Page 14 of The Lies Always Told

Letit Happen by Gracie Abrams&2/Catorce by Rauw Alejandro and Mr. Nasgai

Gus

Nellie’s lipson mine feel better than I remember—soft lips and an eager tongue tasting of toasted almond and secrets. There’s no way in hell I can tell anyone I can’t stop thinking about the club. I don’t know how I kept myself from messaging. All the fight is gone with her this close. The way her body molds to mine is the best reminder that we were meant to finish what we started that night, and I’m done fighting it.

She breaks the kiss with a breathy gasp, and when her green eyes lock with mine, they’re glossy and enticing, inviting me in for more without uttering a word.

“A girl can get used to being greeted like that,” she mocks.

“Better than me acting like a possessive asshole, I suppose.”

“And showing up as a surprise, yes.” She smiles at me, her eyes roaming my face as she brings her hands up to hold my jaw. “You shaved.”

“I was on vacation last time we saw each other. That was the outlier. This is regular Gus.” I barely have body hair as it is, so trying to grow a nice beard is out of the question. I usually just go for clean-shaven, but I let it go that weekend in Savannah.

The music is loud around us, and shouts from people drinking and screaming or playing games drown in the background as I focus on Nellie’s rosy cheeks and swollen lips.

“You don’t like surprises, Nellie?” I ask her, not letting the small remark she made go. Nellie speaks her mind, and I like it.

“I don’t, but this one…this one might be good.” She doesn’t take her eyes from mine, and I like that. Her whole body is a language, conveying feelings with her eyes, sharing words with her mouth and desire with her hands—hands that are currently creeping up my chest and making me feel like a teenager again.

“I’m digging the whole sexy librarian thing you have going on.” I pull gently on her silky ponytail and tilt my chin up toward the oversized glasses framing her face.

“What are you doing here, Gus?” she says as she stops exploring my body.

“Changing the topic?”

“Getting to the point. I wasn’t putting any effort into coming to this party, hence not wearing contacts, but I still want to know: why are you here?”

“Shit, if this is not putting any effort… You’re out to kill when you do, huh?”

“Gus…”

I sweep my hand over my face as I shake my head and let out a breath. “I wanted to say congratulations in person, and I wanted to see you.” There’s the truth. Lying would be easier;it comes naturally to me, but I hate it. Years and years of seeing my dad use lies to manipulate situations definitely left a bitter taste in my mouth. I’d rather suffer through the truth this time than be at ease with a lie. Even if it makes me sound like a simp for someone I just showed interest in, I tell her.

“You flew all the way out here for that?”

‘‘Among other things.” I roll my thumb over her lower lip and pull it out from between her teeth.

“A piece of ass?” Not any ass—this ass. Alas, a gentleman wouldn’t say that.

“Well, Nellie, how presumptuous of you to assume I want to sleep with you.”

“Who said anything about sleeping? You and I both know you can’t wait to fuck me.” Direct, honest, and no elephant in the room; Nellie is here to play, and she’s not holding anything back. She, unlike me, has no trouble telling it how it is.

“We shouldn’t,” I tell her.

“We’re both consenting adults, Gus. Who cares? Also, that’s what you should’ve been thinking before you came here and tongue fucked my mouth on this couch.” The reason I’ve been keeping myself away from her is precisely that: it’s too complicated. Our families are too close. We live different lives. I’m in a frat house, for goodness sake. My brother has secretly been in love with her sister forever. It’s too complicated.

“Stop overthinking. Just feeling, remember? I know you want to feel good. I know youfeelthe connection right here.” She taps on my chest. “So stop trying to deny it here.” She grazes her delicate fingers over my temple.

“How about you, Nellie? Do you want to fuck me?” I ask, holding her face in my hands and closing the space between us but not kissing her again. If we’re fucking tonight, I want her needy and ready. I want her to feel the pulse driving me to her. I want to know that she feels it beyond the way she’s looking at me. I’ve been thinking about this moment for weeks, so I really hope the only answer she has for me is yes.

“So, so, so bad,” she whispers against my lips and kisses me again, slipping a leg over my lap and straddling me. She kisses me intensely, deeply as I dig my fingers into her ass, pulling her closer to me. There’s no way in hell I’ve only kissed her once four weeks ago. The way she kisses me, the way our lips are completely in sync, the way her body molds perfectly with mine—it’s like she was made for me.

“Get a room!” someone shouts, and we break apart quickly. Fuck, I forgot we were at a party. The room simply blended into the background and disappeared the minute her attention was on me. The same thing happened at the club. No matter what, when her lips are on mine, everything else is irrelevant.

I drop my forehead to hers and whisper against her lips, “Come with me, Nellie.”

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