Page 32 of Boards & Betrayal

"But—" she started, her voice breaking.

I didn’t let her finish. I kissed her again, harder this time, silencing her objections with the intensity of my need for her. My hands gripped her waist as if she might disappear if I let go.

She melted into the kiss for a moment before pushing me away, gently but firmly. Her eyes were conflicted, torn between longing and fear.

"Thomas," she whispered, shaking her head slightly, as if trying to clear the confusion.

I stepped back, giving her space even though it went against every instinct to pull her close and never let go.

"We can't ignore what's between us," I said quietly, searching her face for any sign that she felt the same turmoil I did.

She looked down, biting her lip as if weighing her next words carefully. The silence stretched between us like a chasm.

"Please," I said softly, almost pleading now. "Just… don't push me away."

Her eyes met mine again, and for a split second, I saw the flicker of something—hope?—before it was masked by uncertainty.

In that moment, standing there in the dim light of her room with our pasts hanging over us like shadows, everything felt precariously balanced on the edge of what could be or what might never be.

"Just for tonight," I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper. "Let's just forget about everything else." The word stuck in my throat like a splinter, painful but necessary. "Please."

Her eyes snapped to mine, wide and surprised. It wasn't often that I pleaded, that I let anyone see me vulnerable. But here I was, stripped bare before her, asking for something I didn't even know how to define.

And then she kissed me.

It wasn't a tentative kiss, not the hesitant brush of lips from earlier. This kiss was fire and need, a culmination of all theemotions we'd been suppressing for months. Her mouth moved against mine with an urgency that mirrored my own, each touch of our lips igniting sparks that traveled down my spine.

I wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her closer until there was no space left between us. Her hands roamed up my back, fingers threading through my hair and tugging gently. The sensation sent shivers through me, heightening the intensity of our kiss.

We stumbled backward until her legs hit the edge of the bed. She fell onto the mattress, pulling me down with her. I braced myself on my forearms, hovering above her as our lips continued their fervent dance.

Her breath came in ragged gasps between kisses, each exhale fanning the flames of my desire. I could feel the rapid beat of her heart against my chest, echoing the wild rhythm of my own. The world outside this room ceased to exist; there was only Ally and me, tangled in this moment.

She arched beneath me, pressing her body closer as if she couldn't get enough contact. The heat between us grew almost unbearable, every touch and caress feeding the inferno that raged inside us both.

I broke the kiss briefly to look into her eyes, searching for any hesitation or doubt. But all I saw was a reflection of my own longing and need. There were no words left to say; everything we felt was conveyed in that searing kiss and the way we clung to each other as if we were afraid to let go.

Our lips met again with renewed passion, deeper and more desperate than before. This was more than just a kiss; it was an unspoken promise, a silent agreement to forget about the world outside and lose ourselves in each other for just one night.

As I hovered above Ally, my hands moved to the hem of her oversized shirt. I paused, letting my fingers graze the soft fabric before lifting it gently over her head. The air between usfelt charged, every movement magnified by the intensity of the moment.

Her eyes locked onto mine, and for a second, everything else faded away. The room, the world outside—none of it mattered. All I could see was Ally and the way she looked at me with a masked desire.

I pulled her shirt off completely, revealing the smooth expanse of her skin. My breath caught in my throat as I took her in. I'd seen her like this before, but tonight felt different—more raw, more real. The dim light cast shadows on her body, highlighting every curve and dip.

"You're so goddamn beautiful," I murmured, unable to keep the awe out of my voice.

She swallowed hard, her eyes never leaving mine. Her hands reached out tentatively, fingers trembling as they found the buttons of my collared shirt. I was still in that stupid suit from the award ceremony—a reminder of everything that felt so far removed from this moment.

Ally's fingers worked at the buttons, but they shook slightly with nerves. The sight endeared her to me even more, made me want to hold her and never let go. Each button came undone slowly, methodically, until my shirt hung open.

Her hands slipped beneath the fabric, palms flat against my chest as she pushed the shirt off my shoulders. The cool air hit my skin, but all I felt was the warmth of her touch. Her eyes roamed over me with a longing that mirrored my own.

I leaned down and kissed her again, slower this time, savoring every second our lips were connected. My hands moved to her waist, fingertips tracing delicate patterns along her skin as I took in every inch of her.

Her breath hitched when I reached for the clasp of her bra. My movements were slow, deliberate—I wanted to rememberthis moment forever. The clasp came undone with a soft click, and I slipped the straps down her shoulders one by one.

The bra fell away, revealing more of Ally's beauty. My heart pounded in my chest as I took in the sight before me. Every part of her felt like a gift—a reminder of what it meant to be truly connected to someone.

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