by Anna B. Doe
Is he…?
My heart speeds up in my chest as those light eyes stare into mine with intensity I haven’t seen before. The back of his finger brushes my cheek, pushing a strand of hair behind my ear.
A soft whoosh of air parts my lips, a pang of something—disappointment or relief? I’m not sure I know—spreads through my chest.
“It was in the way,” he offers in a way of explanation.
He dressed nicely. A pair of dark jeans and a button-down shirt with a blue sweater over it that brought out the color of his eyes. His dark hair is perfectly styled, not a strand out of place.
I nod absentmindedly, grazing at my lower lip, not really knowing what to say. Thankfully, Noah fills the silence. “I had fun tonight too, Evie.”
We look at each other, neither of us making a move to pull back.
Am I imaging it or is he even closer than he was only seconds ago?
I catch a whiff of his scent. Clean. Citrusy.
His gaze darts down, looking at my parted lips that suddenly feel dry. Too dry.
“I’d like to take you out again. If you’re up for it.”
With his free hand, he reaches for mine. He doesn’t grasp it, not instantly anyway. His fingers trace my skin, making it tingle in awareness.
“Y-Yes,” I rasp, my tongue peeking out to wet my lips. “I think I’d like that.”
And I would. Noah is fun. We had a blast at the movies, trying to guess who’ll be the next one to blow up in the air. We also have a lot in common, things I didn’t even know up until now because although we go to the same school, I didn’t give myself a chance to actually get to know him.
Noah nods, his fingers sliding between mine almost playfully. “Friday night. The ice rink in the town square opens. We can do a few laps and then go to Andrew’s party.”
“You already have everything planned?” The surprise in my voice is evident. “What if I said no?”
“I wasn’t about to take no for an answer.” He grins, blue eyes shining sheepishly.
I chuckle nervously. “One’d think you’d be used to it by now.”
“Not in the slightest. You’re no good for a man’s ego, Evie. A real ball buster.”
This time I laugh out loud. I shove him away lightly. “You’re exaggerating.”
“No way.”
Another silence settles on us. I look out of the windshield. There is nothing out there, only eerie darkness and quiet. “I should go home.”
“It is getting late,” he agrees, but we have yet to pull back. His eyes fall down once again, zeroing in on my lips. “But before you do…”
I kind of expected him to ask, but he doesn’t. Noah closes the distance between us, giving me just enough time to pull back if I chose to, but I don’t.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
My heart kicks up a notch, beating rapidly as Noah leans in, closing the distance between us until his mouth touches mine.
His lips are soft. They brush against mine slowly, almost tentatively.
My palms are sweaty, but I press my free hand against his chest to find some sort of balance. Because even though we’re sitting in Noah’s car it feels like my body is falling.
All the thoughts disappear from my mind with every tender swipe of his lips.
Noah keeps kissing me for a while, not once deepening the kiss. His hand cradles my cheeks as his mouth swipes over mine. The tip of his tongue teases my lower lip, nudging for entrance.
Startled, I press my hand against his chest more firmly. Breaking the kiss and pushing him away.
“I-I…” I start, my voice breaking at that one word.
Noah slowly blinks, eyelashes fluttering open, hazy gaze meeting mine. The pang of hurt flashes through the passion burning in his icy irises, but nonetheless, he pulls back, giving me space he knows I need.
“You better go,” he says quietly, his rough voice breaking the silence that fell over us. “If you don’t…”
My cheeks flush underneath his heated stare. Gulping down, I nod. “I’ll see you on Monday.”
“Good night, Evie,” he whispers behind me as I open the door and slide outside.
“Night, Noah.”
Chapter Eight
LIAM
What the hell is taking so long? I lean my elbows on my knees so I can see better, although really there is nothing to see. It’s darker than the inside of a pit, and Russell’s car is parked on the other side of the road.
How long does it take to say goodbye? Surely not as long as it seems to be taking him.
