Page 86 of Save You
Suddenly, James isn’t moving a muscle.My own breath is way too fast.As I squeeze his hand a moment, we no longer need words.James swings me round, and the next second, our lips automatically find each other.
James wraps both arms around me and holds me tight.My hands are on his chest and I let them stray down until they’re touching his stomach, which makes him groan.It sounds as desperate as I feel.At this moment, it’s as though there’s no boundary between us any longer.We are just us.Just like before, and yet changed.Everything feels more meaningful.Feeling James’s lips on mine is just as exciting as during our first kiss, yet I know him now.I know the movement he makes with his tongue, the feeling of his teeth on my bottom lip.When his hand reaches for my bum and he pulls me closer, I can feel his erection against my hip.
My knees are weak.I press against him until he almost stumbles back, kiss him harder, let myself be guided entirely by my feelings and the hot burning deep inside me.
But suddenly, he snatches his lips away from me.I was so carriedaway that now I’m dizzy.James breathes hard as he presses his brow against mine.His hand moves from my bum, up to the back of my head, which he strokes gently.
“We have to stop.”
It takes me a moment to work out what he just said.“Why?”I whisper.
He just shakes his head.
“Mr.Beaufort?”I suddenly hear the waiter’s voice.
James grunts, not letting me go.
“I just came to tell you that your driver is here,” the waiter continues, clearly embarrassed.
James lets go of me, and our hands find each other without any conscious decision of mine.We leave the restaurant hand in hand, like it’s the most ordinary thing in the world, both red-cheeked, mumbling goodbye to the poor waiter, who can’t meet our eyes.
Outside, I’m hit by a wall of cold air.Percy is standing by the car, holding the door for us.I thank him and get in, James close behind me.I sit in the same place as on the way here.James drops into the seat beside me.
His eyes are dark and his lips are as red and swollen as mine.I can still feel the slight throb in my bottom lip—and elsewhere too.I’m electric, my whole body charged.I can hardly sit still for the urge to pick up where we just left off.
The streetlights of Pemwick pass us by and Percy heads out into the country lanes.The screen is up, and I glance to see if the little red light on the intercom is flashing.
It’s not.
I turn to face James, who followed my gaze.His lips are slightly parted and his chest is rising and falling rapidly.There’s no mistaking that he was as caught up in that kiss as I was.
“James,” I whisper.
He holds his breath.
I move like I’m on autopilot.The attraction emanating from James is so all-encompassing that it’s impossible to sit here for twenty minutes without doing something.
Surprise flickers in his eyes as I scoot closer.
“Kiss me, James,” I whisper.
He just shakes his head, but in the same breath, he takes my face in his hands and presses his lips firmly to mine.We sigh simultaneously, and the sounds mingle and buzz in my body.The world around me fades.There’s only James and me—no past, no future.Just us and the nighttime lights flickering past.
“I missed you,” I whisper.
He makes an almost despairing sound and kisses me more deeply.
I’m not prepared for what he does to me.I didn’t think it could feel like this.However often James and I are together—it just gets stronger.The yearning inside me grows with every kiss, an unquenchable longing for him and to be close to him, and I don’t think that will ever disappear.
I dig my fingers into his hair and pull him closer to me.This is all going too fast, and I can’t help myself.James’s firm body is pressed against mine and I need him.In this second, I need him like I’ve never needed anybody.
I’m about to say those words when James pulls away slightly.He looks mistily at me and strokes my cheek with one hand, then lets his mouth move down my throat.
“I missed you too,” he whispers to my neck.He sucks on the skin and my breath catches.“Any time I saw you at school, I wanted to do this.”
I sigh and shut my eyes.“Next time, please do.I give you permission,” I gasp.
He barks out a raw laugh.“Good to know.”
