Page 42 of Before Eve

I don’t know what to say. West is beyond mad, and it’s all my fault. I wish this whole night would just go away. I wish I had West’s ability to say something funny and make us both forget all of this.

“You said no. He should’ve stopped. That is the bottom line, Eve.”

I nod. He’s right, that is the bottom line.

“What did he do to you?” he asks.

Nausea rises, and I shake my head.

West crosses the short distance and kneels in front of me. He wraps his hands around the backs of my calves and gently squeezes. “What did he do?”

The need to tell him everything or at least something rises quickly in me, catching in my mouth. It’s like I’ve broken off a piece to give him, but I’m choking on the rest. Silence hangs between us.

“Nothing,” I whisper, wishing I were better at this talking thing. Wishing it wasn’t so hard.

No.

I give my head a shake. Iwilltalk. “He…he held my wrists, and…and I don’t like that. Actually, there are a lot of things I can’t handle.” Fear bangs through me as I say that last part. It’s the most I’ve ever shared with anyone other than Brynn.

West studies me in that thorough way he does, and as he continues to study me, he slowly moves his hands up my legs and around the back side to loosely cradle me. “This okay?”

I give a nod, aware of how close we are—him kneeling in front of me with his hands and arms gently circling my hips. But I’m not scared because… everything about it is so right—the closeness, the comfort, the warmth—yes, so right.

It’s only me and West here in this park, and the weight of tonight’s events dissolves as a sense of freedom moves in. I find myself taking in every detail of his handsomeness from his dark brows to his black eyes and his perfect, kissable lips. Those lips curl up then, and awareness surges through my veins. If I lean forward, just a little bit, I’ll be kissing them. I’ll be kissing a boy for the very first time in my life. His eyes crinkle with kindness. He’s not going toclose the distance and kiss me. He’s waiting for me to make the first move.

Wow. What a powerful thought.Iget to determine what happens.

My mouth goes a little dry as I lift my hand and trace my index finger over his right brow, down the side of his cheek, and along his bottom lip. I do the same to the left side, this time trailing my fingers down his neck.

“You’re so different from me,” I whisper, loving the tickle of his whiskers against my fingers.

“Do you realize this is the first time you’ve ever voluntarily touched me?”

I let my hand linger on his neck. “Is…is that okay?”

He nods as he lays his head on my lap. “Yes, it’s so very much okay.”

I run my fingers through his hair, definitely more comfortable now with the touching, and he inhales a very long breath before letting it out slowly.

“Do me a favor?” he asks, lifting his head to look at me.

I nod as I caress my finger along the curve of his ear. Yes, I’m definitely liking this touching.

“Answer your messages next time. Okay? I don’t like going insane.”

“I will,” I assure him.

“I have to tell you something.”

“Okay.”

He takes a breath. “Your problems kind of scare me,” he says, immediately tightening his hold when I pull away. “Don’t. I didn’t say that to make you feel weird. I’m trying to be honest. Sometimes I feel awkward around you, and I’m not used to that.”

“You don’t have to be my friend.”

He lets out a dry laugh. “That’s just it. I wantto be yourfriend. There’s something about you that pulls me in, if that makes sense.”

It does. Because something about him draws me in, too. “West, just…be patient with me, okay?”