Page 47 of Cruel Elite (Princes of Ravenlake Academy 3)

Noah’s hand lands on my shoulder and traces a line down my arm. “Are you okay?”

“Did I fall asleep?”

He nods. His curly hair is flattened on one side from where he has been laying on it. “For a couple hours. I didn’t want to wake you. You seemed like you needed it.”

I push my fingers through my hair, trying to tame the mess of tangles, and swipe under my eyes. I’m sure I’m covered in mascara and blanket creases.

“Do you need to get home?” he asks. “I can give you a ride.”

“Oh. Yeah, right. Probably. I can go. I’m sure you have better things—”

His warm hand wraps around my wrist and pulls me closer to him. “There’s nothing else I’d rather be doing, Penny. I just don’t want you to get in trouble.”

I blink at him and my chin wobbles, but no more tears come. I don’t think I have any left.

“I want to stay with you.”

“Then stay,” Noah says, opening his arms. His dark eyes are drawn together in concern and sympathy and care. I want to drown in his kindness.

I fall into his arms and breathe in the warm scent of him.

Except, it doesn’t feel quite as innocent as it did before.

Before, I was a weeping, collapsing mess of fabric and tears. I barely knew where I was, let alone who I was throwing myself at.

Noah’s arms around me had felt necessary, nothing more.

Now, there’s more.

Alotmore.

I turn in his arms, our chests pressed more firmly together, and I slide one of my legs over his to accommodate the position.

Noah shifts again, and I slide my other leg over.

Before I know what’s happening, I’m straddling him.

My dress is a bundle of fabric between us, but he’s between my legs, and the thumping I’ve felt in my head all day has moved to a new location between my legs.

I tilt my head up, nuzzling my cheek against his, and then press a kiss to his cheek. From there, his mouth is only one small jump away.

The kisses start tenderly, gently, but they gain heat quickly.

Noah’s chest is like a thrashing animal beneath me, but the rest of his body is perfectly still.

His hands don’t move from where they are on my shoulder blades, and he doesn’t react at all when I roll my hips over his. It’s like he’s frozen.

Finally, frustrated, I pull back. “Are you okay? Is this not—? Are you not—? Do you not want this?”

“I do,” he says breathlessly. “So much. But not if you’ll regret it tomorrow. Your dad just died, Penny, and I don’t want to take advantage of you.”

“I’m sad.”

“I know.” Noah pulls his hands away and leans back. “I shouldn’t—”

I grab his hands and hold them between mine like a prayer. “I’m sad about my dad, but this isn’t about him. This is about you laying with me all day while I slept. And about you being the kind of guy who has stopped me not once, but twice, from having sex with you because you want it to be the right time.”

His mouth pinches up in a half smile. “You are trying to have sex with me?”

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