just—” I fumbled through my words.
“Is everything okay?”
No, everything wasn’t okay. The shadow of my first love wouldn’t leave me alone. I didn’t say the truth though. Instead, I smiled and said: “Everything’s fine. We were just… moving too fast.”
“Moving too fast,” he repeated.
I nodded and watched as he slipped off his tie and blindly tossed it at his desk. He buttoned his shirt back up and I wanted to tell him to stop.
He caught me staring. “You can’t look at me like that.”
“Like what?” I breathed.
“Like you want us to keep going.”
I looked away and never answered him.
Max stopped in front of me. “You’ll be here for the rest of the summer?” he asked.
I nodded and watched him with confusion.
Letting out a deep breath, Max dragged both hands through his hair and leveled me with a determined look. “I’m not letting you out of my sight.”
“Because of what just happened?” I asked.
“Does that,” he gestured toward the couch, “happen to you often?”
If that happened to me often, I would need a pacemaker. What just happened was almost soul-shaking.
“No,” I finally admitted.
It was the answer he wanted. He nodded and swiped his keys from the desk before he stalked toward me. He stood in front of me and cupped my face. His eyes were still hard, with the same wild look that had been there when he kissed me.
“Give me the summer.” His voice lowered into sexy whisper. “While you’re here, be with me.”
“And that’s it?” I challenged. “I’m free to do whatever after that?”
His jaw flexed. “Give me right now.”
Both of us were avoiding what needed to be asked: would either of us be free after this summer?
I couldn’t deny this raw hunger between us any more than he could, and I knew, deep down, that if I skipped this chance, I would regret it.
Maybe forever.
My answer was a simple nod. His head lowered. Lips touched mine gently. My body shook.
Fuck the truth. It was the heart that was my worst enemy. It was the one that was going to cut me. Bleed me. It would be the one to kill me.
Max drove me back to Lana’s house. I was on autopilot the entire ride. My mind kept rewinding back to the two of us on his couch.
When he dropped me off, I sat outside. For minutes? Hours? Beats me. I just stared at the clear black sky, hoping that I would forget about our kiss. That’s the thing though, logic made that impossible. Logic seemed to disappear in the moment I needed it the most, but reared its practical head when everything was said and done. And right now, it was showing me everything I did wrong.
What did you think, Naomi? That you could be alone with him and nothing would happen?
I rested my elbows on my knees and looked down at the brick steps.
Why did you even tell him to go back to the house? Why?
Good question. Why didn’t I tell him to just take me home?
I didn’t have an answer. Nothing valid, at least. The only thing I had was excuses. It was those looks he gave me during dinner. Or when he put his hand on my lower back. It was an act of protectiveness and chivalry. Maybe it was when we changed positions and his body was beneath me? The power I felt in that moment made my skin tingle. I could get drunk from that much power. When my head was pressed against his chest, I heard the solid beat of his heart; his scent had engulfed me. I had stayed perfectly still, hoping that maybe if I pressed deep enough, his scent would sink underneath my skin.
It was all of those things wrapped into one. It built, and gathered speed, and catapulted us to that one kiss.
A kiss that changed everything.
I brushed my finger against my lower lip. I couldn’t even call it a kiss. A kiss to me was two people’s lips touching. Sometimes it’s awkward. Sometimes it’s sweet and innocent. Sometimes lust takes over.
But never does a kiss combust into something so powerful that even your heart feels it. Every touch, every moan, every
“Is everything okay?”
No, everything wasn’t okay. The shadow of my first love wouldn’t leave me alone. I didn’t say the truth though. Instead, I smiled and said: “Everything’s fine. We were just… moving too fast.”
“Moving too fast,” he repeated.
I nodded and watched as he slipped off his tie and blindly tossed it at his desk. He buttoned his shirt back up and I wanted to tell him to stop.
He caught me staring. “You can’t look at me like that.”
“Like what?” I breathed.
“Like you want us to keep going.”
I looked away and never answered him.
Max stopped in front of me. “You’ll be here for the rest of the summer?” he asked.
I nodded and watched him with confusion.
Letting out a deep breath, Max dragged both hands through his hair and leveled me with a determined look. “I’m not letting you out of my sight.”
“Because of what just happened?” I asked.
“Does that,” he gestured toward the couch, “happen to you often?”
If that happened to me often, I would need a pacemaker. What just happened was almost soul-shaking.
“No,” I finally admitted.
It was the answer he wanted. He nodded and swiped his keys from the desk before he stalked toward me. He stood in front of me and cupped my face. His eyes were still hard, with the same wild look that had been there when he kissed me.
“Give me the summer.” His voice lowered into sexy whisper. “While you’re here, be with me.”
“And that’s it?” I challenged. “I’m free to do whatever after that?”
His jaw flexed. “Give me right now.”
Both of us were avoiding what needed to be asked: would either of us be free after this summer?
I couldn’t deny this raw hunger between us any more than he could, and I knew, deep down, that if I skipped this chance, I would regret it.
Maybe forever.
My answer was a simple nod. His head lowered. Lips touched mine gently. My body shook.
Fuck the truth. It was the heart that was my worst enemy. It was the one that was going to cut me. Bleed me. It would be the one to kill me.
Max drove me back to Lana’s house. I was on autopilot the entire ride. My mind kept rewinding back to the two of us on his couch.
When he dropped me off, I sat outside. For minutes? Hours? Beats me. I just stared at the clear black sky, hoping that I would forget about our kiss. That’s the thing though, logic made that impossible. Logic seemed to disappear in the moment I needed it the most, but reared its practical head when everything was said and done. And right now, it was showing me everything I did wrong.
What did you think, Naomi? That you could be alone with him and nothing would happen?
I rested my elbows on my knees and looked down at the brick steps.
Why did you even tell him to go back to the house? Why?
Good question. Why didn’t I tell him to just take me home?
I didn’t have an answer. Nothing valid, at least. The only thing I had was excuses. It was those looks he gave me during dinner. Or when he put his hand on my lower back. It was an act of protectiveness and chivalry. Maybe it was when we changed positions and his body was beneath me? The power I felt in that moment made my skin tingle. I could get drunk from that much power. When my head was pressed against his chest, I heard the solid beat of his heart; his scent had engulfed me. I had stayed perfectly still, hoping that maybe if I pressed deep enough, his scent would sink underneath my skin.
It was all of those things wrapped into one. It built, and gathered speed, and catapulted us to that one kiss.
A kiss that changed everything.
I brushed my finger against my lower lip. I couldn’t even call it a kiss. A kiss to me was two people’s lips touching. Sometimes it’s awkward. Sometimes it’s sweet and innocent. Sometimes lust takes over.
But never does a kiss combust into something so powerful that even your heart feels it. Every touch, every moan, every
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