Page 71 of The Truth About You and Me
‘Same,’ I say. ‘If you’ve got any weird foot fetishes… now’s the time to tell me.’
He smiles, our mouths are millimetres away from each other, then there is the faintest touch as his lips brush across mine. It’s delicate, light but heat rushes through me.
Take it slow.
Take it slow.
Take it slow.
He pulls back. My hand lifts to the back of his neck, not touching but ready.
‘Should I stop?’ he asks.
‘No.’ My voice sounds like it belongs to someone else, low, sultry.
‘How about now?’ He runs the back of his hand along the curve of my cheek and I lean into his touch.
So beautiful.
The depth of his true feelings for me shimmers in his voice. I’ve never felt more beautiful. There’s a flicker of fear. I can’t tell if it belongs to me or him. Because if we don’t stop, there is no going back. I open my eyes, my gaze drawn back to his mouth curving upwards.
‘What can you hear?’
‘That you want to take it slow,’ I reply my voice hitching. ‘That I’m beautiful.’ I should feel embarrassed saying it, but there is only honesty between us now.
His eyebrows rise a fraction as he begins to steer his way through the landscape of my condition.
He turns his hand over and I lean my face into his palm and I’m hit with desire, with heat, with tenderness.
‘It’s hard to differentiate your thoughts from mine.’
Can you hear this?
Can you hear how much I want to kiss you again?
‘Yes.’ His gaze slides down to my mouth. He runs his thumb over the swell of my bottom lip.
I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you.
‘I can’t stop thinking about you either.’ He leans in, so close that we’re breathing the same breath.
‘Can I—’ I swallow. ‘Can I touch you?’
‘You don’t need to ask.’ He drops his thumb, moves closer still. I pull back a touch, eyes scouring his. ‘Ialwaysneed your consent, Jack.’
‘Then, yes. I want you to.’ I let my hand find the back of his neck, warm, the tendons strong, his pulse fast. I grab onto his hair as his mouth presses onto mine. Our thoughts clamber over each other:
Oh God
I’ve never felt anything?—
Like—
This.
Emotions explode through my whole body, the hot need of arousal, tenderness, urgency. I can’t work out whose thoughts are whose. His tongue flicks against mine, awakening my whole body. I let out a small groan; my hand pulls his hair, his body closer.
Slow. Down.
