“Does he know that?”
“Not unless it’s obvious.” She sighs.
“Then tell him. I can pretty much guarantee he feels the same.”
I grimace, but she’s not wrong. I’ve been at the “like” stage for months.
I don’t waste any time when the girls walk out of the kitchen a few minutes later, and before Summer has had a chance to acknowledge me, I grab her by the hand and drag her down the hall. “What’s happening right now?” she asks with a nervous laugh as she follows behind me.
Instead of answering with words,I stop suddenly and pin her against the wall, crashing my lips to hers. One of my hands cups her face while the other grabs her hip, locking her in place.
It takes a moment for her to get her bearings, but when she does, she’s with me one hundred percent. Her hands wrap around me, moving under my shirt and pulling me closer, bringing our bodies flush together.
As difficult as it is, I somehow manageto not get lost in the moment and pull away, taking a step back. Our heated breaths are in sync as we both stare at each other, trying to come back down to earth.
“Was that all you wanted?” Summer asks sweetly, looking up at me with eyelashes flickering as fast as my rapid heartbeat.
“Not even close,” I reply and grab her hand once more, this time leading her straight to my childhood bedroom.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Summer
Fromthemomentweenter the bedroom, the energy between us shifts. I want to take a moment to enjoy the fact that I’m standing in Dylan’s old room, a place I dreamed about when I was younger, but my mind is too wound up to focus on that. Plus, he doesn’t remember me so that would be weird.
Dylan takes a tentative step toward me and presses his lips to mine in a slow but passionate kiss. I gasp when he runs a hand up and over my breast, stopping when he reaches my neck, cupping it possessively.
I’m hesitant toward the change in our usual pace but remind myself that this is what I want. I want to take this slow. I want…I’m not even sure what I want yet, but this is definitely heading in the right direction.
Always sensing my moods, Dylan pulls back and smiles, setting me alight and grounding me at the same time. “I’ve got you. I’ll always have you,” he says, walking me slowly backwards toward his bed. “Maybe we should talk first,” he adds as he links his pinkie with mine.
I shake my head and grip his shirt with my free hand, pulling him closer. We definitely need to talk. But talking first is no longer an option. I need him. I need this.
When he kisses me again, it’s packed with emotion. I feel his lips all over my body, though in reality, they haven’t left my mouth. My hands grip him tightly as his own roam my body, sending an electric current straight to my core. I softly moan at his touch and try hard not to speed things up.
Dylan kisses his way down my neck before looking into my eyes. “God, Summer. This is how I wanted our first time to be. This is how it should have been.” He continues his exploration and groans when my hands make their way into his hair.
“I’m sorry it took me so long to realize that,” I say honestly, ready to take a leap of faith. He pulls back suddenly and stares into my soul, stealing another piece of my heart.
“What…I mean, does—”
I stop his words with another kiss and then stand on my toes so that my lips meet his ear. “I want this. I want you. I wantus.I don’t think I’ve ever wanted anything more.”
Dylan releases a sigh and then lifts me off the ground, burying his face in my neck. “About time,” he jokes and then rests my feet back on the floor before pressing our foreheads together. “You make me so happy, Summer. I’ve never felt this way.”
My breath hitches, and he stifles it with a kiss before dropping to his knees and removing my heels one at a time. He gently brushes his lips across the marks left by the straps and then kisses his way up my calf and thigh until he reaches my hips under my dress.
He hooks his fingers into the waistband of my lace panties and slides them down, groaning when he notices how skimpy they are. When he stands back up, he tucks my hair behind my ear and then presses a kiss to my jaw. I shiver at his touch when another bolt of electricity courses through me. This speed—this intimacy—is all new to me and has my heart begging to be released from my chest.
We continue to take our time, savoring every moment, until we’re both almost naked, a place we’ve never been before. Dylan runs his hands down my sides until he reaches my hips and the hem of my dress. I knew this moment was coming. I planned for it, but now that it’s here, I’m nervous. I somehow manage to control my breathing, and when I don’t resist, Dylan slowly raises the material up along my body and over my head, dropping it to the floor. I shiver and inhale a sharp breath.This is it.Dylan pulls back, no doubt sensing my unease, and looks me in the eyes, silently questioning me without actually having to ask. I nervously shake my head and hide into his chest.
He tries to wrap his arms around me, but I don’t allow it. I can do this. I don’t need him to comfort me. This is Dylan. I trust him.
Taking a step back, I smile and lift his shirt up over his head, marveling at his beautiful body. I feather kisses across his chest and pecs, until the moment I feel Dylan start to relax. He kisses me on the forehead, making me sigh because I’ve never felt more loved in my life.Loved? Is that what Dylan feels?I wait for the panic to start, but when it doesn’t, I realize the idea of that doesn’t scare me anymore.
I’m so wrapped up in my thoughts that it takes me a moment to realize Dylan’s stopped moving. “Stage fright?” I tease and look up at him with a playful smile. When he doesn’t respond, I wave my hand in front of his eyes and laugh before turning around to see what’s caught his gaze behind me. As soon as my eyes meet his in the mirror, I cringe and push him away as a sharp pain stabs at my chest. He snaps out of his daze, but his eyes flash back to my scars.
I try to breathe; I try not to react, but all rationality seems to go out the window when I see what looks like disgust on his face.