Page 42 of Hard Rock Love
“You can’t tell me you didn’t get intoanyhijinks when you were a kid,” he said.
“Maybe a few times,” I admitted.
“Like what?” he asked, eagerly leaning forward and shifting toward me on the bench seat.
“Once I switched mine and Everly’s bedrooms,” I said. “She had left the house, and I quickly switched our bedspreads and bookshelves and even the posters on our walls.”
“That’s a classic,” Seth nodded in approval. “I’m an only child, so I never got to experience that. It would have been nice to have a little brother or sister around so I could torture them.”
“You wouldn’t have tortured them,” I said. “You would have been the best big brother in the world.”
“You think so?” Seth asked.
“Of course,” I said. “You may be a joker, but you’re also caring, and thoughtful, and sweet and—”
I cut myself off sharply, nearly biting my tongue. I hadn’t meant to say any of that. I reached for my water bottle again, turning my face away from Seth to hide my flush.
I still felt Seth’s eyes on me anyway.
“I think you’ve got that wrong,” he said after a moment. “You’re the one who’s caring, thoughtful, and sweet. I’m just a dumbass who fucks around all the time.”
“Maybe,” I said, aiming a brief smile at him. “But that’s not all you are. You’re a good guy, Seth.”
His green eyes burned into mine, unwavering. Slowly, he reached out and took the water bottle from my hands, placing it on the table. My heart jackhammered beneath my rib cage, as if it were trying to escape.
“I’m not a good guy,” Seth said.
“Why would you say that?” I replied, just as quietly as him.
“Because I’ve been thinking some really bad things.”
My mouth went slack as Seth inched closer. His knee bumped mine as he shifted, until the outside of one thigh was pressed against his as he angled himself toward me. My breath hitched. His eyes fell to my lips. I wet them unconsciously.
“What kind of bad things?” I asked him.
He made a sound again in the back of his throat, but this time it was pained.
“Don’t ask me that,” he murmured, his voice low, rumbling deep in his chest.
I found myself leaning into him, breathing deeply and taking in that delicious peppermint and black licorice scent.
“What kind of things, Seth?” I repeated softly.
I was barely conscious of what I doing. All I knew was, I wanted more of that scent, more ofhim.I craved the taste of those lips as keenly now as I had during our first kiss.
I closed the small gap between us, until we were mere inches away.
“Tell me,” I murmured. “What sort of bad things have you been thinking about?”
Seth’s pupils went wide and dark.
“Fuck it,” he growled, burying a hand in my hair and crushing his lips to mine.
