Page 3 of Any Second Now
She’s not wrong. I don’t spend a lot of time worrying about women because I don’t spend a lot of time dating. Or any time, really. Raleigh’s always been methodical and clinical in her decision making.
“I’m not overthinking.”
I’m definitelyoverthinking.
I let my gaze settle on her lips. Why am I hesitating, besides all the reasons I just went over in my head?
“Since when doyouoverthink kissing someone?” Her hands leave my waist and she crosses them on her chest. “I mean, all the girls you hooked up with in college. There was a different one every weekend. I don’t knowhowyou got them to hook up with you, besides the whole tall hot hockey player thing, but there were plenty of your type in college?—”
I stop her mid-sentence by crashing my mouth against hers. Fuck, I meant that to be way sexier, way more romantic, because I’ve been thinking of kissing Raleigh since I showed up at James Madison University at eighteen years old and now it’s happening and it’s the only time it’ll ever happen and I’m stuck in my fucking head. I nudge her back against the wall with my free hand.
A moan escapes her throat and she wraps her arms around my neck, arching forward to push her body flush against mine. My heart races with the full contact.
I step forward and press her harder against the wall, deliciously trapping her, letting my tongue slip into her mouth and tangle with hers.
This is too good. Too much.
This is Raleigh.
One of my sister’s best friends.
The woman I’ve had a crush on for over a decade.
I reach both hands down and cup her ass, then lift her so she’s up against the wall at my height. If she weren’t wearing a dress, she’d wrap her legs around my waist, I know it.
I need more time, privacy, a hotel room… I’m hard as a rock and she’s pressing herself against me, and we need to get out of?—
She pushes me away and gasps, her eyes wide, her lips parted, cheeks flushed.
“Hey,” I say and kiss her again, this time more gentle.
“Put me down before someone sees us,” Raleigh says, her voice wispy and shaky, and as I stand up straight and let her slide downmy body, I realize this is the end of it. She won’t be sleeping in my bed tonight, she’ll be sleeping in the next room with Lucy and their other friend.
She meant it.
Just this once.
I set her on the ground but press my hands on either side of her against the wall. I don’t want to let her free.
“Are you going to keep me trapped here all night, or can I go find Lucy and January?” She smirks up at me and gently pushes against my chest. I love the feel of her palms on my pecs.
“They’re gonna know,” I growl.
“No they’re not.” But Raleigh rubs her mouth as if to check for smeared lipstick or swollen lips. “They’re both preoccupied.”
She ducks under my arm and away from me, but stops before she’s five feet away.
“Did you get it out of your system,frat boy?” she asks, looking back over her shoulder.
I chuckle. “Sure,chicken.”
“Good.” Raleigh smooths her hair down.
“But you know I wasn’t in a frat.”
“Whatever.” She shrugs and presses her lips together. “And Atticus? This never happened.”
Then she disappears.
