Page 18 of Off Limits

“Whatever you want, just don’t feel like you have to. You’re always welcome to stay!”

She drifts up the stairs. When I hear her door shut, I sigh again, looking around me. I feel awkward staying alone, sitting downstairs watching TV while Chelsea’s asleep and Lochlyn’s upstairs doing…something.

Before getting ready to leave, I clean up the mess we left in the living room, knowing Lochlyn will be the one to do it otherwise, and I don’t want him having more on his plate.

I’m gathering my things to head out when he comes sauntering down the stairs. My breath catches in my throat as I take in his black t-shirt, tight across his chest. I’m not sure if I can really see the single line song lyric peeking out from under his sleeve or if I just know it so well.

I clear my throat and turn back to putting my things into my purse.

“Chels couldn’t hang, huh?”

Spinning around, I notice just how close he is, his blue eyes sparkling.

“Nope. You know Chels, all talk. I was just about to leave—"

“Why don’t you stay? Watch the ball drop with me?”

Stay? He wants me to stay? Withhim?

“I mean, unless you don’t want to. I just figured since we’re both up, before you leave, you may as well watch.”

“Oh, uh, yeah, no, that sounds great.” Turning back to my things, I take a quick glance at my phone, which tells me it’s only eleven.

“You don’t have to be scared of me, Shay.” Shivers race down my spine as he whispers in my ear, his fingers lightly tracing down my arm.

Turning my head to the side, I’m acutely aware of how close his mouth is. “I’m not.”

“Then why are you trembling?” His breath ghosts over my ear, hand hovering over mine. Am I trembling? I hadn’t even noticed. His nearness has erased my ability to think, feel, or recognize anything except his proximity and his intoxicating smell.

I spin around to face him. His lips are less than an inch from mine. If I lean forward, just the slightest bit, I can feel them again. Something I’ve longed for since Thanksgiving.

I look up at him and notice a glint flash through his irises. He takes a step back, but not before giving me a once-over. Immediately, I want him back in my space.

“Come on, let’s go watch whatever nonsense is on TV.” He extends his hand out for me, and I take it willingly.

We sit on the floor, leaning back against the couch. I’m sitting stock-still, back straight, legs crossed, while he’s sprawled out. He’s slouched down and has his hand on my knee.

I’m not really sure what’s going on, still convinced that what happened at Thanksgiving was pity. He felt sorry for me as I basically sat there and cried about never having kissed a boy and not wanting to go to college like that. But here he is, sitting close to me, touching me. It’s making my hormones rage. I take what I hope is a secretive deep breath to steady myself.

We’ve spent time alone together over the years. But not like this. Though, I’m realizing I’m not really sure whatthisis.

“Shay. Shay, look at me.” He pulls my attention from the singing and dancing we’ve been watching in silence for the past half hour. I was definitely spending more time in my head than I was paying attention to the show.

Reluctantly, I turn, sure he’s going to tell me what I know, what I don’t want to hear.He’s not interested in me, and Thanksgiving was a mistake. I’m his sister’s best friend, after all.

“What happened over Thanksgiving break…” Here it is. The moment I’ve been dreading. I build up a wall to protect my heart from the ambush about to happen. “I’d wanted to do that for a really long time.”

And the wall crumbles around me with a whoosh through my mouth and a jumpstart to my heart. That was not at all what I was expecting to come out of his mouth.

“I know Chelsea tells you things…about me. I know you’ve heard things when we were in high school together. I don’t expect anything from you. I won’t ask you for anything you don’t want to give me.” He runs his tongue over his teeth. “But I want to do more than just kiss you.”

My pulse flutters in my neck. He’d wanted to do that for a long time? How had I not known? Am I blind? He’s always been a little touchy, but I’d just written it off as that being his character trait.

Before I know what’s happening, his hand cups my cheek, and he leans in to kiss me. The moment his lips brush mine, something inside me snaps.

My hand slides around his neck as he smiles against my lips. He parts my mouth with his, tongue sliding to meet mine. Keeping one hand against my jaw, the other glides down to my lower back, pulling me to him.

The angle is awkward. My leg develops a cramp, but I don’t want to lose the feeling of his lips on mine. As if hearing my thoughts, he slowly leans me backward onto the carpet.

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