Page 1 of Always Mine
Chapter one
The Summer That Changed It All
Sophia
Six years ago, earlier in the day
“Wannaplayagame?”I ask, treading water.
“Sure, what do you want to play?” says Marco Marrone, the boy I’ve crushed on forever.
“I mean, how can we break tradition? It has to be truth or dare.”
“Okay, but I go first,” he states.
“But it’s my game,” I protest. He just raises his eyebrows, and I relent. Who am I kidding, with gorgeous eyes—and killer abs—I would do anything he asked.
“Dare.”
“Dive under the water and swim through my legs.”
“Lame! What are we, six years old?” Naturally, I roll my eyes and duck under the water. At six foot three, he’s got no problem standing here, so he’s dug his feet into the sand, clamping his thighs together. Always such a tease. While I still have enough breath to keep me under water, I run my hands up the inside of his legs to try and push his thighs apart so I can swim through. My handstravel dangerously close to a part of him I’ve thought about far too often. Suddenly, I feel something wrap around my ankle. In my haste to get my head above water, I claw at his swim shorts, pulling them down his hips before inadvertently dragging my body upwards along his as I pull myself out of the water. There’s no mistaking his hard length brushing along my core. On instinct, I wrap my arms around his neck and clamp my legs around his waist. His hands fly to my hips, concern, amusement and something slightly darker dancing in his eyes.
“Oh my God! I think it was a jellyfish! What if it’s poisonous?” I shriek, shaking my leg in the water, causing the front of my body to rub against his again. That’s when there’s no mistaking it. The press of something firm against my lower stomach. I stop writhing but make no move to disentangle myself. I swear I feel Marco’s grip tighten, pulling me closer so I can feel more of him—but it’s hard to be sure with the water lapping around us, the current pulling and pushing.
“You failed the dare,” he says huskily.
I don’t rush to argue that I was being attacked by a sea creature. Instead, I savor the feeling of finally having his body pressed to mine the way I’ve imagined too many times to count. How his firm, muscular chest feels against the swell of my full, soft breasts, the zing that zaps through my entire body each time a wave laps against us causing my peaked nipples to rub along his chest. My whole body feels like an exposed nerve, especially the spot between my legs that’s pulsing like it has its own heartbeat. I worry Marco can feel it pulsing on his bare skin with the way I’ve wrapped my legs around him like a vice. I don’t shy away, and Marco doesn’t try to loosen his hold to put more space between me and whatever is happening below.
I can hear my best friend Stella’s confident voice in my head. “If you want him, make the first move. We’re not living in the 1800s anymore, girl. You’re the master of your pleasure the same way you’re the master of your destiny. That boy is either incredibly stupid, completely blind or totally not worth your time and tearsif he can’t see what a fucking catch you are.” Given she’s far more sexually experienced than me I rationalize that she must know what she’s talking about. So, heeding her advice I pull away a little so I can stare into his handsome sun-kissed face and just go for it.
“It’s your turn, Marco, and I’m choosing for you,” I whisper, the sea breeze blowing around us, carrying my words away with it. He just flicks his chin in a “go on” motion, almost smugly, like he’s enjoying watching me squirm a little too much.
“Truth,” I say more confidently than I feel. “Di…did I do that to you?”
“Do what?” he taunts.
“You know, make you…” I tip my head back, take a deep breath then continue with renewed conviction. “Did I make you hard?”
“I’m not sure how much experience you’ve had with boys, Soph. But there’s only one way things are going to go when a pretty girl rubs herself against your crotch,” he says, pointing his finger up to the sky and doing one of those high-pitched whistles for sound effect.
My heart drops to the bottom of the ocean, and I am certain my face looks about ten shades sunburned.
“As for your poisonous jellyfish, it’s just some big scary seaweed.” He chuckles as he removes the seaweed from my ankle and flings it away. “And that hard thing…”
Before Marco can finish whatever he was going to say that will no doubt prove how stupid I was to think that he was falling for me like I was falling for him, I launch myself back into the water and swim to shore. I literally want to die a thousand deaths by jellyfish stings right now. Ignoring his calls for me to stop and wait for him, I gather my things and run back to our holiday house as quickly as possible. I’m obviously more sexually inexperienced than I thought and clearly misread all his flirty signs this week.
Chapter two
I Really Fucked That Up
Marco
Six years ago, earlier that day
“Sophia!”Ishout,followingthe trail of water and sand she’s brought in with her from the beach through the kitchen and up the stairs. What the fuck is wrong with me? After a summer of flirting, I finally had her in my arms. She had her legs around me and my body was pressed against hers looking like every sin I want to commit in that bikini…and I had a brain explosion. She offered me the perfect opening to take the kiss I’ve been dying to share with her all summer, and instead I opened my mouth and a whole lot of bullshit fell out that has made her feel inexperienced and stupid. Clearly two traits that very much apply to me right now.
“Sophia! I’m sorry. Just talk to me, okay,” I shout as I knock on her door. It’s locked.