Page 29 of Finding Us
“Not so fast.” His hand slides around my waist, jerking my body back until it’s flush with his. “I’m not finished with you yet.” I have to tilt my head back even further being this close, and when I narrow my eyes, the corner of his mouth tugs into a sexy smirk. “I haven’t wished you a happy birthday.”
“How do you know it’s my birthday?”
“Your friend told me?”
“Ugh. What else did she say to you?”
“She grilled me pretty hard actually.”
“About what?”
“She wanted to know if I’d ever kicked a puppy, amongst other random things.”
“She what?”
“True story. Is your friend a little …” He raises his hand to the side of his head, moving his pointer finger around in a circular motion.
I roll my lips together to suppress my smile. “At times.”
“I thought as much.”
“What else did she ask you?”
“What didn’t she ask me would be a better question. Apparently, I did good though because I somehow became the chosen one.”
My heart drops into the pit of my stomach when he says that, because I have a feeling I know where this is heading … my dreaded ‘V’ card. Despite that, I still find myself asking, “Chosen for what?”
“To deliver the birthday ‘D’.” As soon as those words are out of his mouth, I bury my face in his shirt and groan. I don’t need a mirror to know my skin is flushed … I’m absolutely mortified.
When I feel his chest vibrate with laughter, I find myself wishing the floor would open up and swallow me whole. God only knows what else Cassandra said to him. When we get home tonight, I’m going to smother her with a pillow.
“Look at me, Red?”
“No.” I suck in a sharp breath which has me inhaling a whiff of his cologne. Mm, he smells divine. I could drown in his scent.
“Did you just sniff me?”
“No, umm … maybe.”
I feel his laughter again as he gently cups either side of my face, drawing my attention back to him. “We don’t have to do this if you don’t want to, but if you plan on going ahead with the birthday ‘D’ celebrations, just know, it will be me …and only me, dishing out the ‘D’ tonight.” I have never liked being manhandled, or dictated to for that matter, but there is something about this guy that makes me want to submit. He arches an eyebrow. “Okay?”
“Okay.”
“That’s my girl,” he murmurs with a triumphant smile as he slowly lowers his face until his lips meet mine.
My girl.
I’ve never wanted to be anyone’s girl before, but maybe just for tonight I can be his.
A shiver dances down my spine the moment our mouths connect. My first reaction is to push him away, but when I place my hands on his shoulders, my fingers end up fisting in his shirt to hold him in place. He uses the weight of his body to press me against the wall, and when he deepens the kiss and groans into my mouth, it feels like molten lava is running through my veins. I’m surprised I haven’t melted into a puddle by his feet.
This is not the first time I’ve made out with someone, but I’ve never been kissed so deeply …so completely. It’s like live wires shooting through my entire body and I feel it right down to the tips of my toes. He tastes like a combination of mint and pure sin. I already know if my time with him goes no further than this, I’ll never forget this moment as long as I live.
I’m panting by the time we come up for air, and I’m already missing the feel of his lips on mine. His warm breath ghosts over my skin as he whispers, “Happy Birthday, Red.”
“Thank you.”
“Come home with me?”
