Page 51 of Between Us

“You,” I breathe, surprised by my own courage. After the baggage I threw at him, and the way he willfully took off some of the weight, I feel like I can do anything if he’s with me. “I just… I need to know you mean it.”

He pulls away just enough to look at me. It’s an assessing gaze, and I get the feeling he’s looking for something. I don’t knowwhatexactly, but I find myself nodding anyway. It’s a silent acknowledgment that Itrusthim, and permission for him to do whatever it is he’s thinking about.

It honestly feels a little bit like a quiet plea too. Because I justneedsomething. I need to feel anything other than this sickly familiar burn in my chest. But more than that,I want to feel him.

As if he read my mind, he lets out a soft sigh before pulling me to him by the nape of my neck. It starts tentative, with just a few brushes of his full lips against mine.

When he moves to pull away, I grab on tighter to his shirt and tug forward. There’s no hesitation on his part this time. He slips his hand further up my neck, tangling into the long strands that are free from a hair tie, for once. His grip is tight, as he holds me where he needs to take the kiss deeper.

He bites on my bottom lip but I’m already opening for him. The anticipation of his tongue tangling with mine makes me feel a lightheaded sense of euphoria but it’s nothing compared to the actuality of it.

The kiss is slow as we explore each other in this new way. It’s not tender by any means though. It’s sensual and rawer than anything I’ve experienced. Some of that may be due to the heaviness of the last few days, but it mostly has to do with the way he continues to savor the taste of me, pulling me further out of my own head the longer he kisses me.

We don’t take it any further than this, not wanting to rush it either. I get lost in his affection for what feels like hours. Even after that, another half hour passes before he stands and reaches a hand out to me.

Taking in the gesture for a second, I tentatively place mine in his—this is also a first for me.

I’ve never been walked to my car and held a guy’s hand in public like this.

And I realize that for the first time, I feel possessive of someone. Even though it’s almost ten o’clock at night and everyone else has left, I like the idea of holding onto Adrian in such a simple but claiming way.

And I’d probably like it even more during the day, when all those freaking Aurora Hills moms are around to see it.

Following in stride with Adrian, I can’t help but look up and softly smile at him.

There’s a heaviness in my heart that I haven’t felt in months, but there’s a new light in mysoulthat’s never been there before.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Blake

Tiltingmyhead,Itake in the new painting in Catalina’s office. It’s an abstract blob of colors that reminds me of that rainbow fish book we used to read in elementary school.

“I see you finally replaced the vulva,” I snark as my head rolls back in her direction, catching her playful smirk. “Did your wife make you do it?”

She points her finger at me. “We don’t talk about her.”

I roll my eyes but expect that response when I try to deflect attention off of me. “I guess we’re done for the day then,” I joke and turn on my heel to face her.

She narrows her eyes at me, trying to hide another smirk. “Not so fast. Let’s talk about your love life.”

I scoff in derision, but the way I anxiously shift in my seat clues her into the fact that there’s actually something to talk about.

“Something did happen then,” she states more gently.

“The last few days have been… a lot.”

Nodding, she asks, “How so?”

I give her a dry look. “Adrian and I went on a date.”

She audibly gasps and looks as excited as a schoolgirl at the news. “Wait, what h—”

“Then we ran into Morgan, Becky and Marissa on the way home.”

I watch her face fall into sympathy and concern. “Oh, Blake.”

“Then I told Adrian about who they were and thebig incident. And we kissed.”

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