Page 334 of As the Rain Falls
She smiles knowingly, cheeks flushing a pretty shade of pink.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah.” I speed up, closing the space between us, wrapping an arm around her waist, and pulling her to my chest. “Just thinking.”
“About what?”
“You.”
Her breath hitches as I slide the pins from her hair, undoing the messy bun she threw together this morning. My fingers weave through the strands as she chatters about shopping with Angelina and Kayla.
“Okay. Well, I picked the pale pink dress, but Kayla thought a darker color would suit me better. And I’ll tie my hair up, of course.”
They’ve started planning Mateo’s birthday party, even though it’s a few weeks away. It’s a big deal, his first birthday in Le Port.
Cassandra’s been having the time of her life obsessing over the perfect gift, the right dress, and the guest list. I hadn’t known aboutthisside of her. She’s a quiet social butterfly, enjoying the good times spent with her close friends.
I twirl a loose wave around my finger, letting it spring back into place. “I love your hair.”
“You’re just saying this because you want me to kiss you.”
“Then why isn’t it working?”
She scrunches her nose. “Cheesy.”
I nod solemnly. “The cheesiest.”
She kisses me,reallykisses me, and I melt into her touch. Her tongue brushes against my bottom lip, and I pull away to catch my breath, eyes still shut. Carefully, her hands cradle my face, but she doesn’t push for more. She’s the one waiting for me now. I’m not even doing it on purpose.
I just like every part of it.
Even the before.
My heart goesthump-thump-thump-thump.
I curse under my breath.
She shivers.
One.
Two.
Three.
I pull her flesh to mine, and we’re back at it again.
No thoughts, just us.
We don’t kiss with anything else in mind besides kissing. Teaching each other, learning each other’s tells.
Like how, when I make a small, overwhelming noise, almost like a whimper, she moves her left hand from my cheek to my ear, her thumb rubbing soothing circles into my skin. Or how, when she tilts her head to the right, I know she wants me to tug on her hair and bite her bottom lip just a little deeper.
Around us, the branches are swaying and the birds won’t stop singing. I feel mud beneath my feet as I press her back against the bark of a tree. I’m gripping her hips, pulling her up, and letting her legs wrap around me.
This feels so fucking good.
The closeness leaves us both wrecked until we’re both panting, wanting, needing more of this, whateverthisis.
