Page 5 of What We Knew Then
I make my voice as cold and flat as the ice I plan to make a living on and say, “Doesn’t seem like you’re very good at listening.” I enunciate every letter like an asshole. “I told you. She’s with me.” He shrinks back with each syllable, his friends stopping their game of pool to watch. “Here’s some free advice,” I snap, clapping my hand on his shoulder harder than what would be considered friendly, “when someone tells you no, they mean it.” I end the sentence with a squeeze, reiterating my point.
Now, I absolutely can’t get into fights, especially on campus, but he doesn’t know that. I step closer to him, invading his space like he was doing to Lee a few seconds ago, and force him to step backwards. He stumbles, his cheeks turning red.
I laugh him off with an eyeroll. He doesn’t say anything as I put my mouth on Lee’s, long enough to know she wants me to pull her away from this asshole.
She kisses me back, her hands resting on the sides of my face as my arm wraps around her lower back. I dip her back a little, leaning all the way into the kiss. Cutting it short, I pull back and put my hand in hers.
We’re out the door and down an entire block before she pulls me down a side street. I'm still getting used to the area, and I like that she’s taking control.
Lee tugs me closer before pressing my back against a brick wall. It’s just the two of us.
“You came back,” she says, her lips close enough to brush mine when she speaks.
I nod, because there are no words.
“Why’d you leave in the first place?” Her eyes search mine for an answer.
“Because I need to stay out of trouble.” I tell her the truth—well, partof it at least.
Her lips crash into mine and it takes the fucking air out of my lungs. She presses herself into me, my shoulder blades digging into the bricks behind me.
I spin her around, pressing her back against the wall. Her arms find my neck, skin on skin, and she jumps to wrap her legs around my waist. I catch her effortlessly and she moans into the kiss. If my dick wasn’t hard before, it is now.
My hands hold her hips and find her ass, grabbing a handful as her tongue finds mine. She falls into me and it’s fucking more intoxicating than any drink you could order.
“Do you live far from here?” she asks between feverish kisses.
I slowly set her down, reach for her hand, and head for the street. “Let’s go.”
Chapter 4
CORA
We’reonestepintoLane’s apartment and his hands are on me. To be fair, they’ve never left. He locks the door, and when his eyes come back to me, my breath hitches in my throat.
“What is it?” I ask, looking down for something amiss. “What’s wrong?”
His thumb tilts my chin, slow and intentional. “Why do you think something is wrong?”
Shrugging my shoulders, the doubt casts enough of a shadow over my confidence for me to break eye contact.
“I, umm... I don’t know?” I hate that it comes out like a question.
Lane’s gaze is pointed and mesmerizing when he answers, “I can promise you, the only thing wrong is that I’m not tasting you right now.”
The blood warms under my cheeks. This might actually happen. I’ve never had a random hook up with a guy from the bar, but when you have a long-term boyfriend from high school, that typically explains why. Doesn’t help that I’m the hockey coach’s daughter; it’s like wearing an OFF-LIMITS T-shirt for everyone to see. I almost tell Lane, but I know if I do, this will be over.
Whatever this is, even if it’s for one night, I want it. I need him to look at me the way he did when he came back and saw me in the bar. I need his mouth on me, every inch of me.
I need to feel like someone wants me. That I'm worthy of this kind of attention.
Part of me knows this isn’t fair. He shouldn’t go into this blind when I have all the information.
“Hey, I need to tell you something but it might change this—” I point between the two of us as he places kisses on the side of my neck.
“Do you want to be here?”
“Yes.”
