Page 47 of Paper Hearts

Arya laughs but we’re distracted by the guys running down the dock and jumping into the water. I keep my eyes on Ender who swims closer to me, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes as the last slivers of sunlight peek through the trees.

“What were you doing out here?” he asks, his voice low, his chin dipping below the surface.

My cheeks burn brighter as I tread into deeper water. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Carter trying to dunk Arya under water.

“Trying to have an orgasm,” I admit, wondering how Ender will react.

He blinks, slowly, his eyes narrowing as he swims closer. “What?”

“You heard me.” I smile and feel his hand touch my hip under the water.

“I know I heard you.” His jaw flexes, his eyes burning with interest. “Whatever happened to I’ll be your first everything, Hads?”

Why does he make my heart beat so fast? Ugh. “I want you to, but it hasn’t happened yet.” My words are practically shaking.

His breathing gets heavier and his eyes look like they did the night in the barn. Alive with desire. His lips part. “Were you thinking of me?”

I nod, the ripples in the lake splashing my face. “It didn’t work though.”

Amusement returns and he winks, moving back a foot. “That’s because your pussy only wants me,” he says, and I’ve never seen him so confident. I’ve also never heard him so vulgar.

“Oh my God,” I cry out playfully, pushing away from him further, my cheeks impossibly red.

“Don’t be embarrassed.” He comes closer and yanks me into him, holding me closer as he moves into shallow water he can touch. We’re on the other side of the rope swing now, away from the others. “My dick only wants you.”

I clasp my other hand over my mouth trying to stifle my laugh as Ender reaches between us in the water and from what I can tell, he’s touching himself inside his shorts. His lashes flutter closed and then he’s cupping my cheeks with both hands and forcing his tongue in my mouth.

I touch his chest again and notice his breathing is really heavy again. I think about him telling me he had to finish without me last night. “Have you… had one?”

“Thinking of you?” he asks, and I know why he did that. I know he’s had sex, probably a lot, but I’m too afraid to word the question like that.

So I nod, unsure where he’s going with this.

There’s laughter on his lips, his breath mixing with mine when he tells me, “I can’t even tell you the number of times you’ve made me hard, Hads.”

“But have you—”

His mouth captures mine. “First day I met you.”

Holyfreakingshit.

“I think of you more than I should,” he groans, his kiss sloppy and wet from the water.

“When?” My legs wrap around his waist, eager to bring us closer. It’s hard in the water because we keep floating backward but Ender tries to get closer. “In the shower?”

“And last night in my bed.” He chuckles against my lips. “Every time I touch my dick, it’s you I’m thinking about,” he says before deepening the kiss again.

When I’m away from him, I forget this feeling he gives me. Like I’m flying through the air and he’s the only thing holding me to the earth. And my love is nowhere near what it was when we parted, it’s finding new roots in places I’ve never been.

20

WHEN HE GOT JEALOUS

There’s a new kid at the lake this year visiting with friends. Cason Reins. He’s a year older than me and as it turns out, a baseball player. Everyone knows him as Jameson Riley’s—the NASCAR driver—nephew, but Roman tells us he’s known for how hard he can throw a fastball. Apparently he’s throwing a hundred at sixteen. That’s just freaking crazy.

He’s shy, hot, and captures the attention of pretty much every girl on the lake but me.

I don’t pay him any attention. Not when Ender’s near me. All I can think about is us in the barn, the lake, and wanting more of that.

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