Page 20 of Electric Wounds
We make our way to my bunk, and I help her settle in, lifting her up to place her on the bunk. Her petite form is easy to move, but she squeals and clutches onto my arms as I grab her, like she’s worried I will drop her. “Shh,” I shush, dropping a kiss on the tip of her nose.
“Sorry, you surprised me,” she whispers back, scooting further into the bunk so I can climb in beside her.
The narrow space forces us close, practically on top of one another as we lay down. I wrap my arm around her waist, pulling her flush against me. The feel of her body pressing into every inch of mine is intoxicating, her softness contrasting with my hardness. I can feel every curve, every contour, and it takes all my self-control not to let my hands roam.
“Goodnight, Lily,” I whisper, my breath warm against the shell of her ear.
“Goodnight, Dylan,” she replies, her voice soft.
She wriggles lightly against me, and I suppress a groan as Lily releases a sweet little sigh. As we lie there, her back pressed against my chest, I can’t help but relish the closeness. Her scent, a mix of her natural sweet, floral fragrance and a hint of the beer she’s been drinking, fills my senses. I bury my face in her hair, inhaling deeply, and feel her relax further into my embrace. My hand rests on her hip, my thumb gently stroking her side.
“Dylan?” she murmurs sleepily.
“Yeah?”
“Thanks for tonight,” she says, her voice soft and sincere. “I needed this.”
“Me too,” I reply, pressing a gentle kiss to the back of her head.
Just before I drift off, I feel Lily shift again, turning in my arms to face me. Her eyes are half-open, a sleepy smile playing on her lips. "You make me feel safe, Dylan," she whispers, her voice barely audible.
I smile back at her, loving how sweet she can be, when she isn’t fired up. "Good. Because you are," I murmur, my fingers gently brushing a strand of hair from her face.
She snuggles closer, her head resting against my chest, her breath warm against my skin. "Goodnight," she whispers again, her voice fading as sleep takes over.
"Goodnight, Lily," I reply softly, my fingers still running through her hair.
THIRTEEN
EVERYONE KNOWS THE SCORE
Lily
I wake up with a pounding headache, my skull feeling like it's caught in a slowly tightening vice. Groaning, I squeeze my eyes shut against the light filtering into the bus. After a few, minutes nothing changes, and I resign myself to the inevitable. Slowly, I crack my eyes open, blinking away tears as they adjust to the brightness. I'm still in Dylan's bunk, and the memories of last night flood back, making my cheeks burn with embarrassment.
I confessed the kiss with Jax in front of everyone. I cringe, remembering the dares, the kisses—how my stomach fluttered with each one. How I wanted each one. What was I thinking? I never drink much, and those beers hit me harder than I expected.
Next to me, Dylan stirs. His eyes open, locking onto mine with a slow, teasing smile spreading across his face despite my obviously hungover state. I don’t even want to know what I look like right now.
"Good morning, sunshine," he murmurs, his voice husky with sleep. "How's your head?"
I groan again, ignoring the flutter caused by his husky morning voice and choosing to bury my face in my hands. Maybe if I stay here long enough, everyone will forget about last night. Dylan chuckles, and I can feel his gaze heavy on me even through my hands. I give up all hopes of spontaneous amnesia. "Feels like I got hit by a truck. I don’t usually drink that much."
Dylan snorts, propping himself up on one elbow. "I could tell. You only had a couple beers last night and were pretty out of it. But don’t worry, you didn’t do anything too embarrassing."
Peeking at him through my fingers, my face still hot, I mumble, "Except for confessing my kiss with Jax in front of everyone, including him."
He shrugs, that charming smile of his softening into something more genuine. "Well, yeah. But we all have our moments. Besides, I think the kisses made up for it, at least for me." He winks and somehow it looks sexy. Who am I kidding? Everything about this man, all of these men, is sexy.
Shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I sigh. "Yeah, about that..."
Before I can finish, Dylan leans in, his eyes sparkling with mischief, and captures my lips in a kiss—slow, deep, and full of heat. His hand slides down my body, brushing against my breasts, making me gasp as a jolt of electricity runs through me. I moan softly into his mouth, my body instinctively responding to his touch. Dylan deepens the kiss, his tongue teasing mine while his hand explores, sending waves of pleasure that make my heart pound against my chest.
When he pulls back, his eyes are dark with desire. "You're so damn beautiful," he murmurs, slipping his hand under my shirt to cup my breast, his thumb brushing over my nipple in a way that makes me shiver.
"Dylan," I whisper, my voice trembling with need. Every thought that isn’t about him has been wiped from my brain. Hisdrugging kisses are making my thoughts slow and hazy. All I can think about is the next kiss, the next caress.
He smiles, kissing me again, this time with more urgency. My shirt is off in seconds, his own shirt following right after. His muscles ripple under his skin as he moves, and for a moment, he just looks at me, his gaze intense. "God, Lily," he breathes, lowering himself until our bare chests brush together, the contact sending sparks through my body. "You're stunning."
