Page 64 of Meant to Be

JOSIE

Four Years Ago

Slamming my locker shut, I turn on my heel, looping my arm with Elise, who hasn’t paused for breath in almost two minutes. She has been gushing about her night with Brennon. For once, I had a bit of action in my own life. With the last person I expected ...

My stomach has been in knots for two days now. I feel so guilty. And I’m terribly confused. I’ve always found Harley to be attractive. In fact, I’ve been infatuated with him since I met him, back when his teeth were too big for his mouth, and his lanky arms were abnormally longer than anyone else’s our age. I always thought he was the most beautiful boy I’d ever seen.

That was before Nicholas Schneider, the golden boy, showed me attention. He was dependable, realistic, what wasexpected. Besides, Harley hadn’t shown interest in anything other than the occasional make out session at a party.

Except for that one time we did seven minutes in Heaven when we were thirteen, and he kissed my cheek and grabbed my boob. I basically fainted at the time and he had laughed at me, embarrassing me in front of everyone. He never seemed interested in girls. Or anything except causing trouble and talking back to teachers.

I see him leaning against his locker, that handsome smirk on his lips. Elise’s rambling fades to the background as I focus on Harley, who pushes off the metal and walks towards us down the hall.

I take in his long, muscular arms, the sleeves of his school polo tightly spread over his biceps. His dark hair is so long that it’s swept back with a hair tie. His fiercely blue eyes settle on me, and a hot flush plagues my body.

I hate that I straightened my hair today. I hate that I spent longer than usual on my makeup. I hate that my skirt is a little shorter than it should be. I hate that I subconsciously did this for him.

The people in the hallway fade around me as we stare at each other. The words pouring out of Elise’s mouth become background noise. I think of those lips, his lip ring cold on my skin, his hands up my dress.

When we disappear around the corner, I inhale so sharply that I choke. Elise blinks at me, half in concern, half amused.

“Did you just choke on air?” She laughs, quirking an unnaturally bronzed eyebrow. “Now that is talent.”

I wave at her, clearing my throat loudly. “You were saying?”

She needs no further encouragement to continue her long-winded story of every single detail of the other night. If only I could share my adventures too. Elise wouldn’t understand my complicated feelings. She would be horrified to know I’d let things get this far.

My head is in a daze for the next two classes. I can’t stop thinking about his tongue, his long fingers, his scent that wrapped around me. God. Harley Caldwell. Of all people. How did that even happen? Where did it come from?

I’m so absorbed in my own thoughts that when the classroom door to my right opens and a hand snakes around my wrist, I don’t fight it as I stumble. The door is closed, and then I’m quickly pressed against it. I don’t dare to breathe.

Harley’s eyes fix on mine. A deep, ocean blue that stills me.

“Hi,” he murmurs, his warm breath splashing over my lips. “How’s your day going?”

I can’t think or move. Because the hottest boy in the school has his hands on me. His steady gaze has my entire body burning.

“A little more exciting now,” I get out, focusing on the lip ring that his tongue is playing with.

He offers me his arrogant, handsome smirk before he presses his lips to mine. One hand cups my face gently while the other scrunches up my skirt. His thumb grazes my thigh, and I might just die right then and there from the explosion of heat inside me—and also because I haven’t breathed for a solid minute now.

“I’ve wanted to do that all day,” he groans, pressing into me. “Meet me after school?”

His lips move across my jaw, slowly and teasingly. I softly moan when he sucks lightly on the skin on my neck.

“Harley, I-I can’t do this.”

“Tell me to stop, then,” he whispers.

His lips travel further down, burrowing between the base of my throat and the collar of my uniform. His finger slips between the fabric of my underwear and my skin. I moan softly, feeling a pulsing ache between my legs that I’ve never experienced.

He palms me softly, and I throw my head back, knocking it against the door.

“Do you want this?” he murmurs breathlessly in my ear.

My underwear is completely soaked. He canfeelhow much I want this.

“Why me?” I basically wheeze, forcing my cloudy mind to think rationally. “Why now?”