Page 21 of Ride or Die
I hop down the stairs, happy to interrupt her rant about who gets chosen to drop the fucking flag at illegal street races. Like it makes you royalty.
When I reach the bottom, Colt looks completely bored, then his attention turns to me. He smiles when he sees me. His gorgeous, stormy eyes immediately find mine, cascading down my entire body. My skin prickles under his gaze and my chest warms, the heat spreading to my neck. I feel shy as he watches me, which only makes his smile grow wider.
His messy black hair is cleaned up and combed back like he’s fresh from the shower, and he looks so fucking hot in his simple black shirt, with dark jeans and white sneakers. His tattoos finish off the look perfectly.
“You look so pretty, Layla,” he says, walking right past Simone towards me. My face gets even hotter, and he grins. “You’re so cute when you blush.” He kisses my forehead and hugs me, his delicious scent enveloping me as he greets me. Everything about this man makes me weak in the knees. My first date with this stud. “You ready?”
I have no words, so I just nod with a shy smile, making him chuckle.
“Alright, let’s go. Bye Simone,” he says as we walk out, and she doesn’t say another word, watching us slack-jawed as we walk out the front door and step onto the sidewalk.
“I figured since it’s such a nice night, we’d walk over. I wanted to spend a little more time with you alone before we get there.”
“Sounds perfect,” I finally manage to squeak out.
Autumn leaves swirl around our feet in the warm breeze as he grabs my hand, lacing his fingers with mine. It’s a simple gesture, but it sends a thrill racing through me, making my stomach flip with excitement. He brings our hands to his lips,kissing the back of mine softly, and a gentle smile spreads across his face.
We take our time walking to his place, hand in hand. It’s one of those perfect quiet moments in the company of someone you like, and I feel at ease with him. I cherish the companionship he’s brought to my life this past week. I never realized how lonely I was, and it's nice to feel the presence of another soul, especially one that appears so aligned with mine.
“Thank you for agreeing to do this with me. I know how uncomfortable this might make you. If at any time you feel nervous, want to leave, or have questions, just speak up. I’ll be by your side all night long.”
“Thank you. That does make me feel better since I don't do these sorts of things,” I say, looking up at him. He smiles down, licking his lips. My eyes track his tongue, and heat pools between my thighs. Despite my inexperience, I know he’s a good kisser, and it only makes me wonder…what else he can do with that tongue?
He stops on the sidewalk, turning towards me, and brushes my hair behind my ear. A small gesture he’s done multiple times now, a gesture that means more than he could possibly ever understand.
His eyes scan my face. “You are so incredibly beautiful, Layla. I’ve been trying to be respectful all week, but I haven’t been able to stop thinking about our first kiss and making out in the stacks,” he says quietly. I smile softly, feeling warmth spread across my cheeks again, and a small smile pulls at the corner of his mouth.
The look on his face and the gleam in his eyes says he’s asking permission, so I give him a slight nod. His smile widens as he dips down, wrapping his arms around my small frame and lifting me off the ground.
Our lips connect, and he kisses me tenderly. My arms wrap around his neck and I pull him closer, deepening the kiss. I love the way I feel in his arms; his embrace is soothing, comforting, and thrilling all at the same time.
Our tongues play perfectly together as we moan into each other's mouths. The connection sends desire rushing through me, and I feel my panties dampen from the contact I have lacked over the years. When we finally pull apart, he rests his forehead on mine, giving me one last gentle kiss.
“Mm, perfect,” he mumbles, and I can’t stop the beaming smile that crosses my face. Placing my feet back on the ground, he laces our fingers again. We walk and chat like it’s the most natural thing in the world, like we’ve been friends for years, and it feels so damn good to bond with someone.
Now, I just have to get through this party without ruining everything.
CHAPTER
TWELVE
THE PARTY
LAYLA
When we show up to the party, people stare at us as we walk up holding hands. I gulp, feeling the nerves emerge from my gut and travel through my limbs. Colton squeezes my hand just a little tighter, reminding me he’s there.
Like the street race, it is all jeans, leather, shorts, and crop tops again. The girls are all stunning and definitely appear to be the type that can handle these men. They glare at me with disgust and confusion, and the guys look at me coldly, like I don’t belong here.
I look down at myself, feeling self-conscious of my ‘church girl’ outfit, as Simone so gently put it. My little sundress and jean jacket stand out here, and not in a good way.
Sensing my discomfort, Colt leans down and whispers in my ear, “You look fucking beautiful. You’re the most gorgeous woman in this room. I love these little dresses on you.” One hand tugs on the fabric of my dress, and the other squeezes my hand again. My cheeks warm at his words, and he kisses my forehead softly.
He walks us over to a guy I recognize from high school and around the neighborhood. I know his name is Axel, but I’ve never officially met him or the girl hanging off his arm, Daya, who also hung out with the popular crowd. I don’t know if she ever hooked up with Colt, but she moved here in grade nine and has hung out with that crew ever since.
“Layla, I’d like you to meet my best friend Axel.” Axel looks me up and down, and a small smirk crosses his lips. I know that look. It’s the same one that accompanies all the snickers whenever I walk past people.
The ‘she’s the good girl’ look. He takes his arm from around his date and reaches out to shake my hand.
