Page 25 of Protect

Violette Taylor tastes sweet, like bubble gum or sugar. It isn’t just one thing that has me desperate for her. The smell of her hair, the feel of her warm skin pressed against me, the sounds she makes when my hands trail under her linen shirt. She’s incredible.

In the last four weeks I’ve spent almost every day with her, I’ve gotten to know her on such a different level than just as Jacob’s sister. Not only is she insanely beautiful, but she’s smart and she knows things about sports and music, and she beats me at every card game I throw at her, every goddamn time.

Even the nights we’re just sitting at her parents’ dining room table working on our bio project, listening to my iPod together, it’s easy and feels good. We’ve discovered we both love 90’s alternative music, and we’ve watched more scary movies in the last four weeks than I can even name. But my favorite thing is when I compliment her and that slow pink shade creeps over her pretty throat.

Since we handed in our biology project today, I’ve convinced her to come with me on a picnic to celebrate, which is where we are now. Food and music forgotten, laid out on a picnic blanket, tucked into a sand dune on Fraser Beach, with the sound of the lake lapping at the shore and seagulls overhead acting as our soundtrack. It’s chilly tonight for late May, so the beach is empty.

I did my best to let her finish her dinner but the way she looked in the golden sunlight had me tackling her onto her back the moment I had my chance, and now my mouth moves with hers effortlessly. Every swipe of my tongue against hers has my dick aching against the zipper of my jeans. As the captain of our school’s varsity rugby team, I’ve had my fair share of girls over the last few years, but I’ve never wanted someone the way I want Vi now. All we’ve done is kiss but, fuck, I can’t get enough of her. The only problem is I have no idea what I’m doing with her.

It’s been almost two weeks since I kissed her in the checkout line atLicksand I know I have to take things slow, but seeing her almost every day, seeing her in the stands at my games even though I know she’s with her family, has made me fall for her—hard. Not only is she my best friend’s sister, but I know I’m the first guy who’s ever kissed her. She let that one slip the other day, which also means I’m definitely the first to touch her like this too. That is both a heavy responsibility and the worst fucking kind of torture.

A gust of wind blows the blanket we’re lying on up around us, bringing sand with it. Violette pulls back and starts to laugh as her silky hair blows between us.

“The universe thinks we should stop kissing.” She giggles.

“Not a chance,” I say, swiping her hair from her rosy cheeks and diving back in. Moving my lips down to her neck. Her pulse quickens, fueling me even more as she fists my T-shirt.

“You drive me crazy, Vi,” I tell her, my voice husky, full of want.

She whispers, “I’ve never—I mean, I’ve never felt like this before…neverwantedsomeone,” she admits in a whisper.

I look down at her. The sun sinks over the water, shining its golden light on her silky skin. Even though the air is cool we’re far from cold, wrapped up in each other.

My thumb strokes the soft skin of her waist under her loose tank top.

“Is this all we’re going to do now that we have no science left to learn?” she asks with a soft giggle.

“Hmmm.” I stroke the loose wisps of hair off her perfect face. “You wanna talk science?” I ask, dipping my head down so my lips trail her throat, her collarbone, she grips my shirt tighter.

“Maybe. Science I know…this is all new.” She laughs as I nuzzle into her neck. Knowing that I’m the first one to touch her like this is incredible.

“Okay…chemistry…specifically autonomic structure. Protons and electrons.” I dot a few kisses down her neck, slowly sliding my hand to her waist. “I learned about those fuckers,” I tell her, “and I think they’re a lot like us right now.”

“Rowan,” she moans as her eyes flutter closed.

I move back to drop my forehead to hers and kiss her lips.

“See, right now, this electricity you feel… here”—I slide my hand down, skimming the inside of her thigh—“it’s attracted to me.” I nip the skin at the base of her ear. “It needs my energy…begs for me to soothe it, balance it,” I tell her. “Because I’m what you need. I’m the proton.”

“That s-so?” she whispers, and I see she has a small smile playing on her lips.

“Yep. It’s basic chemistry, Vi. Electrostatic attraction.” I kiss her again.

“You learned that?” she asks.

“Yep, aren’t I such a good student?” I smirk into her lips. Her eyes are glassy as she looks into mine.

I squeeze her thigh as I kiss her, she moans and “Rowan…” is wrapped up right in the center of that moan, with her eyes still on mine…it’s too much.

“For my reward, I want to make you moan my name like that, over and over. Will you let me?” I whisper cautiously. My cock throbs even more, but I don’t give a fuck about me. I just want to make her feel good. Her pretty hazel eyes open and the sun hits them as she drinks me in, trying to decide whether she should trust me.

She doesn’t answer with words, she just lifts her head enough to start kissing me again, running her hands down my back.

I slide my hand down over her skirt teasing the lower hem of the fabric against her leg, pulling my lips from hers as the last of the day’s sun dips below the horizon.

“I’m gonna need you to say it, Vi,” I tell her gruffly, my self-control is slipping by the second.

“I want you to.” It’s a barely audible whisper.

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