Page 34 of The Fall

We stood studying each other, static heavy in the air, his intent clear. Even though I knew, I asked, “I mean, what are you thinking, Dean? What do you want?” I whispered as his eyes drifted from my lips and then to my eyes. He kept his hands in his pockets as he inched forward.

“What you promised me,” he finished before briefly leaning in and capturing my lower lip before pressing his fully against mine. It was instantaneous as my heart lurched in my throat and my senses bottomed out. I clung to his shoulders, bracing myself for his kiss. The minute his soft lips began to explore, I felt every single shockwave imaginable roll through me. I moaned as his tongue slid along my mouth and opened briefly to taste him before I pushed at his chest in protest.

“Don’t you ever do that again!” I said, my voice hoarse, my need for him evident.

“I’m the only man that should ever kiss you, Dallas.” I was speechless. I couldn’t believe what he was saying. I put my hand behind me on the door, searching for the handle, trying to think of something to say to help my situation. I had let him kiss me. I hadn’t fought hard enough. I had just done to Josh what I said I’d never do.

My vagina spoke first, the greedy bitch, urging me to give in to him. I quickly shut her up by lashing out.

“I need you to respect my relationship. I’ve been with him for a year. This isn’t some fling. He doesn’t deserve this, and you…you need to forget about what I said. I was a kid, and that was a long time ago.”

“You meant it,” he replied with a bite, his determination unwavering. “And if I thought for one second you were truly serious about him, I might respect your relationship. Then again, you belonged to me first.”

“You don’t know me anymore, and I don’t belong to you,” I whispered heatedly as he slowly pulled his hands from his pockets and stroked both my cheeks with his thumbs, his eyes my undoing.

His breath hit my skin with his words, his hot gaze matching his threat. “Then you better leave and fast because I want you so much right now, Dally. I want to push so far into you that you remember exactly who you are and who you belong to.” I gasped at his declaration, my underwear now useless as I clenched my thighs tighter together. If I stayed in the room one more minute, I would lose all control. I’d done nothing but dream of this man for years and done everything imaginable to push him out of my subconscious. All of that effort was now wasted with the kiss he’d just recaptured me with.

“You have to stop, Dean,” I begged as my limbs became useless.

“I’ve missed you, Dallas,” he whispered before he placed one last soft kiss on my lips and stepped back, still pinning me with his gaze.

Anger from years ago surfaced, and suddenly I couldn’t help the emotion building in my chest. Fear crept through me again as memories of what was left of me in the wake of loving him wormed into my thoughts.

“You missed me? That’s laughable. I seem to recall you walking away without looking back,” I said, turning toward the door. “Leave me alone. I don’t want to revisit the past.”

“Dallas, I’m sorry,” he said softly.

“Leave me the hell alone,” I pushed out, turning the knob and walking out but not before hearing his last words.

“I can’t.”

Dean

Then

Days after the party, I was talking to Rob in front of the dining hall when I saw her. I stopped mid-sentence as she approached. I could tell by the way she regarded me that she was going to pretend like nothing had happened between us. But I was done pretending the minute I’d touched her.

“Dean, Rob,” she greeted. She noticed my glare and stopped with a laugh. “Why, Dean, is that the look of love you’re giving me?”

She was dressed in a tight T-shirt and a catholic schoolgirl skirt. I inwardly groaned as I looked her over. Still, I was too furious with her to speak. I walked away with Rob, who was still talking.

Dallas followed as I left the quad, but I ignored her. “Stop right now,” she demanded as I continued to walk. “Stop, Dean,” she pleaded as she followed. I kept walking and heard her cry out in surprise. I turned in time to watch her fall to the ground, her book bag flying behind her. She looked down at her knee to examine it as I joined her. Standing in front of her, I watched as she blew on her flawless skin, a slow smile forming on her lips.

She’d faked her fall.

“Nice try, Dallas,” I snapped.

“It worked,” she mused up at me, brushing herself off as she stood. “What’s your problem?”

“You know exactly what my problem is, Dallas Whitaker.”

“Oh, the first and last name…We are friends. What happened shouldn’t change a thing.”

I shook my head and walked away. I couldn’t get my thoughts together, the hurt from her brush off building in me and fueling my anger. She followed me to the frat house and ignored the door I closed on her, opening it up with a laugh and walking upstairs just a step behind me. At my bedroom door, I reeled on her.

“Stop following me!”

She laughed out to spite me.

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