This One Moment (Pushing Limits, #1)(29)

“You don’t have to worry. I won’t get hurt this time. I’m not the girl I used to be.”

A sad smile wavered on her face. “I know. That’s what I’m afraid of.”

I didn’t have a chance to ask her what she meant, as Nolan was waiting to leave. I followed him and Brandon to Brandon’s truck.

We didn’t say much on the drive back home, all three of us lost in thought, but you couldn’t miss the tension between me and Nolan. It was that thick. I didn’t know, though, if the strain was because of what had happened between us on the dance floor or because of what happened afterward. The entire evening was a kaleidoscope of confusion in my head.

Brandon dropped us off at the main entrance to my building. We thanked him and climbed down from the truck. The tension between us increased tenfold, but it suddenly felt different compared to how it’d been in the vehicle.

Kayla’s words repeated in my head: Just make sure you guys are both on the same page, Hailey. I don’t want to see you get hurt again.

The elevator was on the main floor when we approached. We stepped in, and I pushed the button for my floor. The door had barely shut before I found myself in Nolan’s arms. A heartbeat later, I was against the wall and Nolan was kissing me. Not the tender kisses of earlier, when we were on the dance floor. These kisses were rough, demanding, amazing. I moaned into his mouth.

My entire body felt like I’d stuck a damp finger in an electric socket, but in a good way. I’d never felt this alive before.

All too soon the door pinged open. There might’ve been some mental cursing on my part. The elevator would’ve been kinder if it had dumped a bucket of cold water on me instead. At least then my body wouldn’t be in this supercharged state.

We separated long enough to make it to my apartment. Even then, barely any space existed between us as we walked down the hallway. But as soon as the apartment door shut behind us, we were once again devouring each other.

I slipped my fingers under the hem of Nolan’s T-shirt. They explored the hard ridges of his abs, his skin hot against my fingertips.

In my eagerness to memorize every part of him, my fingers brushed against the scar slicing across his torso.

Nolan’s lips froze against mine.





Chapter 15


Nolan


FIVE YEARS AGO

I pushed the ball through the hole in the side of the foosball table and sent it flying toward my players. “Truth or dare. You plan on waiting till you’re married before losing your virginity?” I knew what Hailey’s answer would be, but I was trying to figure out a way to tell her how I felt about her. Not that my lame-ass question helped me there.

“False.”

Not quite what I’d expected, but good for me, I guessed.

She nailed the ball with her player and sent it toward my goal. “But I don’t plan to lose my virginity to just anyone. I want to be in love with the guy and for him to love me.”

The ball ended up near one of my players, and I accidentally sent it spinning directly to Hailey’s player. “So you wanna test-drive him first?”

“Something like that. Maybe.” Her player kicked the ball hard. It flew into my goal, but I was too distracted by our conversation to block it in time. “Yes!”

My dick got excited at the thought of her saying that exact word with that much enthusiasm as it thrust into her. Down, boy.

“What about you?” Her body was tense as she prepared to attack the ball once I set it into play again. “Are you waiting for the right person before you do it for the first time?”

Brandon knew the answer to this question. We’d already discussed my first time, just like we had discussed his first time. Those girls had meant nothing to us. But even though I’d told one best friend about what happened, I couldn’t tell the other one, because, let’s face it, it wasn’t the kind of conversation you had with your female best friend. Even if you wanted tips on how to satisfy the opposite gender.

My phone rang, saving me from answering the question. I checked who was calling. Sarah.

“Hey, squirt,” I said, answering the phone.

“Can you…pick me up?” Sarah said between sobs.

“Where are you?”

“Ballet lessons. Dad left but never came back.”

Fuck. I shoved my fingers through my hair. Sarah’s class had finished an hour ago. “Are you inside the building?”

Another sob. “No. Outside.”

Still talking to my sister, I stormed up the basement stairs. “Go inside until I get there, okay?”

“I can’t.”

My heart pinched hard at how scared she sounded. “Why not?” I struggled to keep the anger out of my voice. I didn’t need to upset Sarah any more than she already was.

“The place is closed. I can’t get in.”

“Okay, stay where you are. Can you do that for me, Sarah?” I reached my car, and for the first time realized Hailey was with me, standing expectantly on the passenger side. I’d been so focused on Sarah, I hadn’t realized Hailey had followed me. I barely remembered leaving the house.

“Hailey’s with me,” I told my sister. “We’re driving there now, but I want you to stay on the line with her.”

“Okay.”