Page 7 of Light My Fire Three Times
“Thanks for walking me back,” she says, barely above a whisper.
She doesn’t quite meet my eyes, and I wonder if she feels it too.
I give her a small smile, not trusting my voice at first. “No problem. It’s a nice walk. Peaceful.”
She steps closer to the door but pauses, glancing up at me again. Her lips twitch, she’s holding more back.
“You’ve got this way of making things feel easier,” she says suddenly, her tone almost shy, as though she’s not used to letting people in. “Like nothing’s too serious.”
It catches me off guard. I can feel a little knot in my chest tighten, but I try to shrug it off. “I’m good at keeping it light. It’s easier that way, right?”
She nods, her gaze lingering on me for just a second too long. It’s a challenge; she’s daring me to make the first move. The air is heavy with something unspoken between us.
I take a step forward, my body already deciding for me.
Her breath hitches. That little sound, a soft, almost imperceptible catch, sends a jolt straight to my chest. She’s close. Too close.
The space between us is so narrow now that I can almost taste her, the heat from her body radiating into mine. I can see the pulse in her neck, the way her lips part ever so slightly. She’s waiting for something.
I no longer ask myself why. I don’t think, don’t hesitate. My hand is already on her arm, gently pulling her closer.
The touch is electric, lighting every nerve in my body on fire. She doesn’t pull away. Instead, she tilts her head just a little, her eyes dropping to my lips.
I see it in her eyes, a flicker of something raw and dangerous. Desire.
Her chest rises and falls with each breath, and I can feel it, feel the way she’s getting lost in this too. She’s just as aware of the space between us as I am, maybe more.
I lean in, slow at first, giving her the chance to step back if she wants to. But she doesn’t. She’s frozen, her body practically leaning into mine. That’s all the invitation I need.
I close the gap in one swift movement, pressing my lips against hers.
It’s a kiss that’s utterly different from the playful teasing we’ve had all night. This isn’t light, and it sure as hell isn’t innocent.
This is the kind of kiss that leaves no room for second thoughts. My mouth moves over hers, demanding and hungry, and she responds in kind, her lips parting to let me in.
Her hand comes up to my chest, fingers pressing hard against me. Maybe she’s afraid I might pull away if she doesn’t hold on. The heat between us intensifies, so hot we’re both burning up.
My pulse is pounding in my ears, and I can feel every inch of her against me, her body fitting into mine perfectly.
I deepen the kiss, pushing her closer, and she lets me, letting go of whatever little control she had left. Her lips move against mine, slow at first, then faster, desperate. She can’t get enough.
I feel her breath hitch again as I slide my hand to her back. She shudders, and I can’t tell if it’s from the cold air or from something else, much hotter, burning under the surface.
Shit.
Things aren’t so innocent now.
CHAPTER THREE
Olivia
OCTOBER 24TH
This is absolutely notwhat I expected.
I’ve kissed a few guys in my life, don’t get me wrong, but there’s something about Jesse’s kiss that’s different. And I don’t mean the kind of “I’m feeling it” different; I mean the “why the hell did I just do that” different.
I pull back a fraction of an inch, my heart still racing like it’s doing a marathon, and immediately regret it. Because now he’s looking at me like he knows exactly what I’m thinking.
