Total pages in book: 145
Estimated words: 138775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 694(@200wpm)___ 555(@250wpm)___ 463(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 138775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 694(@200wpm)___ 555(@250wpm)___ 463(@300wpm)
I could feel my cheeks heat up, but somehow the darkness and his closeness were making it a little easier to be honest. “Yes, it was.”
“Can I ask about your dating history—or whatever you want to call it?” His body tensed.
“There’s not a lot to tell. I’ve never been in a real relationship like you have. I went out with a couple guys last year. Nothing ever came of it.”
“Yeah, I remember you telling Amanda about one of them. And before you came to Langley?”
“There was a guy in high school, my senior year. We, um…we slept together twice. It was… I don’t know. It was over very quickly. Not quite how I imagined it would be.”
“So not exactly the first time every young woman dreams of?”
“Not unless she dreams of doing it in the guy’s childhood bedroom while his parents barbecued out back.”
Lucas winced. “Ouch.”
“The barbecue was good, though.”
He laughed, and I snuggled closer to him, my head resting on his shoulder. His breath hitched briefly, and I could feel his lips lightly touch my hair.
It was weird, but it felt less awkward being pressed up against him like this than it did lying two feet away.
And now that we were so close, I wanted to be even closer.
“Lucas?” I whispered.
“Yes?”
“Do you think we could… I mean, just once before we go to sleep… could you maybe give me a kiss goodnight?”
I couldn’t look directly at his face. Maybe I was embarrassed by asking so boldly, or afraid of rejection. But I wanted to kiss him again. Last night at the library, he’d been the first man of the three of them to kiss me, and it felt good, but I’d been nervous during the first round. I hadn’t really gotten to properly enjoy it.
Then later, I felt guilty when I did enjoy kissing Jayden and Kyle so much. This would be like getting a second chance with Lucas. Hopefully it wouldn’t end with either of us getting upset and storming off.
Lucas twisted toward me, and he brought his other hand over and put his finger under my chin, tilting my head up. My eyes closed as he leaned in, and then I felt his warm breath—minty from the toothpaste—flowing over me. His lips brushed past mine once, and then twice, just barely touching. And then he moved in.
He kissed me slowly, taking his time as his lips moved over mine. The steady pressure of his mouth sent shivers down my spine, and I felt my heart pounding in my chest. His kiss was both gentle and insistent, and it was different from anything I’d experienced before. There was no rush, no frantic grabbing. Instead, Lucas moved deliberately, savoring the moment as though we had all the time in the world.
I’d asked for a goodnight kiss—a simple thing, but he was giving me what I’d really wanted.
I relaxed into his arms, sinking deeper against him, my hands raking across his warm skin, pulling him closer. God, the muscles of his back felt every bit as defined as the ones on his chest and abs. How had I never known he had such a great body?
Every brush of his lips made me more aware of just how strong he was, how solid he felt. Arousal steadily built up inside me. I loved feeling his bare skin and wished the fabric of the t-shirt weren’t between us. I wasn’t ready for that yet, but it was still a tempting thought.
He was doing amazing things with his tongue, and I clenched my thighs together at the thought of what it might feel like to have his head between my legs—not that I’d ever experienced that before. But that thought intensified the throbbing ache between them, and I pointed my toe and slid it up his calf, teasing softly.
He responded by deepening the kiss, claiming my mouth in a way that almost claimed my soul as well. I moaned and then, without really considering the wisdom of it, I threw my leg over his, bringing our bodies even closer together.
That’s when I felt how hard he was, his erection straining against his boxers and pressing into me. I rolled my hips, pushing mine closer to his.
He paused for a moment, just long enough for both of us to catch our breath. It was too dark to see his green eyes, so I closed mine when he leaned in again. His mouth met mine with another gentle sweep, and I couldn’t help thinking he was so good at this it almost wasn’t fair. He kept throwing me for a loop. Last year, he was Lucas, my sweet, smart, and slightly nerdy friend. This year, he was a guy who was often angry—at least after Kyle had moved in. And now he was the man who knew how to rock my world when he kissed me.