Out of Breath (Breathing, #3)(34)

‘Why haven’t you kissed me again?’ I whispered, wanting him to lean a little closer.

‘I’m afraid to kiss you,’ he confessed, his words floating through the air in the hush. ‘I’m afraid that if I kiss you, I won’t want to stop. I can feel you tense every time we touch, and I don’t want to do anything that will make you walk away from me. I’m afraid when we get back to school, this will all be over. I know we’re both avoiding talking about it. The same reason we haven’t finished that puzzle that should’ve been completed three days ago. Because then it’ll be over. Are you ready for that?’

I tried to inhale, but nothing moved. I uttered not a sound. I could only stare into his eyes, pleading with me to say something.

‘What are you doing over here?’ Peyton exclaimed. The beers she’d consumed had amped up her boisterous volume. Cole and I practically jumped, before turning in her direction. ‘Oooh, was I interrupting something?’ She held her finger to her mouth like she was telling herself to be quiet. Too late.

We drove home in silence the next morning, the tension intensifying with each mile. Our week had to come to an end. But I still couldn’t bring myself to say it. I could feel Cole glancing at me every so often. Doing the right thing was going to be so difficult.

As we drove through town, the looming clouds opened up. I rolled down the window and stuck out my arm to feel the warm spring raindrops upon my skin. I breathed in the scent of the moisture in the air, mixed with fresh-cut grass and earthy blooms.

When Cole stopped at a red light less than a mile from my house, I opened my door to step into the rain.

I won’t destroy your life too.

My parting words echoing in my head carried me across the street to the sidewalk, not looking back. The rain intensified, saturating my shirt instantly. I took off my shoes and walked in the fast running water, letting the coolness wash over my toes, cascade down my hair and drip from my chin.

I was a few blocks from the house when I heard thumping footsteps splashing in the water behind me. I turned to find Cole stopped a short distance from me, breathing heavily. My mouth curved faintly at the sight of his shirt clinging to the curves of his chest, the water darkening his blond hair. He approached me with an unasked question in his eyes.

I watched the water drip down his nose and over his beautiful full lips. I knew what I should do. But with him so close, looking down at me intensely, I wanted more than anything to allow the spark he contained to possess me and fill up the chasm that had left me so empty all this time. I was craving the warmth of his touch. The rush of our connection. Regardless of whether I deserved it or not. Regardless of whether he was wrong for me. I couldn’t resist it any longer.

I stepped closer, covering the flush of his cheeks with my hands to feel their heat, and pressed my lips firmly against his, until it almost hurt. Cole gripped my waist and pulled me into him, sealing the space between us. I secured my arms around his neck. As our lips slid over each other’s, I was overwhelmed by the electric current coursing through me.

Desire poured into the shadows, and I didn’t let anything else matter. Not the voice that told me this was wrong. Not the guilt. Not the warning that crashed through my head. I pushed it all away and let the desperate craving overtake me.

Panting, I pushed away and grabbed his hand, pulling him after me as I ran the remaining distance to the house.

I stopped in front of the door and turned back to him, kissing him with such want, my entire body pulsed. His mouth was still finding mine as I opened the door. He blindly shut the door behind him, concentrating on me, touching me. I broke away to rush up the stairs, Cole in pursuit.

My shirt was over my head before I opened the door to my room. Cole removed his while shutting the door behind him, then thrust me against it. I let my shoes slide from my fingertips as he ran his lips along my slick neck, teasing with his tongue, forcing a low, breathy moan from my throat. He slipped a hand around my back to unfasten my bra. Our wet bodies slid together as our mouths found one another over and over again, unable to get enough.

Cole kicked off his shoes while I ran my tongue along his neck. His strong hands braced my face, and he bent down to kiss me. I parted my mouth as his tongue slipped in, teasing my bottom lip. His hands ran down my sides to my hips and inside the waist of my jeans as I forced the zipper down. Cole peeled them off my legs, and I kicked them aside. I stood before him, exposed. In a quick motion, he lifted me, and I wrapped my legs around him, my back colliding against the door with a gasping grunt.

Cole carried me to the bed, gently laying me on my back. His eyes danced over the length of my body, and I bit my lip, waiting as he searched his pockets before letting his shorts drop to the floor. He returned to me after he tore off the wrapper. Pulling me up by my hips, he pressed his knees against the edge of the bed. I inhaled deeply as we connected, clutching his hand as he lowered himself over me. I gripped the tense muscles along his back as he moved into me, exploring me deeper. The charge intensified, possessing my senses. It became all that I could feel, all that I needed, as it streamed through every inch of my body. The emptiness was swept away, and I would give anything not to be devoured by it again.

My entire body quivered with his escalation. My legs tightened, and I moaned in release. The air was lost to me with a swirling rush, and I liquefied into nothing in a single breath. He gave in with the slightest audible groan, tensing until every inch of him became rigid and then folding onto me. We lay in our breathless embrace, still entwined. Cole raised his head to look at me. The ruddiness of his cheeks had spread down his neck. I ran my hand along it.