Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 61953 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 310(@200wpm)___ 248(@250wpm)___ 207(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61953 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 310(@200wpm)___ 248(@250wpm)___ 207(@300wpm)
“Now, my last kiss is the one you stole.”
“I see.” I took a step between us. “You don’t want that to be the one you remember?”
She shook her head. “I want a kiss worth remembering.”
I slid my hands inside the jacket I’d wrapped around her shoulders. One moving to her waist. She sucked in a breath as I drew her body firmly against mine. The other up to her jaw, cupping her cheek as if she were the most precious thing in existence.
Her eyes widened. A pant of a breath coming out of her lips. Desire blatant in her blue irises.
My thumb stroked against the dark red lipstick. “I can give you that.”
“Can…can you?” she whispered.
She wet her lip, flicking her tongue against my finger. A challenge more than a request. I smirked down at her. I couldn’t resist a challenge.
Then, she tipped her head up and brought my lips down upon her own. Our mouths fit together like they had all those months before. Like the stars had aligned and everything in the entire world made perfect sense. There was nothing but this stretching out for all of eternity.
When I slid my tongue in to meet hers, it was with ravenous intent.
Months had gone by, and my thirst for her had been far from slaked. The desire ran rampant through my chest like a boa constrictor tightening around it. I wanted her. I wanted all of her. One kiss could never be enough.
As the kiss turned from one soft moment to a rush of desperate need, I took the lead, gripping her around the middle and tugging her even harder against me. There was too much clothing in the way. I wanted skin, hot skin against skin. And I wanted it with a fire that could burn the world down.
But that wasn’t what I could give her.
I knew better.
I knew better than to let the world burn down with us both in it.
Neither of us would escape getting burned.
And she deserved better than a scorched earth.
So, I let our lips smack one last time, a little drool bridging the tiny gap between us. Her eyes were still closed as I withdrew after giving her the memorable kiss she wanted, but nothing more and nothing less.
“Good-bye, baby girl.”
She shivered at the words. Her fingers still fisted in my shirt. Her body limp and pliant.
It took everything in me to wait there and let her eyes flutter open. To see the want there, open and blatant, and know I couldn’t give it to her.
So, I walked her to the door, took my jacket back from her, and said good-bye forever.
12
Harley
April
“Nice job today,” Annie said, bumping me on the shoulder as we walked off the pitch.
“Be real,” I said with a laugh.
“What? You’re good!”
“I’m mediocre, but thanks.”
There was a soccer team that Julian played on called the Tacos. It was a rec league that all of our friends rotated to play on at some point. Since Nora was out of town with West, they’d needed one more girl, and I’d agreed. I wouldn’t be leaving for Seattle for another week, and I could fill in since it was the lull before finals. Somehow a serendipitous meetup.
Even if I sort of sucked.
Annie just rolled her eyes at me. “You’re too hard on yourself.”
“Perfectionists usually are.”
“Well, from one perfectionist to another, you were doing great out there. I’m glad that you came and helped out. You could be a regular if you wanted.”
I waved her off. “Nah. I can only be so-so at something for so long. And since there’s no ice skating here, just going to focus on school.”
“Ice skating?” Annie gasped. “You can ice-skate?”
“I’m from Seattle. Absolutely yes. Whitt even played hockey, growing up.”
“Whitt! You played hockey?” Annie yelled into the bleachers.
Whitt glanced around as everyone stared at him. “Uh, yes, for a few seasons.”
“Hot!”
Jordan just shook his head, striding toward his wife and pressing a firm kiss to her lips. “You’re going to be the death of me.”
She smacked his ass. “Only if you go down with me. Till death do us part and all that.”
“Romantic,” he said with a laugh.
“Speaking of till death,” Annie said, “I need to check on Chase.”
Jordan’s eyes clouded over. “Do I even want to know?”
He might not, but I sure did.
“His parents are divorcing.”
Jordan remained impassive. “And?”
“And…he’s probably a wreck.”
“Should I repeat myself?”
Annie smacked him on the chest. “Don’t be a dick.”
Jordan smirked. “Oh, this is me being reasonable.”
“Why are they getting a divorce?” I cut in before they could devolve into a gooey, romantic mess.
Annie turned to me and sighed. “I’m not sure. I’d guess because Arnold is a cheating bastard. Charlotte is way too good for him. I can’t believe she waited this long to pull the plug.”
“That’s terrible.”
“Tell me about it!” Annie said. “Not that Jor cares, but I’m worried about Chase.”