Page 52 of Racing Hearts

As they continued to kiss, their bodies naturally melded together to the point that Sierra wasn’t sure where her body ended and Ellie’s began. Without even realizing what she was doing, Sierra pushed Ellie back onto the couch, so they were both lying horizontal with Sierra’s body completely covering Ellie’s. She instinctively moved her hips against Ellie’s to satisfy the urges coursing through her, and she moaned at the sensation it sent throughout her body. Being with Ellie like this made her crave even more, and while she wanted to take all of it, she knew she needed to keep some semblance of control. As much as shedidn’t want to, she sat up to break the contact between them and cool the flame that was threatening to set them both on fire.

“Sorry. I need a little bit of a breather. I was starting to get carried away.”

Ellie smiled at her, and with her swollen lips and messy hair, it was hard for Sierra to resist going right back in for round two. “I think we were both getting carried away. It’s hard to resist you.”

Please stop looking at me like you want to devour me. A girl can only have so much self-control.“You’re going to have to try.” Sierra playfully pushed Ellie away from her. “I’m not ready…” Her face warmed just from thinking about what she was about to say out loud, and she could only imagine how red it must be. “I’m not sure what your expectations are as far as the physical stuff goes, but I’m not ready to have sex with you. I’ve only had sex with one person, and she ripped my heart into a million pieces. Part of taking things slow is that I can’t just jump into bed with you, no matter how much I might want to.”

Ellie nodded slowly. “What if we’re jumping into bed to eat pizza? Then are you agreeable?”

Sierra laughed. Just when she thought Ellie Finch couldn’t get any more perfect, she went and said things like that. “Only if our clothes stay on.”

Ellie nodded more quickly now. “Absolutely. I’ve found that hot pizza and naked bodies donotmix.”

“In that case, let’s get some pizza.”

***

Sierra was pretty sure she hadn’t known what true happiness was until she woke up in Ellie’s arms for the third morning in a row after spending the whole weekend at her apartment. They hadn’t done anything particularly exciting. Most of their time was spent either making out or finding otherrandom activities to do when their making out started moving in the direction of something more. They talked. They played video games. They watched movies. It was nothing special, or at least, it shouldn’t have been, but it was still one of the greatest weekends of Sierra’s life.

She let out an involuntary sigh when she thought about how she had no choice but to travel out into the real world again in a few short hours.

“Everything okay?” Ellie asked. She ran her fingers up and down Sierra’s arm as the two of them lay intertwined.

“I’m great. This has been the perfect weekend.”

Ellie kissed Sierra before pulling away and studying her face. “Are you sure? That didn’t really sound like a happy sigh.”

“I’m happynow. I guess I’m just worried about how things will be when we’re not in this perfect bubble anymore.”

“You’re not doubting me, are you?”

Sierra shook her head. She hated that Ellie assumed Sierra’s reservations had anything to do with her. “Not at all. I just don’t know what to expect, you know?”

“I get it.” Ellie grabbed Sierra’s hand and kissed her knuckles. “If I had to guess, I’d say it’ll be a lot of secret smiles during practice, probably a few discreet ass grabs if I can pull it off. Dinners out. Study sessions in the parts of the library that never get used. Finding different places to hide and make out. That sort of thing.”

When Ellie put it like that, it sounded more sexy than scary. They were in this together. Ellie wasn’t hiding her from the rest of the world. She was simply respecting Sierra’s wishes.

“I’ll also make sure that Juniper knows we’re friends,” Ellie added. “I can’t guarantee that’ll keep her from being a bitch, but I’m going to do everything I can to show her you’re not the person we thought you were.”

Sierra chuckled. “Well, thanks. I appreciate that.” She was never the type of girl to have enemies, so the less she could have at this school, the better.

“There is one thing that’s going to be hard for me.”

“Oh yeah? What’s that?”

Sierra expected Ellie to say something like trying to keep her hands off of Sierra in public, so she threw her head back in surprised laughter at what Ellie actually said. “Not punching your ex in the face if I ever run into her on campus.”

“I have trouble picturing you punchinganyonein the face,” Sierra said in between laughter.

“Seriously? I’m so scary.” Ellie crossed her arms in front of her chest and scowled, but she quickly broke into a wide grin. “Okay. You’re right. I’ll send Juniper after her.”

“Now, that I can see. And it would be nice for her wrath to be focused on someone else.”

“It will be soon, don’t worry.”

“Speaking of which, I probably shouldn’t stay too much longer, huh?”

Ellie picked up her phone and laid it back down. “Juniper still hasn’t texted that she left, so we have at least a few more hours. Anything you want to do until then?”

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