I want that one."
    He laughed. "Why that one?"
    "Why not?" She crossed her arms. "Can you reach it?"
    "Of course." He leaned over her, and she threw her arms out to balance herself.
    "Hey!"
    They both laughed. He reached out and plucked the apple, but when Nikki held out her hand, he shook his head. Instead, he wrapped his arm around her and took a bite from the shining fruit.
    "Really, Matt?" She rolled her eyes, still grinning.
    "If's goot!" He swallowed and repeated, "It's good!"
    "I know. That's why I wanted it!"
    He just kept eating while Nikki attempted to squirm from his grip. When he finally finished, he tossed the core over his shoulder and released her.
    "About time!"
    He smiled at her, but it wasn't his teasing grin. Something different lit up his eyes. What was he up to now? "You wanted to taste it, right?"
    "What, the apple? Well, eventually. Guess I'll eat one of the others now."
    He shook his head. "No need to."
    She raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"
    In one fluid motion, he grabbed her wrist, pulled her towards him, and pressed his mouth to hers. She let loose a muffled cry of surprise. Their noses bumped, and her eyes flew wide in shock. A fresh, crisp taste of apple on his lips overpowered the slight odor of their sweat. Tingles flew down Nikki's body. The moment the surprise passed, she closed her eyes and wrapped her hands gently around his neck.

 
     
     
    “Then I remembered that Matt's dad was coming right back. I pulled back and started whispering violently that he had better put me down before his dad came back, or I'd never speak to him again. He did, and I was all business and apple-picking for the rest of the