Page 84 of Eight Steps to Alpha

“And what did he say?”

“That your mom cheated on his father, that they were young, that your grandpa—”

“Sounds about right.”

She cringed, because she could tell he was trying to shut her out, could tell he was trying to get out of saying more. “But I really want to hear it from you.”

He searched her eyes. “Why?”

Because I want you to tell me everything.

Because I want to know your secrets.

Because you mean the world to me, and he means nothing.

“Because…I’d rather hear the story from you.”

He signed heavily, making both of their bodies shift… but then he spoke again, like he’d told the story a million times. It went mostly how Colton’s did. About his mom being lonely, about her being so young, but he left out the part about his grandfather finding her lover, and about Colton’s father raising him as his own.

“As you can imagine, growing up in a small town, I could never quite live it down. Colton was the golden boy, and I was his illegitimate younger brother.”

She placed her hand on his cheek, and his pain became hers. She could feel it, deep within her, and all she wanted to do was make it stop. But then his eyes shifted to her mouth, and all of a sudden, the mood shifted. From sad and reflective, to something more serious.

Their rhythm slowed, both of them motionless until the swing ceased, until they came to a perfect and complete stop. Her chest felt like something heavy sat upon it, and she was having a hard time breathing, but she couldn’t look away. All of a sudden, one of his hands wrapped around the back of her neck, his fingers urging her forward with the sweetest and most perfect pressure.

She froze, her breath caught with hope and wanting. Kiss me! Do it!

But he only stayed there, just like that, breathing so close to her face she could smell the wine and cake on his breath.

His fingers then caught her hair, fisted at her nape, and pulled her lips closer to his. She knew that at any moment she could tell him to stop, that she could say no, and he’d let her go, but her belly was pulsing with anticipation, squeezing so hard, she could hardly think anymore. Then finally, ever so slowly, his mouth closed the gap and settled upon hers.

She let out a breath, like she’d been holding the air for a good long minute, and he kissed her. But it wasn’t a kiss between friends, it wasn’t even a kiss between lovers. It was a kiss unlike anything she’d ever felt before. It was a breath seizing, earth shattering, never get enough of it kind of kiss. One she never wanted to end.

She opened her mouth to him, allowing his warm tongue to come inside and tangle with hers. To touch, taste, and fill her mouth completely. It was the sweetest of kisses. The sexiest of tastes. Like champagne, and strawberries, and pastries, and something she knew was simply him. He was everything that was good in this world. The sweet and savory, the passionate, and calm—all rolled into one.

“Elliot,” she whispered against his lips. “Elliot.” She wasn’t sure why she was saying his name, all she knew was that she needed to. Maybe because he surprised the hell out of her with his passion. Or maybe because she needed confirmation that this was really happening. That she was kissing her best friend, the guy who was polite and sexy. Who was insecure, yet confident. The man who had charmed the pants off of her entire family within minutes. The one and said he loved her.

Gripping the ropes on each side of her body, she pulled hard, inching herself forward until she felt his erection hard at the juncture of her thighs. Her legs instinctively wrapped around his waist, her ankles locking at his back to pull him closer.

He let out a groan in his throat, and placed his feet on the ground, taking them both to a full stand. His hands wrapped around her thighs, holding her in place as the kiss deepened.

His mouth slanted over hers again and again, allowing their bodies to become even closer, if only by millimeters. But then he stopped, as quickly as it all started, and he set her to the ground. “Why does this keep happening?” He panted. “Why can’t I stay away from you?” He didn’t move away, just stayed in that very spot, holding her steady.

She swallowed hard, trying to recover, but it was impossible. She knew what he was asking. Knew why he was confused. But she didn’t have an answer for him. This was all wrong, but for some reason, her body craved him. From the tips of her fingers down to her toes, she wanted him. There was no answer she could come up with that was better than that. She took in a much-needed breath, then forced her eyes up to his face. To his jaw that was tense and ridged, to his lips that were still pink from their kiss. “I don’t—" She shook her head. “I don’t know. I think…I think that maybe it’s curiosity.”

He tilted his head to the side, and he let out a small laugh. “What?”

She nodded. “I mean, it’s natural, right? To be curious?”

He gave a small shrug, but didn’t agree one way or another.

She looked down to her feet, her heart ticking faster and louder. “Maybe… Maybe if we just get it out of our systems, we’ll be done with it. Our curiosity will be met, and we can finally stop this…thing.” The alcohol was getting to her, not so much that she didn’t know what she was saying, but so she finally, for the first time in a long time, was honest about her feelings. For the first time, maybe ever.

He caught her chin with his finger, and tilted her face up to his. “What are you saying?”

She swallowed hard, determined not to chicken out. “Sex.”

His face paled as he stepped backward. “What?” He coughed.

---