Page 11 of Every Hidden Truth

Before I could get his zipper down, his grip cinched around my wrists hard enough to hurt. “Silas, wait.”

I froze.

The air between our mouths fogged as we panted like we’d just run a marathon. Why were we stopping? Did he have any idea how long I’d wanted this, wantedhim?

“What’s wrong?” I gulped in oxygen to aid my brain in recovering from the lust racing through my nervous system. “Did I—”

“No.” Ben shook his head, but from the way he forced my hands away from his groin, I assumed he was lying.

I’d fucked this up already, hadn’t I?

“I’m sorry,” I said, and he shook his head again.

He lifted my hands and placed a kiss on each palm. “Stop apologizing so much. I just—not that I don’t appreciate you, um…”

“Trying to get in your pants?” I said with a suggestive eyebrow waggle.

His already flushed face darkened further. “Yes, that. It’s just, I don’t want this to be some hook-up. We don’t need to rush, you know?”

“Right, okay.” I bit my tongue so as not to apologize again.

I was used to quick blowjobs in dark corners and hurried handjobs in secret. This was different. I was out of my element.

“Sorry—I mean, not sorry. It’s just… I’ve nevernotrushed. I’m not good at this.”

“I don’t think you give yourself enough credit.” His lips ghosted across my neck, then returned to my cheek, kissing once, twice. He nuzzled my nose with his, his lips tracing mine without making real contact. “Can I kiss you?”

“Yes.”

When he reunited our lips, I decided then and there I could spend eternity kissing him and I would never get bored.

Something shifted between us anew, rearranging the way we fit together to create something different. It was new and fragile, this thing between us; one small crack and it would break into a million pieces.

If it shattered, I’d break right along with it.

I’d never felt so scared in my life.

4

Casual Eating

We spent eternity inthe tower kissing. I wanted more than his teasing touches, but I stuck to the boundary he’d set between us. Not that I would complain. Ben was an amazing kisser.

When we finally separated long enough to regain our bearings, he mentioned the late hour. We walked back to my house in contented silence, hand-in-hand. My stomach fluttered with butterflies the whole way.

As he walked me to the door, I had a moment of panic. Should I invite him in? Was he expecting me to?

My conflicted thoughts were unnecessary; Ben kissed me sweetly, ending it before we got carried away, then said, “I’ll talk to you later, okay?”

Slipping my hands around his neck, I pulled him down for another kiss. I sucked his bottom lip into my mouth, and he groaned. He cupped my ass, surprising me with his boldness.My shock gave way to desire as he used his grip to pull my hips against his in a deliciously slow grind.

He broke the kiss, his chest heaving as our foreheads met. “I have to go.” His words were less of a statement and more like a plea. “I need to go while I still can.”

I nodded in understanding. My emotions battled with my will, my body pleading with Ben to give in. But there was a sense of relief as well. I needed him to leave, neither of us ready for what could happen if he didn’t.

But, damn, I wanted him to stay.

Or at least, most of me did. A slight shiver of trepidation trickled through the back of my mind as his erection shifted against my hip.

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