Wait… Is he kissing her right now? My fingers clench tightly at the thought. The anger I’m not accustomed to feeling spreads through my body. He better not. If he just lies one hand on her…
The door opens, stopping my thoughts from moving down an even darker road. Evie’s blond head pops out. She waves at him, closing the door behind herself, and starts walking to her house.
The douchebag doesn’t even wait for her to get inside safely before speeding off.
“Fucking jackass,” I mutter as I watch Evie cross the street. She fumbles with one of those small bags that hangs off her shoulder, looking for something. Keys probably.
The steps creak as she climbs on the porch. She’s so immersed in her search she doesn’t even see me, but I see her.
The short black coat she’s wearing barely covers her. How the hell she isn’t cold I’ll never understand. It does nothing to conceal that she’s dressed in one of those skirts she likes to wear. She told me a dozen times what they’re called, but I still have no idea. The only thing I know is they’re short, stopping at mid-thigh and revealing all that creamy skin. Something I probably wouldn’t notice. Before. But that was then and this is now. And now I can’t seem to get my eyes off that patch of skin.
“Where the fuck were you so long?” I ask, jumping to my feet.
Yes, I realize it’s fucked up. Waiting for her on her front porch in the middle of the night like I’m her older brother or angry boyfriend when I’m none, but ask me if I care.
“Liam!” Evie breathes, taking a step back. Her hand is pressed against her chest as she turns around to face me. “What are you doing here standing in the dark? You scared me!”
I feel a pang of guilt at scaring her, but the hot anger still boiling underneath the surface pushes it back. “I was waiting for you.”
She looks down at her phone like she doesn’t damn well know what time it is. “At midnight? Sitting on my front porch when it’s freezing outside?”
“It’s not that cold.” I shrug it off, although my fingers would disagree.
“It still doesn’t explain what you’re doing here.” She goes back to her task of searching for her keys. Either she didn’t take them or she’s choosing to ignore me because there is no way they’re lost in that tiny thing.
“I couldn’t just wait for you at home!”
“You shouldn’t be waiting for me at all,” she backfires. The bag falls back by her side as her fuming amber eyes turn to me.
“You went out with a fucking football player. What do you expect me to do? Just chill at home?”
“Yes, actually I do! I don’t see how my going out with anybody has something to do with you,” she spits out, poking her finger at me. “It’s my life. You don’t get a say in it.”
Irritated, I cross the short distance and stop right in front of her, not even an inch of space between us. At least this way she’ll have something to poke at. “It has everything to do with me, Evie. You’re my…”
I stop abruptly, at loss for words. She’s my what exactly? Best friend? No matter how true those words are, they don’t seem like enough, because to me Evie has always been more than just a friend. So much more than I could ever put in words. She’s my constant. My other half. My better half. I don’t even know how to function without her. This past week I’ve been going crazy because she’s been ignoring me. I don’t remember the last time I didn’t get to talk with her for so long.
But Evie doesn�
�t give me a chance to finish.
“I’m your friend, Liam.” She spits like the word offends her in some way. “That’s it. But that doesn’t give you the right to meddle in my life. You’re doing whatever and whoever you want to do and I can do the same.”
Whatever and whoever… My brows furrow. “What the hell does that even mean?”
Evie looks away guiltily. “Nothing.”
I narrow my eyes at her. “It sure as hell looks like something. Spill it out, Evie.”
“It’s nothing. I’m done with this. Good night, Liam.”
My heart starts beating rapidly as I watch her go around me. The finality of her words makes my palms sweaty, my breathing harsh.
She can’t leave me.
Desperation buzzes in my skin, icy cold. My hand shoots out to wrap around her wrist and pulls her back. She stumbles, crashing into me and knocking the air out of my lungs, but I hold steady. There is no way a little thing like Evie could get me on my ass anytime soon.
Evie lifts her amber eyes, her gaze crashing into mine. Her eyes are wide, surprise evident on her face. But she’s not the only one.
