Page 34 of The First Time

Before I know it, his lips are on mine. It’s not soft or slow. It’s all-consuming. The way they dance over mine, it’s like each movement is a testament to the depth of our longing.

His tongue mixes with mine in the most satisfying way. It doesn’t feel like it could get any better until he fists my hair and growls into my mouth like he’s hanging on by a thread. We are kissing like he’s going off to war, and we may never see one another again.

Our first kiss ten years ago was sweet and gentle. It was passionate in a different way than it is now. Right now, it’s smoldering and desperate. A decade’s worth of mixed emotions culminated in this kiss.

He bites my lower lip. “You piss me off,” he growls before his lips are back on mine.

I should protest. I should tell him the feeling is mutual, but I’m too lost in the moment. In the way his lips feel while they stake their claim over mine.

My hands clutch his t-shirt as I tug him closer. His hands reach around my waist and grab my ass as he pulls me against him. His hard length presses against me. My body is on edge, begging for a release.

I feel the cool air against my body as he slowly pulls away, breaking our kiss. We are both panting as we stand here looking at each other.

“Shit,” he says as he looks around. “We really should get back on the road. It’s getting dark.”

I nod my head, not sure how to transition from our kiss to thinking about the placement of the sun. But he takes off towards the car, so I follow.

Once we’re back on the road, the mood has shifted. It’s awkward, neither one of us acknowledging the kiss because we have to focus on finding our way back to the highway. I feel the tension as he takes his turns. He’s nervous about getting back safe.

“Okay, here’s the highway,” I say as we both seem to breathe a sigh of relief.

The signs are already more familiar once we get back on the main road. I know I’ve seen some of these on our way here. And just like that, I look down at my phone and have service.

“I have service again. I’ll type in the hotel.”

“Thank God,” he replies as his shoulders visibly relax. “We should be there in thirty minutes now.”

The last of the car ride, now that we know we aren’t lost in the middle of nowhere, is spent with my brain replaying our kiss. Once we get back, we decide to eat at the restaurant next to our hotel since it’s already late. Although, eating late to Americans still seems to be early to Europeans.

The restaurant is fancy, so I throw on a simple black dress. Josh has on a black button shirt with grey slacks, and my body is literally melting at the sight. Why must he be so good-looking?

And why are we not acknowledging the kiss?

Josh opens the door for me and guides me out with his hand on the small of my back. He leaves it there until we’re outside,where he silently grabs my hand. I swallow down the words that are threatening to spill over.

The ones that want to ask him what we’re doing right now. Instead, we enjoy a nice evening together over a candlelit dinner, where he insists on paying once again.

The entire evening he finds reasons to touch me. Whether reaching for my hand under the table, running his hand along the back of my neck aimlessly while we wait for our food, or keeping it placed on my back while we walk.

It’s sweet but driving me crazy. I’ve been shivering all night from the feel of his hands on me. I need more.

When we get back to the hotel, I take off my makeup and put on his t-shirt and sweatpants for bed. He’s already under the covers by the time I get out of the bathroom.

Between being exhausted, angry, or drunk…I’ve yet to spend a night with him where I’ve been quite so aware of who’s in the bed next to me.

I pull back my side of the covers and crawl into bed as my heart beats out of my chest. I can’t find it in me to put any pillows between us. I don’t want to. I want to feel him against me. I want to hear his breathing. I want him to touch me, dammit.

He faces me on his side, just watching me with a curious look. I roll over until we’re only inches apart.

“What’s happening between us?” I finally whisper into the darkness.

His hand comes up and tucks my hair behind my ear. “We’re finally being honest with how we feel.”

“I need you,” I admit, as my body craves him.

His lips curve up in his sexy smirk. “I’ll tell you what, Freckles. I’ll give you what you need tonight, but not everything. If you wake up tomorrow and don’t regret what we did, like you seem to every other time, then you’re mine.”

A ripple of excitement passes through me. He moves until he’s hovering over me then his lips brush gently over mine.

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