Page 49 of Like You Want It

I can feel her shiver, know she feels the pant of my breath against her skin.

She continues to move, taunting me, pressing into me, her ass stroking me through our clothes.

I hold in a moan as she tilts her body, her head falling back, her face coming into view, her lips so close to mine again.

She wants me to kiss her.

And, God, I want her so bad.

Want to give in to the temptation that is serving itself to me on a silver platter.

Ignore my better judgment that tells me a girl like Carly is a mistake in so many ways.

It’s that thought, that reminder that anything with Carly would be a mistake, that has me pulling back.

Awkwardly.

My hands feel empty where they once were full of her and her sunshine. Now they’re just clenched fists at my side.

And I can see the confusion on her face.

I open my mouth to say… something. But words haven’t ever been my forte.

Ashley told me that I didn’t know how to communicate enough times for me to realize it would be easier if I just stayed silent.

So I grind my teeth together and look away, hoping that she’ll just… I don’t know. Pretend that never happened, maybe?

It’s cowardly. But I don’t know what else to do.

Dina and Susie slide up to us then, completely unaware of the tension in the moment. Dina starts chattering away, and I take that as an opportunity to slip off, leave the dance floor and return to our table. Any table.

Because for a minute there, I lost my focus. The focus I have on keeping myself in check.

I take a seat and begin to shut it down. The nagging little bit of me that says I shouldn’t be so quick to pull away gets shot to hell. Boxed back up into a file that goes in the back of the warehouse of information that is my mind.

A little bit of laughter and a few dry humpy high school moves are not enough to get me to stray from what I’ve decided for myself.

And even though I feel guilty for thinking about what just happened with Carly like that, it isn’t enough to change my mind.

«««« »»»»

“But you said you were gonna stay at my place,” Carly says as I drive them home.

“I know, but I just got a text that my boss wants to see me in the morning,” Dina replies, the roll of her eyes evident in her tone of voice. “So I need to get home and start my hangover routine now so I’m not behind tomorrow.”

Carly sighs, her eyes staying focused out the window. I can see her in the rearview mirror.

She’s all I can see.

But her eyes don’t meet mine.

I pull in behind Carly’s car in the carport.

“Are you dropping off the side tables?” Susie asks me.

I nod, remembering the furniture I meant to drop off with Susie earlier this evening, back before our child free movie night was interrupted. “I’ll come in, but I’m gonna drop you guys off and then go find a parking space.”

“You won’t hear me complaining!” Dina says, throwing her door open and hoping out. “These horrible boots of Carly’s aremurdering my feet.”She slams her door, then opens it just as quickly. “My Uber is here, so this is adios for now. Thanks for the ride, SEAL Team Three!” And then she slams the door again.