Page 49 of Liar
“I said we were going to take things slowly,” Ash whispered, defiant, and yet she still tilted her head up to mine, parted those full lips in a tempting, seductive way.
Did she know what she did to me? Did she know how easily my body reacted to hers? Just imagining those lips roaming along my body got my blood pumping, and her hands…I knew exactly what her hands felt like, and I needed to feel them again.
“We are,” I said, lowering my voice as I moved my face beside hers, whispering directly into her ear, “If we weren’t taking things slow, I would’ve already fucked you, you know. I’ve never seen someone look so sexy while eating chicken nuggets.”
Ash purred out a laugh, and she leaned back against my car, inviting me to pin her against it harder, which I promptly did. “You looked pretty sexy yourself, downing that Big Mac,” she whispered, her hands finding my sides, beneath my jacket, curling into my shirt’s lower hem.
“It’s been a little while since I’ve had to,” I admitted, no longer talking about the food. “I was worried I wouldn’t be good at it.”
“Don’t worry so much. Some skills you don’t forget.”
Being so close to her, feeling her small body curving between mine and the car, it was near impossible to fight the arousal growing inside me, to tell my dick no. My dick couldn’t help it. He wanted to get lucky, especially when it came to Ash. Only when it came to Ash. No other girls for my mini-me anymore.
So, yeah, my erection was pressing against her, but Miss Take It Slow didn’t seem to mind too much.
“I really want to kiss you,” I muttered, brows creasing as our noses grazed. Never had I said those words before. Never had I meant them. Before, I’d thrown myself around, to any and all who would have me, and they were eager to get with me. Here, now…the urge was undeniably strong to kiss her and show her just how far removed everyone else was in my brain.
The only one in it was her.
“I suppose,” Ash paused, her eyelids fluttering shut, her breath hot on my face, “I’ll let you.”
Well, that was as much of an invitation I’d get from her as anything, I knew, so I didn’t waste it. Didn’t linger on it a second longer than I had to. I didn’t take a step back and think about all of the possible ways this could go wrong—and it could. This, what we were, what we were pretending to be, friends, could explode in one fiery ball of passion and never be seen or heard from again.
All it took was a small tilt of my face. Just one tiny movement and it was over. Our mouths connected, our lips meeting, and then…fucking fireworks. Tasting her on my tongue was like coming home; she was where I wanted to be, who I needed to be with. Feeling her lips molding against mine, feeling her heart beating in unison with mine, there was no other feeling like it in the world.
I needed her. I needed her so much more than words could ever say, and I made sure to tell her through the kiss. The fire between us was electric, searing and sizzling, and it was impossible to ignore the heat rising in my gut, speeding up my heart, the aching in my cock that nagged me: get her alone. Make her yours. Fuck her brains out until she can’t walk straight.
I would if I could, but, like Ash said, it was probably best if we took this slow.
The kiss, though, was anything but slow. It was all spark, all heat and greedy hunger. We breathed in each other’s air, feeling each other’s groans in our cores. I gave her everything in that kiss, and then some. That kiss told her what my words never could: I loved her. I loved her so much more than I ever thought possible.
Ash was the only one in the world I would bend over backward to be with. She had me wrapped around her finger, even with her attitude. I was the moth, and she was the flame. Tables had turned on me, and I didn’t care. Not one bit.
We both panted when our lips parted, both of us out of breath. Both of us still hungry for more. I was pretty sure we’d both stand there all night, making out, if we could. It wasn’t the smartest idea though, with everything going on.
Her hands were still balled up on my sides, her eyelids slow to open. The way she stared at me made my body swell with pride. Like, for the first time ever, Ash wasn’t disgusted or disappointed in herself for wanting me. Like every single barrier that had been between us before was no more.
“I know we’re taking things slow,” I breathed out, unable to help myself, “but I need you to know…” What I wanted to say next caught in the back of my throat; this girl was turning me into a wuss. A lovesick wuss.
“Know what?” she asked.
“I love you.”
There. The words were out. Those three words that I swore I’d never say to anyone. The three words I never bothered to say because I knew my family would, in the end, make me do what they wanted. Set me up. Guide me to be who they wanted me to be.
But you know what? Fuck them. Fuck being a Salvatore. I’d use their money until I couldn’t any longer, and then I’d wash my hands of them. If I had to change my last name, so be it. I wasn’t going to leave Ash simply because I knew my parents would never approve of her. And they wouldn’t. She was a no one from a single-mother family. She had no recognizable last name. My family would absolutely hate her.
And, for a while there in the beginning, I hated her, too. I’d told her that she was nothing, not knowing at the time how much of a liar that made me.
Ash let out a ragged breath, letting go of my shirt to cup both sides of my face, stroking gently. “Sawyer, let me ask you something…do you even know what taking it slow means?”
I blinked, totally not expecting that.
“Because confessing your undying love for me on our first date—second if you count that one at the zoo—ain’t it.” Before I could respond, Ash’s lips curled into a smile, and she playfully pushed me off her. I was too stunned at what she’d said, allowing her to shove me off. She glanced down at my erection, though there was no way she could see it that well in the darkness. “You and slow never go in the same sentence.”
This was how she reacted to me telling her I loved her? I didn’t know whether to kiss her again or grow annoyed.
“That said, I’m glad you told me.” She went to reach for the car door, about to get in, but I quickly stopped her from pulling the door shut behind her. Ash wanted to scoot and vamoose after that, while I was dumbstruck.
