Page 62 of Strong Side
“No, Noelle. It’s not fine. He’s harassing you, even if you aren’t responding. My job is to protect you, and I can’t do that if you keep secrets from me.” He raises his voice, frustrated.
“I’m not keeping secrets from you! I didn’t want to make it into a big deal because it’s not!” I shout.
“But you did! You kept it from me. What would have happened if it had gotten worse, and I didn’t know?” he yells.
“I didn’t tell you because I was handling it! I was taking care of it on my own! You’re always there for me, I know. But I don’t want Trey in our space anymore!” I reach for him, and he pulls away again.
“You don’t have to take care of it on your own though! I love you. I’m in love with you. And if I get my wish, I get to keep you forever. Don’t you understand that?” He holds his hands out in front of him.
“Well, I love you too! And I want you to keep me forever because I’m keeping you too!” Tears start running down my face, and I can’t control it.
Casey and I never fight. Never even disagree much, so the fact that we’re yelling at each other is just … wrong.
“Hey, don’t cry.” His voice softens. “I’m sorry. I just got so pissed off when he was taunting me, and then I got upset that you didn’t tell me.” He puts his hand on my face and wipes my tears with his thumb.
“And I understand that. I really do. He’s literally the worst. In all ways.” I sniff. “But I also feel like he did me a favor.”
“What do you mean?” He tilts his head.
“Well, for starters, he cheated on me and got caught made me realize that I was done for good. And I have no doubt that it wasn’t the first time he’d cheated. Then he was following me around like a creeper at the beginning of school. But that day, when I told him I was dating you, it was such a natural response. And even though it might have started out as a lie, I think it was maybe divine intervention to get us to see that we’re supposed to be together.” I drop my head, feeling my cheeks flush. “So, I guess what I’m saying is, I don’t want you to be my fake boyfriend anymore. I’m not sure it was ever really fake for me anyway. I’ve always loved you. I think it just took removing the blinders to see it.” I look up and smile softly at him.
He holds my face in his hands. “You are mine. Always have been. I’ve tried to tell you so many times, but it just didn’t come out right. Like, remember your seventeenth birthday and I gave you that book with that note inside?” He shakes his head but smiles.
“Yeah, I love that book,” I place a hand over his on my face.
“That was my immature self telling you I was in love with you. And then when I said it to your face when you thanked me for it, you replied that you loved me, too, but I don’t think you understood what I was saying, and then I got too chickenshit to make it clear. Then I thought maybe it was your way of putting me in the friend zone, and rather than lose you, I accepted it. Being around you in any way was worth it.” He takes my hand and kisses my palm.
“I definitely didn’t realize that’s what you were saying. As you know, I was pretty naive, and I had never had a boyfriend. I knew I loved you, but I don’t think I realized then what it meant. Does that make sense?”
He nods. “Yeah, I mean, I think I’ve been in love with you for a long time before I realized what being in love meant. So, even though it hasn’t been fake for me, I just want to be really fucking clear here—you are mine now. For real. No more pretending, no more hiding my feelings to keep our friendship safe. I want everyone to know you’re mine, and, Noelle … I have no intention of ever letting you go.”
“Well, that’s good because I have no intention of letting you go either. I’m sorry it took me so long to figure it out.” A few tears fall again, but it’s because I’m happy this time.
“Come here.” He takes hold of the back of my neck and pulls me into him. “I love you, so much that I can hardly breathe sometimes.” He kisses my lips softly.
“I love you too, Casey.” I kiss him this time, shifting in my seat so I can get closer to him. I wrap my arms around his neck, one hand sliding into his hair and pulling him to me. I slide my tongue into his mouth, deepening the kiss.
He breaks the kiss and slides his seat back. “I need to feel you.”
He reaches for me, and I unbuckle my seat belt and climb over the console and onto his lap.
Our lips meet, but this kiss is hungry. He sucks on my tongue, and I swear I feel heat straight down to my pussy.
“Casey,” I pant, intense pulses radiating throughout my body.
His erection is straining through his jeans, and as I grind down on him, the friction from the seam of mine makes me feel like I’m losing control. I don’t even know that I would care if someone walked by and saw us right now.
His hands slide under my shirt, and he pulls the cups of my bra down below my breasts. When he lifts my shirt and pinches my nipples, I nearly come. He pulls back from our kiss and takes a nipple into his mouth and sucks.
“That feels so good,” I say, grinding down harder on him.
He releases my nipple, but both hands cover my breasts, his thumbs rubbing my peaked nubs. “How did I get so lucky? You’re perfect, Noelle. Perfect for me.” He releases my breasts and runs his hand down my stomach to the button of my jeans. “Sit up a little for me.”
I lift my hips as he unbuttons my jeans and pulls the zipper down. When his hand slides into my panties, I moan. “Holy shit, Casey.”
“You’re so wet for me, pretty girl. Let me feel you fall apart on my fingers.” He pumps his index finger into me while rubbing my clit with his thumb.
“Give me your lips, Casey. I need you to kiss me.” I lean down as he tilts his head up. Placing my hand on the side of his face, I slant my mouth over his, my tongue sliding over his lips, tasting him, before tangling with his.
