Page 74 of Love Me Steadfast
This tears at me. I’m not a parent, but while everyone’s running around worrying about and tripping over themselves to take care of Morgan, Charlotte gets pushed aside. Just because she gets straight A’s, never gets in trouble, and takes care of everyone else doesn’t mean she doesn’t have needs. Maybe on the surface, it looks that way. But the girl here in my truck with the hurt in her eyes has a different story to tell. Has she been ignored for so long that she’s given up on having someone to protect her, listen to her, support her? Or worse, has she come to think that she doesn’t deserve those things?
How do I fix it?
“I never got the chance to thank you,” she says.
What would have happened if I hadn’t been looking for her? I shake my head.Don’t go there.“You don’t need to thank me.”
“Did you mean what you said? That you…care about me?”
“Of course I care about you.”
Her eyes take on a glint of playfulness that softens the ache in my chest. “I care about you too, QB.”
Should it feel this good to hear her say this? “How come you didn’t invite Crosby to that party?”
She lifts an eyebrow. “Didn’t even cross my mind.”
I frown. “Wait. So…you guys aren’t together?”
She laughs, reaching up to cover her mouth while her eyes brighten with delight.
I roll forward and tug her hand away. “Don’t you dare hide from me.”
Her eyes flash with a heated look that ignites a thousand flames inside me. Being this close to her, in this small space, with the rhythm of our quickening breaths broken only by the wind outside, is supercharging all that I want.
“Oh yeah?” she says. “What are you going to do about it?”
I brace off the window behind her and lean closer. Her gaze lifts to mine and her breath hitches, like she didn’t expect me to rise to this little challenge.
Watch me.
“This.” I close my eyes and kiss her.
Chapter Twenty-Two
CHARLOTTE (AGE 15)
Will’swarm lips brush against mine, sending my stomach on a roller coaster. I try to hold onto the way his kiss lights up my skin. Try to savor the tenderness, memorize the low purr rising from the back of his throat. My heartbeat ripples through my chest. He kisses me again, his mouth locking with mine as he gently tugs on my lower lip.
My limbs are frozen in place but I don’t care.
William Hayes is kissing me.
I reach up to grip the back of his neck. His skin is surprisingly warm and soft, the thick curls at the nape of his neck silky beneath my fingertips. I want to explore but my attention is consumed by his mouth and the wild burst of pleasure surging through me.
He flicks the tip of his tongue at the seam of my lips. I hold on tighter and arch up a little so I can let him inside. When his tongue sweeps past mine and swirls, I feel iteverywhere.
It’s not that I haven’t been kissed before.
But I’ve never been kissed likethis. Like he’s consumed by it. Byme. Like he wants it to last a lifetime.
Can he sense how badly I’ve wanted this?
My pulse slides down my spine, vibrating through my core. I kiss him back, my lips embracing his, my breaths coming faster, echoing in this small space.
A gust of wind rocks the truck, but it just reinforces that we’re safe here.
Alone, with no one to stop us.
