Page 177 of Releasing 10
“But you already gave me your phone numb—” My words broke off when her lips crushed against mine. Her arms went around my neck, pulling my body closer to hers, and I went willingly.
Because I felteverythingfor this girl.
She only had to put her lips on mine and every nerve in my body was shot to hell. She had an uncanny talent for throwing my nerves into absolute disarray, while simultaneously seizing my ability to form a coherent thought.
When Liz finally tore her lips from mine, she left me with a horrendous problem in my jocks and her chewing gum in my mouth.
Her pupils were so dilated, they were almost black. I could only assume that they mirrored mine.
“Your sister won’t let me kiss you later,” she explained, still breathless from destroying me for any other girl. “So I thought I’d get my kiss now.”
She was right about that.
My sister had thrown the mother of all meltdowns when she found out about me and Liz. She even stopped speaking to us, though her silent treatment had only lasted a few weeks.
Liz had been devastated by the cold shoulder, while I’d been fucking elated with the peace and quiet.
The girls had managed to patch things up, but our relationship was still a sore spot for my sister, and because of this, Liz went out of her way to not touch me when Claire was around. We kept our relationship on the down-low, and Liz wouldn’t even hold my hand these days if my sister was looking.
It pissed me off to no end, but I couldn’t deny how much I enjoyed our stolen kisses when no one was around.
Reaching up, Liz trailed her finger and thumb over my bottom lip before retrieving her chewing gum from my mouth and popping it back into hers. “Tastes like you.” She winked. “My favorite flavor.”
Fuck.
Grinning, Liz patted my cheek before stepping around me with a definite hop in her step.
“Hey, guys,” she called out, opening my bedroom door and joining our friends.
Meanwhile, I remained frozen in my spot for a solid ten minutes, desperately trying to calm the hell down.
“Why do you have to go?” Claire whined an hour later, holding on to Gibsie’s hand with both of hers. “Don’t leave me on the millennium, Gerard,” she continued, digging her heels in when he tried to leave. “What if the world ends?”
“Claire-Bear, you have to let me go,” Gibsie chuckled, holding on to the doorframe with his free hand. “Johnny’s outside in the car waiting for me.”
“So?” she huffed, narrowing her eyes. “I’m your Claire-Bear.”
“I know you are,” he tried to coax, “and I’ll be home to my Claire-Bear in the morning.”
“Noooo,” she wailed. “If you go, I’ll be alone with the lovebirds.” She paused to shoot a glaring look in my direction before continuing her whining. “I’ll be all alone.”
“Uh, hello?” Feely, who had arrived shortly after Liz, interjected from his perch on the beanbag. “What am I? Dog shit?”
“Oops, sorry, Patrick,” Claire replied, reddening. “I forgot you were here.”
“Lovely.” Feely rolled his eyes. “Just lovely.”
“I will call you as soon as the clock strikes midnight,” Gibsie vowed, breaking free from her hold. “I love you.” He blew her a kiss before bolting from the room. “You’re still my best friend, Claire-Bear.”
“Yeah right.” Huffing out a dramatic breath, she flopped onto Feely’s lap and folded her arms across her chest. “I’m sulking.”
Her theatrics evoked an eye roll from me and a chuckle from my girlfriend. “Claire, he’s allowed to have other friends.”
“No, he’s not.”
“Aw, what’s wrong, Baby Biggs?” Feely asked, coddling her and feeding the drama queen. “Missing your playmate already?”
“Yes, because he’s always at Johnny’s house now,” Claire erupted, curls splaying wildly. “Going on trips with Johnny’s family, and sleepovers, and going to matches, and discos, and…andtraining.” She rolled her eyes to the heavens and fake gagged. “It makes me sick, Patrick. Like super sick.”
