Page 61 of The One That Got Away

She held my gaze and we sat in silence. Her leg was pressed against mine and her face was close. Almost close enough for our lips to touch.

Almost.

‘Um.’ Stella broke my gaze and I wondered if she felt the current of electricity pulsing between us. ‘There was somethingelse… I, I’m, er, really, really sorry about what I said on the beach. I was really drunk and I…’

‘Did you mean it?’ I edged closer.

I knew she was embarrassed and probably didn’t want to talk about it, but I needed to know. A match had been lit inside me. I wanted Stella and I needed to know if there was any chance she felt the same.

‘Mean what?’ She pushed her sunglasses down from where they were resting on the top of her head to cover her eyes.

After dragging off my sunglasses, I whipped hers off her face.

‘Look at me,’ I commanded. ‘You know what I’m asking. But seeing as you’re asking me to spell it out, I want to know whether you meant what you said last night. Did you want something to happen between us?’

She swallowed hard and dropped her head to the floor. I lifted her chin and our eyes connected.

‘I…’

‘Tell me,’ I growled. ‘Last night you said we were gonna go to your room andfinally fuck. Is that what you want? Do you want me to fuck you?’

Stella’s eyes widened.

I inched closer, my heart thundering in my chest and my hard-on straining against my shorts.

She looked up at me, her lips parting before leaning forward.

Fuck. She felt it too.

After years of pining for her, yearning to see her again, we were about to kiss.

As I ran my thumb over her cheek, Stella squeezed her eyes shut and a moan slipped from her mouth.

Jesus.

Just hearing that sound drove me wild. I didn’t care that wewere on the boat with a group of other people. If Stella said the word, I’d do her right here.Thatwas how badly I wanted her.

Our heads moved inwards, our lips now millimetres apart. I was just about to close the gap when the music stopped and Jasmine’s voiced boomed from the speaker.

‘Ladies and gents, dinner is served! Please come back inside so I can show you to your cabins.’

Stella and I sprang apart from each other like we were two teenagers who’d been caught screwing by their parents.

Talk about bad timing.

‘I…’ Stella stuttered. ‘We should… I need to go to the toilet. I’ll see you in there.’

Stella literally sprinted away.

What the hell just happened?

We were just about to kiss. I hadn’t imagined the connection. One minute there were more sparks flying between us than at a fireworks display. Then, the next, Stella couldn’t get away from me fast enough.

My mind raced.

I wanted Stella. So much.

Then again, maybe she was right to run.

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