What the hell are you doing? the sensible Liam, Evie’s best friend, asks. But he’s not the guy who’s owning my body right now. Not even close.
“We’re not done,” I say, my grip on her tightening.
“Li—” Evie starts, but I’m done talking.
Pulling her closer, I bend down, my lips crashing against hers in an unforgiving kiss. I can feel her gasp in surprise, her hot breath touching my lips as my mouth devours hers. Taking the opening, I let my tongue slide inside her hot, wet mouth.
Holly hell.
I’ve kissed girls before, so it’s not like it’s something new, but kissing Evie is different than anything I’ve ever experienced before.
Evie’s tongue meets mine, and that little touch is all it takes for something inside of me to break. Slowing my assault, my free hand finds its way to the nape of her neck, tilting her head to the side to give me leverage and deepen the kiss. Her hand that was only seconds ago poking me, grips my shirt for dear life as she returns my kiss.
Her lips are soft and sweet, just like I knew they’d be. They slide over mine like they’re made for me. A soft moan humming in the back of her throat makes my blood roar in my veins.
I did that. Me and nobody else.
The way her body feels against mine, the way our lips mold together… it’s like she was made for me.
Mine.
I nibble at her lower lip softly, my teeth scraping over the sensitive skin and getting another one of those sexy sounds out of her. Groaning, I let my grip tighten just a bit, the press of my lips growing harder.
Why didn’t I do this sooner? Why…
“S-Stop,” Evie’s stuttered words get through my hazy mind.
Confused, I pull back just enough so I can see her face. The hand that was holding on to me is now pushing me back.
“Let me go, Liam. We can’t be doing this.”
Evie gets out of my arms, her eyes looking anywhere but at me.
What the fuck?
“Why not?” I ask, the rage I was feeling before returning in full swing. “You liked it just fine only seconds ago.”
Those words get me a reaction just like I knew they would. She turns around, fire blazing the amber depths of her narrowed eyes.
“You’re a jackass, Liam!” she hisses, pushing me away with both hands, but I’m faster. Before she can pull away, my fingers wrap around her wrists and hold her in place.
“Maybe I am, but that never bothered you before.”
“Let me go.” She tries to pull away, but no way am I letting her. Not before we clear whatever the hell is going on between us. Not before this ache that’s been in my heart for days goes away.
“Why? So you can go and be angry at me for whatever reason I’m not aware of? Ignore me for days on end while you smile and flirt with Russell? Fuck that.” Every word that comes out of my mouth is more spiteful than the other. A week’s worth of pent-up tension finally seeing the light of day. “Did you kiss him?”
I’m not sure where the words come from—Liar.—and Evie seems equally surprised by them.
“W-What?” Evie stutters, her cheeks flushing. Fucking flushing.
“Did you?” I persist, although I know the answer. It’s written all over her face.
I want to hear her say it. I need to hear her say it.
You’re just a glutton for punishment, that’s what you are.
“T-That’s none of your business.” Her voice trembles, but she lifts her chin a bit higher.
“Com’on, Evie. You said it yourself, we’re friends, and friends share things like that,” I taunt. “Did you kiss him? Did you let him touch you? Did your heart skip a beat? Did you—”
“Stop it!” Evie pulls her hands out of mine forcefully, taking a step back.
Her wide irises look at me like it’s the first time she sees me. Guilt, raw and overwhelming, spreads through me at the realization of what’s just happened. Evie crosses her hands over her chest, rubbing the sting from her wrists. The same wrists I was holding on to just seconds ago.
Fuck.
“Evie, I’m…” I try, but she doesn’t let me. She takes a step back. Away from me.
She’s never walked away from me before. It’s like a truck ran over me.
“I don’t even know who you are anymore.” Her words sting, but I can’t deny she’s right. This isn’t me. The whole situation is messing with my head and bringing out the ugly side I didn’t even know I possessed.
