Page 24 of I Could Be Yours

“We need to figure out how to get out of here!”

“If you try to break down the door with your fists again, I will kiss you,” I threaten.

Well, it’s sort of a threat, because the longer I stand here, the more I really want to do just that. Feel her soft lips again. Find out whether the memory has been exaggerated in my head. And if I kiss her, I can’t say anything assholey, and we’ll stop bickering.

Her eyes flare. “You wouldn’t.”

“Are you sure about that?” We stare each other down.

Her chest is heaving.

My dick is raging.

And just as I hoped, she reaches for the door.

“Don’t do it.” I ease my grip on her shoulders.

“Don’t boss me around.”

“Keep testing me, Essie.”

“Keep making idle threats, Nathan.”

“I’ll do it. You know I will.”

“You don’t always keep your promises.”

My cold, dead heart lurches. “This time I will.”

“We’ll see about that, won’t we?” She reaches behind her and touches the door.

I move my hands to her face, thumbs settling under her chin to tip it up. “God, you get under my skin.”

“Good. That’s been my goal from the start.”

“Mission accomplished.”

Essie exhales a shuddering breath, and her warm, cotton-candy-scented breath fans across my lips. I’m really going to do this. I’m going to open the lid on Pandora’s box and dive right the fuck in.

Her tongue darts out. It’s the permission I need.

I drop my head, and the moment our lips meet, I’m flooded with a host of emotions. I’m angry, I’m relieved, and I’m suddenly desperate for this kiss to never fucking end, because it’s not just as good as I remembered, it’sbetter.

Essie’s lips part for me, and our tongues brush. All that aggression and frustration melts away as she loops her arms around my neck and presses against me. Soft. Sweet. Warm.

I snake one arm around her waist, holding her close, though I worry she’ll come to her senses and slap me across the face or bite me. Based on the way my dick kicks at the possibility, I’m not opposed to the latter.

I run my hand down her back, curving it around her ass as I walk her back toward the riding lawn mower. When she bumps into it, I help her up onto the steel hood and groan as she wraps her legs around my waist.

She does this swirl thing with her tongue that makes my knees turn liquid. The hard steel of her nipple piercings rubs against my chest. What I wouldn’t give to feel those under my fingers. To suck on the soft skin and warm metal, to get her naked and just…do all the things I thought about, dreamed about, fantasized about all those years ago. Then robbed myself of the possibility when I ghosted her.

Her hands are in my hair, nails running down the back of my neck as we make out like ravenous, hormonal teenagers.

“You taste so fucking good…” I groan against her lips.

“I know.” She rolls her hips.

I almost laugh. Of course she knows. Essie was the most sought-after girl in high school. Nothing has changed, and yet everything has. “This is a bad idea.”

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