Page 114 of The Other Side of Paradise

“Allison?”

“Y-yeah?”

She smiled, and it was like the sun coming out after the rain. “Can I kiss you?”

“Wow. Um, yeah. As much as you like. I’m, uh, I’m into that.”

“Okay, good. Me too. Turns out.” She leaned across the center console, and my soul left my body when she kissed me—her lips against mine, soft and sweet and perfect in every possible way. I kissed her back, holding the back of her head, trailing my fingers through her hair, my mind reeling that it washer—thatStellawas here, kissing me, asking to keep kissing me as long as we liked. Dating? Did that mean we were dating? Was I fuckingdatingStella Valerie Bell?

She pulled away with her brow knotted, concern in her eyes. “Are you okay?” she said, and I withered.

“Oh. Yeah. Um… that was just… I, uh, I was just kind of in shock that I was kissing you. Sorry, I didn’t realize you could hear that noise.”

She laughed, biting down on a huge smile, and she said, “I’m planning on doing a lot more than just kissing you.”

“Oh. Uh.” My body was suddenly very warm. Must have been a hot day today. “Like, um… like doing more paintings together?”

“Sure, but I more meant, you know, how I’d fuck you in this car right now if we didn’t have a dinner order waiting for pickup.”

I let out an awkward whimper I didn’t mean to do out loud. “I, uh,” I managed. “I forgot about dinner.”

She licked her lips, leaning in close, and she ghosted her lips over mine—hovering there at the corner of my mouth, her lips hot and slick against mine, as she put her hand under my shirt, brushing my skin just above the band of my pants. “I thinkI can make you forget about anything,” she whispered, and I let out a shortwhooshof air.

“Yeah—accurate—wow—um—hi. Oh my god. Are you trying to turn me on right now?”

“I kind of thought it was obvious.”

“St-Stella. I’m supposed to drive us somewhere.”

She laughed, kissing my jawline as she brushed her hand over my thigh before she pulled back to sit upright, and I immediately regretted bringing up the part about driving somewhere. “Well, you can think about it while you drive.”

“I’m going to crash.”

“Fair’s fair, I mean. I’m sitting here thinking about how you masturbated in that seat thinking about me.”

“Uh. Yep. It was, um, it was great, in case you’re wondering.”

“You’ll have to show me later,” she said, voice low, and I pushed out a low breath.

“Oh my god. Stella—do you want me to drive?”

“Mm-hm. Nice and slow so you can be very safe and careful. And also so that you’re nice and ready for when Idoget to fuck you later.”

“Wow. Yeah, okay. Does that mean now I get to tell you that it’s hot hearing about you yelling at people putting them in their place?”

She laughed, eyes sparkling, as she settled into her seat and buckled her seatbelt. “Do you want me to try being a little aggressive tonight? Get a little bossy and putyouin your place?”

I put my hands up. “I mean, only if you want me to come so hard I levitate.”

“I look forward to seeing that,” she laughed, and she kissed me on the cheek before she settled back into her seat, leaving me to drive. Which, yeah. I knew how to do that.

I did think about Stella the whole way, though.

We really weren’t a moment too soon—the café was closing up soon by the time we arrived, and Stella gave me another kiss before she hopped out of the car, heading inside. I found myself sitting breathless watching her through the windshield, just thinking on repeatshe’ll still be here tomorrow.

I pulled up my phone, a text from Brooklyn first thing on the screen:congrats.I laughed to myself, opening it, swiping a reply.

I don’t know how this fucking happened