Page 13 of A Little Bit Reckless

Truth be told,I lovedbeing around this girl. She was like a breath of fresh air in a world that could be full of bullshit, pain…

I never felt pain around Bow. I always felt good, and, honestly, I always felt like a selfish fuck for stealing as much of her time as I had since I came back home.

I got kicked out of my old university for fighting. Clocking dudes had been my way of not dealing with shit from highschool. My sister, Sloane, and I had a background of violence and pain, and fighting was how I dealt with it. It obviously caught up with me, and, after lots of therapy and support from family and friends, I was happy to say I was back on track. A large section of that support came from Bow though. Rainbow Reed and her relentless optimism. Rainbow Reed and her copious amounts of joy and beautiful spirit. She was a fucking unicorn.

“You’re so beautiful,” I said, the words coming out before I could stop them. I realized how they probably sounded, but I wasn’t talking about how she looked. I mean, shewasfucking gorgeous with her dark hair, blue eyes, and a tiny exterior that made a guy just want to hold her…

Protect her.

I did want to protect her, and if I couldn’t protect myself from Wells and his bullshit, the least I could do was step in and let her know she didn’t have to be the bigger person when it came to him. I got what it was like to be around Wells. He was an unyielding force, and it was easy to get crushed under the waves. It was easy to let him push you around.

It was also easy to want him.

I didn’twantto want him, and my life would be so much fucking easier if I could fall for someone like Bow. Neither one of us deserved how Wells treated us, and I was thinking about that when a soft scent moved toward me.

I was thinking about that when Bow kissed me.

I didn’t know what was happening at first. A warm mouth touched mine, and my eyes closed.

Though only briefly.

I froze, and, when I backed away, Bow’s eyes shot open.

“Sorry,” she said, her cheekseven moreflushed. She touched her mouth. “I didn’t mean to. I mean…”

“No, you’re fine,” I said, blinking, and she blinked too.

That was when she kissed me again.

She ended up on my lap, my best friend Thatcher’s little sister. I was in shock. I was in more than shock, especially when I didn’t stop her right away.

I didn’t stop her at all.

My hands braced her trim hips, and it was different than kissing Wells. It was less angry and aggressive.

It was more Bow.

It was soft, delicate, and I let it go on for longer than I should have when I tasted her lips. They tasted like cherry lip balm.

What are you doing?

I was kissing my best friend’s sister, and that was so fucking wrong. I was also really confused because, not a day ago, I was kissing someone else.

Stop.

My hands followed the thought. I braced Bow’s hips but for a different reason this time.

I returned her back to her seat.

The air filled with Bow, her soft, feminine scent. Her fragrance reminded me of a fruit cobbler. Had she always smelled so sweet, good…

“Bow,” I started, literally shaking the thoughts out of my head. They were inappropriate, andthis was Bow. I huffed. “Bow, I’m so sorry.”

I didn’t know what I was apologizing for. For kissing her back…

For liking it.

I did like it, and again, I was confused. Bow and I were completely platonic. We were friends, and this was Thatch’s little sis.