Page 39 of Fallen Stars

My gaze drops to his swollen, red lips and I lick my own before leveling him with my gaze. “I don’t want the first time we do something other than kiss to be in a crampy car in a parking lot. And…”

When I don’t continue after a moment, he nudges me. “And?”

“And if we take the next step and you start to feel uncomfortable, I don’t want you to feel trapped.” I shrug. “If you need space to digest it all, I don’t want you to feel stuck.”

The corner of his mouth twitches a beat before he leans in and presses a chaste kiss to my lips. But he doesn’t pull away after the kiss. Instead, his lips hover over mine. I curse every fucking deity in the heavens as he lingers in my orbit, deliciously torturing me and making me second-guess my decision.

“Touching dicks other than my own may be new for me, but nothing about touching yours will scare me off.”

Frozen in my seat, my heart beating a turbulent rhythm in my chest, I forget how to speak. Levi mentions touching my dick and that’s it… I’m done for.

Light laughter floats through the car as he inches away. He trails the tip of his finger over my lips, his eyes following the action. When his hand falls away, I immediately miss his touch.

“Guess we should head back.” He buckles his seat belt and starts the car.

I adjust myself, not missing his subtle groan, and buckle myself in. Needing to take my mind off my erection, I try to think of anything other than the kiss and Levi wanting to touch my dick. I glance at the time on the dash—early evening—and it jogs an earlier conversation with my parents about inviting Levi over. It’s an instant cold shower to my system as we exit the lot and drive south.

“Got dinner plans?”

He shifts gears and the car picks up speed. “No.” He glances my way for a split second. “Want to grab something?”

“Mama misses you. She said it’s been too long since you had dinner with us.” I stare at his profile as the trees pass in a darker blur than earlier.

He rests his hand on the gearshift as we coast down the highway. Silence stretches out between us and has me wondering if I should rescind the invitation.

“I miss Sunday dinners too,” he finally says. And as we exit the national forest near Stone Bay, he eases off the accelerator. “Maybe I should join more often.”

Thrill buzzes in my chest.

Yeah. You should.

May 26th

I’ve dreamed about this for so fucking long. And now it’s happening. I think. He kissed me days ago. Today, he kissed me again. He wants me. L really fucking wants me. And it’s so surreal that I had to be the one to slow us down earlier. If I hadn’t stopped us in the car earlier, my dick would’ve been in his hand. Just the thought of it has me hard. And it wouldn’t have stopped there.

Fucking hell! My spank bank got a million times better today.

All those old fantasies… psh. After the way he sucked my tongue earlier, now all I can think about is fucking his throat. Or him fucking mine.

Sweet fucking hell, I am screwed.

TEN

LEVI

Drivingthrough the Stone Bay amphitheater lot, I steer the car toward the section designated for Seven members. Barely after ten in the morning, the place is packed.

Shuttles transport residents and tourists in from the overflow parking at town hall and the performing arts center. Clusters of people swarm the gates. Children dance and talk animatedly as they tug their parents toward the carnival games and rides. Hints of fried food and sugar and salt float through the air. Upbeat music bounces off the amphitheater and echoes for miles.

I loiter next to my car near the entrance and compose myself. Mentally prepare to walk around with Abigail all day and appear genuinely happy to be herboyfriend.

Thinking of anyone other than Oliver as mine makes me queasy. Although the shift in our relationship is new and we haven’t put a label on what we are, the idea of being with anyone else is unfathomable.

But this thing with Abigail gets our families off our backs—mostly—and allows us the freedom to spend time with who we want to without being lectured.

After dinner with Oliver, Emina, and Nero, Oliver and I hung out in his apartment for hours. Sat pressed against each other on the couch and watched a movie. And then another. When he took my hand and threaded our fingers, I held on to his tighter than comfortable.

Opening myself up to him is the best decision I’ve made. Scary as hell, too, but worth every terrifying second.

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