“You don’t cuddle all your hoes in different area codes?” I joked.
He thankfully laughed, but it held a tinge of sadness with it. “No. I haven’t had a serious girlfriend in a while and hugs are usually quick and impersonal.”
“Exactly.”
We both leaned back on the couch, staring at the black screen, silently lost in what we were missing.
An idea hit me, and maybe it was the three beers, but I didn’t think twice. I jumped from the couch and stood in front of him, my hands reaching for his. “Give me your hands. Stand up.”
His brows furrowed, but he did as I ordered and let me pull him up. The rough scrape of his palms on mine almost shocked me frozen, and I realized it was the first time we’d actually touched. I wanted to stop and take in every new sensation of his hands in mine, but I had a plan, and I didn’t want to stop. If all went well, we’d be touching a lot more than just palms.
“I want to try something.”
“Ummm…okay,” he said slowly.
Stepping in closer, I realized how much shorter I was than him, and I wanted as much contact as possible. Regretfully, I let go of his hands and used his shoulders to steady myself as I climbed onto the couch. I wobbled, and his hands shot out to my hips to steady me. Electricity shot from his grip to my core and up my chest, jolting my heart.
Focus, Bella.
“What are you—”
His words cut off when I jerked him against me and wrapped my arms around his neck, pressing as much of myself against him as I could. His grip tightened, but he stood in my arms like a statue.
“Arabella,” he whispered as if afraid someone would hear and come see. “Wha—”
“Shhh. Just for a little while.”
I hugged him tighter, spreading my hand along his strong back, burying my head against his shoulder. It only took a moment for him to give in. His hands moved from my hips, up my back, pulling me close.
The seconds ticked by, and the hug grew more intense. Our fingers dug into each other’s flesh. Our heads burrowed in each other’s shoulders. We stood chest to chest, legs to legs, every inch we could reach pressed tight as if trying to absorb each other’s strength—as if trying to fortify ourselves for another long stretch of no more hugs.
Somewhere in the moments, the hug shifted and became less about comfort and more heated. His hot breath brushed against the skin of my neck like I wished his lips would. I turned my head into his neck and inhaled his citrus scent, barely holding back from tasting him. His hand coasted up and down my back, still digging in and holding tight, almost pulling a pleasured moan from my lips.
My heart stalled and threatened to plummet to my feet when he pulled back, but instead of stopping, he merely shifted and sat in the corner of the couch, tugging me down with him to his side.
Without a word, his arm wrapped around my shoulders. Unsure of what was happening, but unwilling to ask, I lifted my chin to look up.
His dark eyes locked with mine.
A million words passed between us without mouths even moving.
This isn’t just about a hug.
This isn’t about comfort.
This is wrong.
I’m not ready to stop.
I don’t want to.
Instead of all that, he only said one thing and it was enough.
“Just for a little while.”
Six
Arabella
I strolled down the hall, scrolling the latest on Instagram in one hand and finishing off my popsicle in the other. I was so lost in Todd’s latest eye-roll-worthy post that I missed the key in the lock. So, when the door swung open, I jerked my gaze up in time to take in Willem walking through the door, the sunny day backlighting him like some god.
“Hey,” he greeted, closing the door.
When he turned, our eyes met, and I stood frozen, letting him take me in from my head to my teal toenail polish. My cut-off shorts and over-sized tank top, sans bra, covered not enough and too much all at once.
He’d left early for work this morning, so we hadn’t talked since the quiet, strained goodnight we gave in the hallway after our hug. We’d both said just for a little while, but we didn’t give a limit on how many, and taking in his broad chest straining the limits of his black polo, all I could think about was getting my arms around him again.
Testing the waters, I walked over, setting my phone and popsicle stick on the entryway table before facing him. The quiet hum of cars driving by and birds chirping crept in from outside, but it was almost impossible to hear over the silence screaming around us. We both stood still, like two gun-slingers before a duel, until I cracked and closed the gap. As soon as my arms cleared his shoulders, he dropped his bag with a thud and held me close.