Page 69 of The Boy I Once Loved

I bite the inside of my lip. This is the perfect distraction from Dylan. It will also help create some distance between us if I’ve got a boyfriend. Kyle isn’t the kind of guy to fall in love with, so my heart is safe. “I’d like that.”

Smiling, Kyle steps closer and he leans in and presses his lips to mine. I open my mouth and I kiss him back and he pulls me in closer, deepening the kiss. Okay, so as kisses go, it doesn’t blow me away. I think Dylan James has spoiled me for all other guys. Kyle is a good kisser and whilst it doesn’t curl my toes, I don’t hate it either. He pulls back, smiling. “Damn.”

His hand brushes against mine, and I open my hand and allow him to place his in mine. This is what I need, a distraction, a bit of fun, nothing serious. I need to keep Dylan at arm’s length and what better way than this.

We head back inside, and I see Nick give Kyle a knowing wink when we enter. He so knows that Kyle was making a move on me out there.

It's ten-thirty by the time we leave. I offer Kyle a lift on the bike, but he points out that he literally lives on the next street. Jay, Nick and Sam, all tell me I must come and play pool again soon and they conveniently leave me alone with Kyle. I lean against my bike and watch as they walk off down the street.

“So, I’m thinking I should take you out on a date this weekend,” Kyle suggests with a shy smile.

“I think you probably should too.”

Kyle steps closer and wraps his hand around my waist. “God, you’re beautiful, Ella. I don’t think I can wait until the weekend to see you again. How about tomorrow night? You can come to my flat. I’ll kick Jay out and I’ll cook us something nice.”

I arch a brow. “You can cook?”

He chuckles and winks at me. “I can do many things.” He leans in and kisses me, and I throw myself into the kiss, telling myself it will help me forget how Dylan’s lips felt against mine earlier today. “I’ll text you my address. Shall we say six-thirty?”

“Perfect.”

When I get home my mum is in bed, but she’s left me a note on the kitchen worktops, telling me that Dylan has called round for me, twice. I head straight up to bed and strip out of my clothes and into my beddies. I’m just about to get into bed when there’s a knock at my bedroom window that makes me jump in fright. I roll up the blind and my heart stutters in my chest when I see Dylan standing there.

“You going to let me in?” He asks, frowning. Realising he has me backed into a corner, I open the window and I stand back whilst he climbs inside. He’s wearing that white t-shirt that clings to his pecs and does fluttery things to my heart. “So, were you just going to ignore me forever?”

With a sigh, I sit down on my bed. “Maybe.”

He comes and sits down beside me. “We need to talk about what happened today.”

“Nothing happened. Let’s just forget about it,” I say hurriedly.

He scoffs. “Nothing happened, huh? So, we didn’t kiss? I didn’t have your tits in my mouth?”

I flush red at the mention of his mouth on my breasts and my core clenches in anticipation at the memory of how good it felt.

“I just think some things are better left unsaid. We both got caught up in the moment.”

Dylan swears under his breath and he stands to his feet. When he turns back to face me, he looks angry. “That’s what you think, is it? That we should just forget that we probably would have got naked and had sex today if it wasn’t for your phone ringing?”

I look away, unable to look him in the eye. “Well, we didn’t, so no damage done. I have a date tomorrow night.”

He flinches and stops still. “You’ve got a date? Since when?”

“Since I met up with Kyle tonight and he asked me out,” I tell him with a nonchalant shrug of my shoulders.

Dylan's jaw ticks. "Wow, you don't waste time." He leans over me, placing his arms on either side of me on the bed and it forces me to lie back. He hovers over me, searching my eyes. "So, this is what you want? You want to pretend that we never kissed?"

No. it’s not what I want, but I know it’s for the best. I can’t afford to let Dylan in. If I let him in and he lets me down, it will break me. “I think it’s for the best.”

He searches my eyes and comes up wanting. "Okay, fine, just remember this is what you wanted El." Without a backward glance, he strides to my window and he climbs out. I sit there for a good ten minutes, just staring out of the window and it takes everything in my power not to chase after him and tell him those three little words and bare my soul to him.

The next day I pull up at college and I feel sick with apprehension at the thought of seeing Dylan. Kyle had texted this morning and said he is looking forward to tonight. I’ve played over and over in my head the conversation with Dylan from last night. He didn’t make any kind of declaration about how he felt, but then I’d not really given him a chance.

I hear someone shout my name as I’m walking towards the main entrance and I turn to find Connor jogging to catch up with me.

“Hey,” I say with a smile.

“Hey Ella,” Connor wraps an arm around my shoulder. “Movie night at mine tonight?”

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