Page 28 of Only Ever You
She shook her head quickly. “I haven’t changed my mind, but I’m nervous to tell you something. I’m afraid, when I do, that you’ll change your mind.”
“Luna, that’s not possible,” I said flatly.
She studied me, and I swore it felt like she was reaching into my heart. She took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. “I’m a virgin,” she said so quickly I almost didn’t catch it.
“What?” I shook my head, almost as if to myself.
She let out a sigh of frustration. “I’m a virgin.” This time, her words were slower and clear. “And it’s stupid. I think that whole thing is stupid, women saving themselves, or men thinking they’re getting some prize. It’s so ridiculous. But thanks to my parents, even though my whole life was plastered on an online family influencer channel, I didn’t have a regular adolescence. I didn’t have a boyfriend. I didn’t even want to date becauseI didn’t want to end up being the subject of some kind of commentary. Since I moved away…” She shrugged and rolled her eyes again. “Well, it’s just weird.”
Once again, Luna left me reeling. Intellectually, I understood all of her points and, I suppose, agreed with them. Fuck me. “Luna, are you sure you’re ready for this?”
“Oh, my God!” Hands on hips, she narrowed her eyes. I shifted on my feet. “I’m almost thirty years old. And everything I said about how I feel about you is true. Can you just not have it be a whole thing? I thought about not even telling you because I don’t think it’s that important. You were the first guy I kissed, but you’re not the only guy I’ve kissed. I just haven’t wanted things to go further. Some people suck at kissing.” She pursed her lips as if she’d eaten something bitter. “I really like kissing you.”
Luna’s openness and vulnerability twisted my heart. Much as part of me wanted to bolt because this felt like far more than I bargained for, that wasn’t fair and I knew it.
“I really like kissing you too.”Obvious, much?my mind taunted me.
“Are you going to freak out and tell me we can’t do this then?” The annoyance in her tone elicited a chuckle.
“I understand your point, logically, but I don’t want to screw up.”
She flung a hand in the air. “That’s impossible. Everything you do feels good.” When Luna stepped closer and placed her palm on my chest, and whispered, “Please,” I was lost.
To her. To this. To us.
Although, I suppose my heart had been lost to her since that afternoon on a beach all those years ago when I thought her name was Jane and she had straight hair. Her curls were my favorite thing about her, beyond simply who she was as a human being.
I sucked in a gulp of air. “What I said earlier stands.” I opened my mouth to repeat myself, but Luna rolled her eyes.
“I know, I know. If I change my mind at any point, all I have to do is say so. Yep. Got it.” She circled her hand in the air impatiently. “Now, can we get with the program, please?”
A laugh slipped out when she leaned up to kiss me again. The feel of her lips, warm and soft against mine, was enough to make me forget everything but how much I wanted her and how good it felt to kiss her.
Chapter Sixteen
LUNA
The next span of time passed in a blur of sensation. Parker’s tongue teasing mine. His teeth catching my bottom lip and tugging it lightly. Hot kisses dusted on the corners of my lips. His mouth blazing a trail of open kisses on the side of my neck while I trembled and shivered against him.
I felt as if I were melting inside, with sparks flickering everywhere, sending sensations in shivering waves through me. It all felt too powerful to contain. I was restless and needed more. When we broke apart between kisses, I stepped back and yanked my shirt off.
When I glanced toward Parker, his eyes were wide. “What?” I pressed.
“Luna,” he began before pausing to take a rough breath. “We don’t have to rush.”
My hands stilled from unbuttoning my jeans. “I know. But I want to feel you.”
The sound of his swallow was audible in the room, followed by his breath sucking in between his teeth. I didn’t wait and shoved my jeans down, kicking them free. I tossed my bra to the side and was just about to hook my fingers over my panties when Parker caught one of my hands in his.
“I need you to slow down.” His voice was taut.
I lifted my eyes to his. “Okay, but you need to take your shirt off. Actually, you need to strip down to catch up to me.”
Parker let out a choked laugh. “Deal.” The seconds ticked by as he took his T-shirt off and kicked his jeans to the side. My belly swooped as I studied him. I knew he was fit, but I’d been unprepared forthis.
Parker was pure muscle, his shoulders broad, his chest muscled planes with a dusting of dark hair that narrowed down over his defined abs. His fitted boxer briefs molded to his strong thighs. My eyes trailed along a scar over his rib cage and another on the outside of his knee.
I closed the distance between us, tracing my fingertips over one scar and then the other. His breath hissed through his teeth again. “What happened?” I lifted my eyes to his. There was a subtle flush high on his cheekbones, and his eyes were dark.
