Page 100 of Not Fooling Anyone

I bite my lip, nodding. “Did he think we left together just now?”

He studies me for a moment. “Would it bother you if he did?”

“No.” God, he doesn’t think I’m ashamed of him or something, does he? If anything, it should be the other way around. “I just want to be prepared in case he asks.”

“He sort of asked about it last week but I said we were friends.”

Right. But that was then. Things are different now.

“You know,” he continues, “he asked me how you were doing in school too. He’s proud of how smart you are.”

I roll my eyes. “Stop trying to force some kind of sappy reconciliation. We’re fine how we are. This isn’t a Hallmark movie. Real life isn’t like that.”

He grins, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “It happened for us. Fake relationship turns into real feelings.” He steps closer, taking my hands in his. “At least, they’re real on my part.”

My annoyance melts at his words, my heart softening. “They’re real for me, too,” I whisper. “And I’ll talk to my dad. At some point.”

“I only want you to be happy.”

The butterflies start up their flapping again in my belly. “I am happy. Since Monday night, whenever I see you, whenever I think about you…” I squeeze his hands tighter, drawing strength. It’s okay to unguard myself around him. “I’m kind of the happiest I’ve ever been.”

I look up at him, the green of his eyes darkening as he leans in to kiss me, my arms wrapping around his shoulders to draw him down to me.

This is what I wanted. To feel close to him, that connection between us alive and kicking.

His hands settle on my waist, backing me up against my car, his big body pressing into mine as his kiss turns hungry. God, I love that I affect him like this. That he affects me so much too. He’s opened a whole world of possibility within me.

He backs away abruptly, longing still on his face as he says, “I’m sorry. I said we’d go slow.”

I swallow, getting my breathing under control, noticing his breathing is heavy too. If both of us are into it, is there any real reason to stop?

“I don’t want to go slow,” I tell him.

Lust burns bright in his gaze as he moves in again, putting his palms on my car, caging me in between his arms. “Are you saying you want to come home with me?” he asks in a low voice.

Oh, fuck. How in the world can I say no now when all I can think of is us together… In his bed… Getting naked… Getting sweaty…

“Yes,” I breathe, tugging at the hem of his shirt, slipping my hands underneath to caress his abs.

“Just so we’re clear, I want to go in my bedroom, undress you, and make you come. Several times. Are you good with that?”

I nod silently, my mouth dry. Oh God, I want that.

He kisses me briefly, the amount of passion in his kiss nearly overwhelming. “I’ll see you at my place?”

“Okay.”

He backs off, my body on autopilot as I unlock my car and get in, hardly able to process what’s about to happen. We’re going to his house and we’re…

A shiver runs over me, goosebumps breaking out along my arms.

We’ve done stuff before. Tonight doesn’t have to be any different.

But a part of me wants tonight to be different, to go further with him. I trust him to work with me, to be patient. He’s more than I ever could have asked for.

Exhilaration pumps through me on the ride over to his house, not letting myself give in to any fear, any worry that it will be like all those years ago.

IknowEthan.

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