Page 31 of One More Round

So, I just play it cool and try to shift my focus back on the movie and rest my own hand on my thigh.

My focus lasts for the better part of two minutes when I hear her let out a breath. It sounds more like a sigh. I glance over and see that she isn’t watching the movie but staring at my hand.

Fuck me.Does she want this as much as I do?

Staring back at the movie, I make my move. Just a small movement has my hand covering hers. I lace our fingers together and rest them on her thigh. I try not to make a big deal about it, because I’m cool like that. I’m also apparently a sixteen-year-old, mentally. I turn my focus back to the movie again. But I sneak another glance and she’s got a small smile on her face which in turn has me grinning.

I have no idea what is going on in this movie. I’ve spent way too long thinking of ways to touch her, and now that I’m holding her hand, I want more. I’m also a greedy asshole. I let go of her hand and place my hand flat on her thigh. She puts her hand on top of mine. Without realizing it though, I feel my thumb caressing where it sits on the slope of her inner thigh.

But now I can’t make up my freaking mind as to what to do next. Because, again, I want more. What the hell, I’m going all in. I throw my arm around her and pull her in to my side. She straightens and looks at me.

I turn toward her, our faces only inches apart.

“What are you doing, Simon?” she asks so quietly I can barely hear her over the movie.

“I have no idea,” I whisper as I lean in to her.

Then I kiss her.

She’s a bit shocked, so it takes another brush of my lips for her to relax against me. Finally, she starts to kiss me back. My tongue swipes at her mouth and she invites me in. Our tongues dance around each other, much like we’ve been doing for months. My other hand leaves her thigh to cup the side of her face, my fingers digging into her hair.

Hot damn. This kiss was worth it. It’s slow, a bit hesitant and it means way too much. It’s all of our history and the way we used to feel, all wrapped up into one heart-pounding kiss.

I’d kiss her for hours if I could. And I will, except I hear a throat clearing somewhere behind me. Then I hear a grumbled “Get a room.” And Gia must too because she breaks the kiss and slinks down to bury her face into my chest. I hear a mumbled “Oh my God.”

I chuckle at this but tighten my hold on her.

I wonder when this movie will be over and what will happen when we leave this dark theater. At this exact moment, I don’t even remember what movie we are watching.

Chapter Fifteen

Gia

Emerging from the theater, I find myself in a strange state of angst. Really, I’m conflicted about everything that just happened during the movie. Simon is silent beside me as we slowly make our way to the nearest exit out of the theater. I'm not sure the kiss we just shared was a good idea. Don’t get me wrong, I loved every tantalizing second of it. But we are just getting back on level ground, the last thing we need is to complicate things with romantic feelings and sexual awareness of each other.

Yet, I’ve been aware of him for months. More so the past few weeks. It really started back at The Bar when my jealousy of his booth babe got the best of me. And—

Oh, shitballs. He has a girlfriend and we just made out during a movie and …

What have I done?!

Anger bubbles inside of me as I realize that I’ve let Simon make me the other woman. More so that I shouldn’t be the other woman, we aren’t even friends. How did I get myself in this situation?

He grabs the door to allow us and others to leave the building, but I don’t get very far before I stop and turn toward him.

“What was that in there, Simon?” I growl.

He takes a quick survey of our surroundings before he ducks his head and places a hand on the small of my back to lead me away from the entry.

“I’m serious. What was that? You have a freaking girlfriend,” I hiss, trying to keep my voice down. I jam my hands in my pockets and I can feel heat creeping up my face.

“I don’t know,” he replies as he places a hand on my shoulder.

I twist away so his hand falls and his eyes widen briefly in response to my diss.

I repeat his words slowly back to him, confused that this whole thing is even happening.

“How do you not know? Was that your plan along? To make out? What would make you think that was a freaking good idea, Simon? I thought you wanted to be friends? Get back to the way things were? Well, news flash, we never made out in theaters, so …” I trail off because I just don’t know what else to say. I cross my arms over my stomach to fight the onset of the bitter, anxious feeling in my gut.

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