Page 42 of The Boy I Once Loved

I hold my finger to my lips and point to the door.

“Okay, but we are having this conversation another time,” she insists, folding her arms.

I nod. Maybe it will be good to finally share all that is going on in my head with someone else. We both finish up and Aria opens the door and releases her arm from me to allow Dylan to pick me up again. “This is crap. You can’t carry me around all night.”

He winks at me. “Sure, I can. You’re like my personal Fingerling.”

"Pardon?" Aria asks wide-eyed.

“You know those little monkey toys that were big with the kids a few years back. They wrap around your fingers. Well, Ella’s mine.”

Aria shakes her head, laughing. “You have no idea how dirty that sounded.”

“Yeah, I guess it did,” he chuckles. “Let’s head back to the fire pit and find Connor.”

We head back outside, and Connor confirms him, Jack and Lucas have looked everywhere for my crutches, but it’s clear someone has stolen them. My mind straight away fixes on one person – Freya. We sit back down, and Katy comes out with mallows on sticks for us to toast. Dylan toasts one for me and he hands it to me before toasting one for himself. Eventually, we head back inside, but not before we pass Caleb and Freya practically having sex on the decking area. Yeah, that sight will stay with me for a while. Dylan carries us through to the kitchen for drinks and I have my fourth. I'm feeling a bit light-headed, as it has been a while since I have had any alcohol. Dylan sits me on the kitchen island worktop, and he leans on the counter beside me while Aria and Connor take the bar stools.

“So, what is it we are all doing next weekend?” I ask, looking at each of them in turn. Connor and Aria return me blank looks and that tell me they don’t have a clue what I’m talking about.

I nudge Dylan, who continues to ignore me. “So, we don’t have plans for next weekend then?”

“No,” he admits, clearing his throat. “Not yet, but we will have.”

"Hey, Dylan." A brunette girl has sidled up to his other side and is draping herself over him, sticking her chest in his view.

"Hi, Talia." She leans in and whispers something in his ear, and Dylan coughs and gives her a tight smile as she walks away, swinging her hips seductively for him.

“What was that?” I ask, smirking.

“Oh that, she just offered to blow me later.” He says it so matter-of-factly.

“Is this an everyday occurrence for you?” I ask, dumbfounded. I mean, I know he is hot, but does he really have girls propositioning him every which way? I suddenly feel very insecure in my own skin.

“Pretty much.” He grins as he takes a swig of his drink.

"A poll voted him best kisser in the college e-newsletter," Connor tells me in amusement.

“Best kisser. You?” I cock a brow.

“Yes, me. These lips are magical, you know. I know how to kiss a girl good and proper.”

I snigger and shake my head. “Come on, I mean a kiss is a kiss.”

“I have to disagree,” Aria says. “I have kissed some boys in the past and they really don’t have a clue. One once stuck his tongue straight down my throat and made me gag.”

“See?” Dylan tells me as he puts his empty bottle down and grabs another. “You really don’t believe me, do you?”

I shake my head. “No. You can’t be that good.”

He nods. “Okay, let’s see. I dare you to kiss me and not find it the best kiss you have ever had.”

I scoff. “You’re not serious?” Please tell me he isn’t serious because how can I kiss him and keep my feelings hidden?

“Deadly,” he tells me firmly. “A dare is a dare, Ella.”

I am not good at turning down a challenge, and he knows it.

"Okay, let's do it," I reply, raising my chin in defiance. "Get over here Mr world's best kisser."

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