Page 19 of Electric Wounds
Jax’s face hardens, but he doesn’t say anything to Lily or about the kiss. Instead, he stands up, shoulders tense. “I’m going to bed,” he mutters, heading toward the back of the bus.
I watch him go, then turn back to Lily, who looks mortified. Like she didn’t realize everyone heard her until Jax stormed off. “Hey, don’t worry about it. Jax has his issues, but that doesn’t mean you should beat yourself up over it.”
She glances up at me, guilt written all over her face. “I feel bad. I shouldn’t have said anything. I didn’t mean to air our dirty laundry.” She hesitates for a second, before scrunching her nose. “Honestly, I think I’m a little drunk.”
I laugh then lean in, resting my hand on her arm. “Lily, you’re just being honest. It’s better to get it out in the open.”
She nods, but I can tell she’s still upset. I don’t want her to feel bad, not when she was finally starting to loosen up around us. So, I decide to lighten the mood.
“Let’s change things up,” I say, flashing her a mischievous grin. “I dare you to kiss Marcus.”
Her eyes widen, and she glances over at Marcus, who’s watching us with a raised eyebrow. “What? Dylan, no...”
I laugh, leaning back. “Come on, it’s just a game, like spin the bottle without the bottle.” Enzo splutters a cough behind his beer, that sounds like he is trying to cover his laughter. Lily turns her concerned gaze in his direction, but I ignore him. “Marcus, what do you say?”
Marcus smirks, clearly not objecting to a kiss from our hot, tiny blonde ‘handler’. “I’m game if she is.”
Lily hesitates, then sighs, a small smile tugging at her lips. “Okay, fine. Just a kiss, though.”
She stands up and walks over to Marcus, who leans down to meet her halfway. The kiss starts out soft, their lips barelytouching, but then Marcus deepens it, his hand cupping her cheek as he pulls her closer. It’s slow and sensual, and when they finally pull away, both of them are breathing a bit harder, eyes locked.
“Not bad,” Marcus says, winking at her.
Lily blushes but smiles, her confidence growing with each sip of beer. She’s loosening up, and I’m loving it.
“Your turn, Enzo,” I say, grinning. “I dare you to kiss Lily.”
Enzo chuckles, standing up and making his way over to her. He takes her hand, giving her a playful smile. “May I?”
Lily rolls her eyes but this time she doesn’t protest, letting me orchestrate her kissing the entire band under the guise of bottle-less spin the bottle. Enzo leans in, giving her a kiss that’s more passionate than the one with Marcus. His hand slides to the back of her neck, holding her in place as he teases her lips with his tongue. Lily responds, her arms wrapping around his neck, pulling him closer. The kiss is long and deep, and when they finally pull apart, there’s heat blazing in Enzo’s eyes, and Lily is breathless, placing a hand against her chest.
“Acceptable,” he says in a husky voice, causing Lily to expel a breathy laugh.
She wanders back towards the kitchen counter, a flush of pink cresting her cheeks as she stares at the three of us sitting together. But I’m not done yet. “Okay, Lily. Now it’s my turn.”
Her eyes widen as I approach her, backing her further against the kitchen counter. I lean in, my hand resting on her cheek.
“Dylan...” She protests lightly.
“It’s just the game. Just a kiss,” I say softly, my lips brushing lightly against hers as I speak. “I promise.”
The kiss starts out gently, but as she relaxes into it, I deepen our connection. My tongue teases her lips until she opens up for me and I delve in, holding nothing back. The kiss continues, ourtongues warring for dominance, my hand sliding into her hair as I pull her closer. My other hand rests on her lower back, pressing her body against mine. We kiss for an eternity, the world around us fading away. Her hands grip my shirt, and I can feel her heart pounding against my chest. When I finally pull away, we’re both breathing hard, the air between us charged with electricity. I rest my forehead against hers for a second, as I collect my thoughts and fight the urge to dive back in.
Lily’s eyes are wide, her cheeks flushed, lips glistening. “Wow.”
I grin, brushing my thumb against the pink crest of her cheek. “You’re pretty good at this, you know.”
She smiles a shy smile, her eyes searching my face, before leaning in to rest her cheek against my chest. I tuck her against me as I walk back to the couch, bundling us together as I sit next to Enzo. Almost immediately she dozes off.
Enzo, Marcus, and I continue drinking and joking for another hour or two before they eventually call it a night and head to their bunk. I wait another half an hour, not wanting to disrupt Lily’s sleep. I finally cave and gently shake her shoulder. She blinks her eyes groggily in my direction, rubbing the sleep out of the corners of her eyes.
“You should sleep in my bed tonight,” I say, keeping my tone light.
Lily’s eyes widen in surprise, the previous sleepiness wiped away. “Dylan, I don’t think that’s a good idea. I can sleep in my own bunk.”
I lean in closer, nuzzling my face against hers. “Come on, I promise I’ll be a perfect gentleman. I’m just not ready for this night to end quite yet.”
She hesitates, the alcohol making her more pliable. “Okay, fine. But only because I’m too tired to argue.”
