Page 56 of All The Pretty Little Lies

Oscar's eyes widen, a mix of hope and disbelief swirling in their depths. His hand trembles slightly as it cups my cheek, his thumb tracing a gentle arc across my skin. The touch sends shivers down my spine, awakening nerves I didn't know existed.

"Vesper," he breathes, my name a prayer on his lips. “Is this okay?”

I'm acutely aware of every point where our bodies connect; his hand on my face, mine on his chest, our fingers still intertwined. There’s not a single prickle of unease now. His hands feel like home to me, helping me shove down my fear and anxiety.

“Yes. Please touch me.”

Slowly, almost imperceptibly, Oscar leans closer. His breath fans across my face, warm and sweet. My eyes flutter closed as the distance between us narrows, anticipation coiling tight in my belly.

When his lips finally meet mine, it's like coming home and stepping into the unknown all at once. The kiss is soft at first, tentative, as if he's afraid I might disappear. But as I respond,pressing closer and parting my lips, something inside Oscar seems to snap.

His arm wraps around my waist, pulling me flush against him. His other hand tangles in my hair, tilting my head back as he deepens the kiss. A low groan escapes him as our tongues meet, the sound sending shivers down my spine.

I clutch at his shirt, desperate to eliminate any remaining space between us. Oscar's body is hard and warm against mine, a stark contrast to the cool ocean breeze.

Oscar breaks the kiss, trailing his lips along my jaw and down my neck. He finds a particularly sensitive spot just below my ear, and I can't hold back the breathy moan that escapes me. I feel him smile against my skin before he returns his attention to that spot, alternating between gentle kisses and teasing nips.

My head falls back, giving him better access. The sun warms my face as Oscar's mouth sets my body on fire. His hand slips under the hoodie I'm wearing, his hoodie, fingers splaying across the small of my back. The skin-on-skin contact sends jolts of electricity through me.

"Fuck, I’ve dreamed about this," Oscar murmurs against my throat, his voice low and rough with desire. The sound of my name on his lips in that tone makes me weak at the knees.

His fingers trail up my spine, leaving goosebumps in their wake. I arch into him, craving more of his touch, more of this intoxicating connection.

Oscar captures my lips again, the kiss deep and passionate. His tongue explores my mouth as if he's trying to memorize every detail. I respond with equal fervor, my fingers tangling in his hair, pulling him closer. The world fades away until there's nothing but Oscar, the taste of him, the feel of his body against mine, the sound of our ragged breathing mingling with the crash of waves.

Suddenly, the crunch of footsteps on nearby rocks shatters the moment. I stumble back from Oscar, my cheeks burning as I see Zaire approaching. His long strides eat up the distance between us, and I can't help but notice the way his eyes narrow as they flick between Oscar and me.

Zaire clears his throat. "Well," he says, a hint of amusement coloring his tone, "that was quite a show."

ZAIRE

"Zaire,"Vesper starts, her voice hoarse. She clears her throat, trying again. "About what you saw…I mean, Oscar and I, um, well…kissing.”

“It’s fine.” I stroll closer, hands shoved in my pockets, a lazy grin playing on my lips. "Don't look so shocked, Vesper. It's not like this is the first time Oz and I have shared something in our lives. Twins, remember? "

"I don't...I don't understand," she stammers. “You're okay with this?"

I can’t help but laugh. "Sweetheart, in our world, you take pleasure where you can find it. Life's too short and too dangerous to get hung up on conventional morality."

I watch Vesper's cheeks flush, her emerald eyes darting nervously between Oz and me. It's adorable, really, how flustered she is. But beneath that embarrassment, I catch a flicker of something else—desire, maybe even a hint of curiosity.

“But you and me? I almost kissed you.”

“And?” I tease her. "Who says you have to choose between us?”

The salt-tinged breeze ruffles my hair, carrying the rhythmic sound of waves lapping at the shore. This beach, our beach, where I've walked countless times with Vesper, sharing whispered secrets and stolen glances. And now, here she stands, lips still swollen from my brother's kiss.

Oz leans against a nearby palm tree, arms crossed, that insufferable smirk plastered on his face. It's the same look he wore when we were kids, and he'd beat me at chess or try to talk his way out of trouble. That smug smile ignites a fire in my gut, more potent than any jealousy over Vesper's kiss. Because I know my brother. I know how he operates, how he always has to be first, has to win.

But Vesper isn't a game to be won. She's so much more.

I tear my gaze from Oz and focus on Vesper. Her blonde hair whips around her face in the breeze, and I fight the urge to brush it back, to run my fingers through those silky strands. "You don't owe me an explanation, sweetheart," I say softly, noting how she shivers at the endearment. "What happens between consenting adults is nobody's business but their own."

Vesper's brow furrows, confusion evident in her expressive eyes. "But...aren't you angry? Or hurt?" She shifts uncomfortably, and I can see the guilt etched across her features. It's almost endearing, how she thinks she needs toexplain herself to me. As if I haven't known from the moment I met her that she'd be tangled up with both of us eventually.

I chuckle, the sound low and husky. "Angry? No. A little envious, perhaps." I lean in close, my lips nearly brushing her ear as I whisper, "But I meant what I said before. I'm a patient man, Vesper. I can wait."

As I pull back, I catch the way her breath hitches, how her pupils dilate ever so slightly. Oh yes, there's definitely more than embarrassment there. I reach out, brushing my fingers along Vesper's arm. She shivers, and I can't help but smirk. "Cold, sweetheart?" I ask, knowing full well it's not the temperature making her tremble considering she's swimming in one of Oscar’s hoodies.

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