“We should go, freckles,” Aiden said, jolting me from the memories.
“G-go? You want to go?”
“I want to get you home before I do something very stupid.”
“You want to kiss me,” I said.
“Thought I’d made that pretty obvious the first time I found you down here.”
“So, what’s stopping you now?”
“Things are different now.” He let out a heavy sigh. “I know you, and I don’t want to hurt you.”
I scoffed at that. “Because I’m not a puck bunny, right? Because I’m a virgin? I’m not, you know?”
“The fuck?” He gawked at me.
“It’s true. I had sex with some guy at a party the summer before I left for college… It was horrible. I hated every second and immediately regretted it. Shit,” I clapped a hand over my mouth, “I’ve never told anyone that before.”
“Let me get this straight. You gave it up to some random guy but wouldn’t sleep with your boyfriend of eight months?”
“I know, it sounds bad when you say it like that, but I—”
“Stop.” Aiden pressed his finger to my lips. “It’s your body, freckles. Your rules. I just… shit, your first time must have been bad since you haven’t wanted to do it again.”
“I’ve wanted to do it.” The words spilled out of their own volition. “I just didn’t want to do it with… Josh.”
“I almost feel sorry for the guy.”
“It’s a mess. I know that. Not that it matters now, we’re done. It’s over.” If I was being one hundred percent honest with myself, it should have been over a while ago.
I gazed up at Aiden, silently willing him to concede. It was one tiny kiss. It didn’t have to mean anything.
“It’s late. We should—”
“What are you so scared of?” I jabbed my finger at his chest. “I thought you were the infallible Aiden Dumfries.”
“Careful, freckles.” He snagged my hand, holding it suspended between us. “Play with fire, and you might end up burned.”
“I think I can take the heat.”
Oh God. What was wrong with me? I was acting like a little hussy. But I had all this restless energy. And I wanted him to kiss me.
I wanted to know what the big deal was.
“It’s just one kiss,” I said, pushing my hand against his until my fingers grazed his chest.
“Dayna…” He inhaled a sharp breath, torment swirling in his ice-blue eyes.
He wanted to kiss me.
But there were a million reasons why he shouldn’t.
A million reasons that seemed inconsequential at that very moment.
“Fine.” I went to walk away. “Forget I said any—”
Aiden grabbed and hauled me into his arms, staring down at me like I was both the bane of and the reason for his existence. A thrill went through me, and then he whispered, “Fuck it,” before slamming his mouth down on mine.