Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 74211 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 297(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74211 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 297(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
"Yeah," Kaylie agreed. "She's one of us now. We’re keeping her. Don't mess this up."
"I won't," I said, not willing to tell them I was head over heels for the girl already. Not that I really knew how to be a boyfriend, though. I just knew I'd never hurt her. “Thank you,” I added sincerely.
"Well, then." Kaylee smiled. "Let's go get your woman."
I followed the girls back to the party at a distance. It honestly felt like I was walking on air. Melissa was mine, or she would be. There was nothing standing in my way.
As soon as my feet hit the deck, I made a beeline for Melissa. She looked so sweet sitting there surrounded by the other girls, like a pretty flower in a garden. I noticed a conveniently empty spot by her side, realizing immediately that the girls were really looking out for me. I sat down and took her hand. I squeezed it when she looked at me.
"Do you need anything?"
She shook her head, beaming at me. The girls were right. Melissa liked me. I wasn't a dirty old man. I was just a guy and she was just a girl. I had to let the age thing go.
"No, I'm great, thanks."
I felt something click into place. We were together now. She knew it and I knew it. Everyone at the whole damn barbecue knew it. Nothing else mattered.
Everything was right in the world.
We’d both been quiet at the party. Maybe we were both naturally not all that talkative. I was pretty much just thrilled to be near her and to know that she and I were on the same page. But when I helped her climb onto my bike to take her home, I couldn’t resist the urge to touch her. I brushed my thumb across her lip, afraid to kiss her at Dev's. Afraid I wouldn't be able to stop kissing her once I started.
I didn’t want to maul the girl in front of anybody, for fuck’s sake.
Now her arms were wrapped around me as we took the thirty-five-minute ride back home. This time, it was different. She was hugging me tightly, her cheek pressed into my shoulder.
Goddamn, she felt good against my back. Nothing had ever felt as good. Not even close.
I pulled into the gravel parking lot by the stables, unwilling for the night to end. I knew I was just going to end up torturing myself but I had to have her in my arms. I was going to take it slow, like the girls said. But it was going to be the hardest thing I’d ever done. I couldn't even wait until she was off the back of my ride.
"Melissa," I said huskily, pulling her to her feet and removing her helmet. Her gorgeous lips parted and that was it. Game fucking on. The helmet fell to the ground as I pulled her against me. I captured her lips in a long, soft, drugging kiss that ended with our tongues tangling against each other in desperation.
By the time I lifted my head to look down at her, I was stunned.
This sweet, innocent girl had completely rocked my fucking world. She was an amazing kisser. Not polished, but the natural way she responded to me was a massive turn on. I knew that if I ever got her into bed, it was going to be epic.
And just like that, I was sprung. She must have felt it. Her eyes widened and I laughed.
“Sorry. You do things to me.”
“I do? Really?”
“Jesus, can’t you tell?”
“You always treated me like a kid.”
“Well, you’re not a kid anymore, are you?”
She shook her head and her gorgeous hair tumbled around her shoulders. She looked like she was in a music video. But I knew it wasn’t a flirtatious move. It was just . . . her.
And she was fucking perfect.
“No, I’m not,” she said softly. Then she bit her lip. “I’m glad you noticed. I wasn’t sure you had.”
“Yeah, I fucking did,” I growled, taking her lips in another crazily intense kiss. Fuck me. The girl was going to kill me. I’d never survive the long weeks it would take to ease her into being ready for sex. I would explode first. Or pass out from blue balls.
All I wanted to do was bury myself inside her and never come out again. And there was no way that was happening anytime soon. It didn’t mean we couldn’t play around, though. But not tonight.
She didn’t need me to ruin this by rubbing my rough hands all over her. Plus, I was half afraid I would come in my fucking pants like a teenage boy. I was way too turned on to focus on her. I had to calm the fuck down.
“Can I see you tomorrow?” I asked. “Not just for coffee, I mean.”