“Evie…” This time I plead, but she doesn’t listen.
“No. No more Evie. You don’t have a say. You’re out of line and out of control. You do whatever the hell you want, but when I do something for myself you’re here judging me. Well, fuck you, Liam. Go to Jeanette Sanders, or whoever you’re messing with and leave me alone so I can do the same.”
Then she opens the door and slides inside, closing it quietly behind her.
Leaning against the wooden surface, my head falls down as I curse softly.
I would have preferred if she slammed it in my face. Her anger would be welcome, because this… nothingness is killing me. It feels way worse than any furious outburst ever could.
The lock clicks into place, the sound making it somehow final.
I rub my hand over my face, fingers running through my hair.
What the hell just happened?
Chapter Nine
EVIE
He kissed me.
My legs are still shaking, tears that I barely held inside while I was in front of him now sliding down my cheeks. I let my body sag against the door, the hard surface holding me upright, if only barely. I cover my mouth, a soft sob ripping out of my lungs.
Liam actually kissed me.
I thought about it a million times before, but I never dared to hope it would actually happen. And surely not like this.
This person tonight? It wasn’t my Liam.
He was so angry. So enraged. I’ve never seen him like this, and I don’t like it one bit. But it’s all his damn fault. If he didn’t…
Shaking my head, I let my fingers trace my swollen lips.
He kissed me.
The all-consuming kind of kiss that shakes you to your very core. The kind of kiss that leaves you breathless, marked in the most basic sense possible. The kind of kiss that breaks you and puts your pieces back together.
How does a girl go from never being kissed to kissing two different boys in a matter of minutes?
It should have never been like this...
“You two still not talking?” Jessy asks as she looks between Liam and me, a deep frown between her brows.
It’s a recess and she accompanied me to my locker to switch my books before our next class starts just as Liam along with Mike, Jack, and a couple of other Wolves were turning the corner.
As always, I felt him even before I saw him, our eyes
locking across the hallway and holding on for a few seconds before I broke our gaze.
“Nope.” I let the P pop as I turn my attention back to the task at hand.
I try to act like I don’t care one way or the other, but I can still feel his probing stare at the nape of my neck. My shoulders are tense, a light shiver going through my limbs as I pull out the books, chanting the same words over and over again in my head: You will not acknowledge him.
“Oh…”
I give her a glare. “Oh, what?”
“I know that look.”
“What look? I don’t have a look.” I’m sure I most certainly do. Not like I’d ever admit it out loud.
Not like I have to anyway. Jessy being Jessy sees right through my crap. “What’d the hockey boy do now?”
“Nothing,” I say a bit too quickly.
“Evie,” Jessy drawls expectedly as she leans against the locker next to mine. Sighing, I scrape my teeth over my lower lip as I ponder if I should tell her or not. Jessy being Jessy, she’ll make a fuss about it, but if I don’t say anything, she won’t let it go. Might as well get it over with. Besides, maybe she gives me an insight into this mess I couldn’t come up with on my own.
Swiping our surroundings to confirm we’re indeed alone, I lean a bit closer before I whisper in a hurry: “LiamwaitedformeathomeonFridaywefoughtandthenhekissedmesenselessandthenIthrewhimout.”
After all the words are out of my mouth I inhale sharply, the lack of oxygen making me dizzy. Or maybe it’s the confession. I’m not sure.
Even days later I can still feel his hard yet soft lips pressed against mine. The way my mouth opened at the slightest nudge to let his velvety tongue slide inside.
“He what?!” Jessy’s shriek is so loud it makes more than a handful of heads turn in our direction.
“Shhh!” I hiss, covering her mouth with my hand. “Keep it down, will ya?”
Jessy pushes my hand away but thankfully speaks in a lower voice. “Excuse me, but did you just say that your best friend and a life-long crush finally kissed you?”
My cheeks burn under her stupefied gaze. The memories I tried so hard to push back all weekend come back to the surface.
