Page 111 of You Float My Boat

But as I leaned forward to oblige her request, she arched back. ‘Why did you panic?’

I sighed. ‘Because … I’m nervous. I’ve never done this before, Violet.’

The freckles splattered across her nose almost disappeared as her face scrunched. ‘You’ve never had sex?’

‘What? No. I’ve had loads of sex …’ I scoffed and, taking in her arched brow which had shot up, immediately wished I hadn’t. ‘Shit. I mean, I’ve never done the dating and the relationship and leading to this bit. The feelings bit, and I don’t want to fuck up.’

One hand moved from the back of my neck and cupped my cheek, soft skin against my scratchy stubble. ‘Charlie, you’re not going to fuck up. We’re good, this is good. I like what we’re doing.’

‘Yeah?’

‘Yeah, it’s us, we’re just figuring things out along the way. I’m not going to break, if that’s what you’re worried about.’ I hadn’t been, but her smile was so bright and warm that it pushed away the last pieces of worry and anxiety that had been rolling around in my belly, and no new ones took their place. ‘Plus, sex is like riding a bike.’

Riding a bike …

Before I could think any more about it, I flipped her over and onto the bed, bracketing her under my body. In hindsight, I probably should have given her forewarning because then she wouldn’t have squealed loudly enough to alert the entire street. If there was anyone in the house, they’d have heard.

We both stilled, waiting for one of the boys to bang on the door and demand to know what was going on.

‘Violet, we have to be quiet,’ I whispered. ‘No one can know you’re here.’

She nodded, silently. Her eyes portraying exactly what I felt, that we were about to cross a line.

My head dipped down, and the second my lips made contact with hers, I forgot about everything else. There was no rush as our tongues tangled together, their own little dance of happiness, as Violet’s fingertips ran up and down my spine. We’d done so much kissing over the past few weeks, I could safely say I knew what she liked. I knew how to tease her until a little moan escaped, like just now. I knew that she loved it when I held her face, so she could surrender control to me. Let me decide the rhythm.

I didn’t break contact as I moved away from her lips, travelling across her jaw down her neck until the barrier of her hoodie stopped me. Her gaze never left mine as my hands slid inside and pushed the thick fleecy fabric up, revealing a slice of smooth creamy skin I was desperate to run my tongue along. So I did.

When my fingers brushed over her pelvis, her belly convulsed, her hand shooting to her mouth to coverher giggles. I hated she had to do that, her giggle was perfect and I wanted to hear it on repeat.

I don’t know if she’d done it on purpose, but as I pushed higher, the green lace bra – the one she’d worn to the Blue Oar – came into sight, along with the boobs I’d been dreaming about since that day. Then I spotted something else, nestled on her left side, right below her ribcage.

A tiny handwritten tattoo:one must have chaos within oneself to give birth to a dancing star.

That day. The Blue Oar. More memories flashed as I remembered her asking about Nietzsche. I remember thinking about the chaos which came with Violet, the whirlwind she rode on … but really a dancing star was much more accurate.

That’s exactly what she was.

I reached out and ran my thumb along the letters.

‘Charlie …’

My eyes refocused back on hers, with a grin. ‘You have amazing breasts.’

‘Thank you,’ she replied and sat up.

In the next moment, her arms were crossed over her chest and her hoodie had been chucked across the room. I never realized how hypnotizing boobs could be, or maybe it was just Violet’s sending me into a trance as they bounced from the movement.

I stilled her hands as they eased under the elastic of her track pants. ‘We’re not in a rush. Plus,’ I grinned wide, ‘I want to do it.’

‘Go on then.’

And just like that Violet Brooks was naked in my bed.

Her gaze was soft as she peered up at me, but it was the crook of her mouth that had me grinning down at her. She broke through the intensity of the moment, creating an ease that I hadn’t otherwise felt. But that was exactly Violet. Easy and thoughtful. She had an awareness about her I’d never seen in anyone else.

Barely-there tan lines accented her smooth skin, and I couldn’t stop myself from dragging my lips across her stomach, and up to the words I’d forever associate with her. The gasp she let out as my tongue flicked across her peaked nipple hit my groin dead centre.

‘Did you like that?’

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