I placed my hand under her chin, slowly lifting it up. “Good. It never would have worked out with you two. He’d never have put you first. He’d never have embraced who you are. He’d never have given you the kind of desire you long for. And he would have never been the guy you really wanted.” I leaned in and gave her a soft, short kiss. “We both know it’s me you really want, me you can’t stop thinking about, me who makes you feel alive, who your mind, heart, and body crave.” Moving my hand from her chin slowly back against her jawline, trailing my fingers down her neck, I cupped the base of her head and locked my eyes on hers. “You want to know how I know this? It’s because it’s exactly how I feel about you. You slammed into my life, quite literally,” I grinned, “and I haven’t been the same since.”
She lifted onto her tiptoes, and I met her by leaning down, our lips joining in a tender kiss. Our mouths moved in a soft but steady rhythm, taking our time, enjoying how good it felt to be in our own little world.
After several moments, she broke the kiss. “I never planned on any of this happening. I truly thought that we could go back to being friends.”
“I know. I thought we could go from a fake couple to friends as seamlessly as we’d transitioned from friends to more than friends. I think what we didn’t plan on was that I never had to fake anything between us over the last two months.” I tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear. “Not once did I have to act. Everything I did was real.”
The edges of her lips turned into a small smile. “I never acted either.” Her smile turned into a full one, lighting up her face. “So basically we’ve been dating for two months.”
I nodded, thinking about the irony of it all. “Basically.”
She tilted her head. “And you’re okay with that. With this?” She motioned between us. “What about the anti-commitment crusade you’ve been on?”
I let out a small chuckle. “I was ready to die on that crusade.” I paused and took in Isla’s beautiful face. “But then I met this girl.” I placed my hands on her hips, pulling her closer to me, turning serious. “I wasn’t supposed to fall for you. I never wanted to care about someone as much as I care about you. Having these feelings has scared me. Not scared to love you, but terrified of losing you.”
Her body melted into mine, her hands moving from my chest to the sides of my neck and up to lay softly against the sides of my face. “I’m scared of losing you too. But I’d rather have the fear of losing you than not be with you at all.”
I closed my eyes, letting her words wash over me, enjoying the feel of her gently holding my face in her hands. What she said reminded me again of what my dad had told me about cherishing every moment I got with her.
Opening my eyes, I took both of her hands in mine, holding one to my chest and kissing the other on her palm. “I love you, Isla. I’m completely and utterly yours.”
“I love you too, Slate.”
Our mouths collided in one swift movement. Gone were the soft and sweet kisses of earlier. The declaration of our feelings had heightened our emotions, causing us both to become greedy, needing more, needing to show each other the truth of our words through actions.
Picking her up by the waist, her legs went naturally around me as I turned, holding her with one arm and closing her apartment door behind us with the other. I walked across the hall, opening my door without breaking our kiss, knowing exactly where I was headed.
On the way to my room, I barely heard Wilder’s voice call out something about how he and Olivia were going out. I was too wrapped up in Isla, literally, to fully comprehend what he was saying. All I knew was that I needed Isla now, and I was grateful we’d be alone.
Using my foot, I closed my bedroom door behind me, continuing to make my way toward the bed. Gently placing her down on top of the covers, her head on one of the pillows, I lay on top of her. I’d never been more grateful for the pact Wilder and I had made years ago about no girls in the apartment. I loved how she was the only girl who had ever been in my bed. The only girl who would ever be.
Her hands quickly went to the hem of my shirt, pulling it up and over my head, finally breaking our kiss. She took the moment to run her hands up my abs and across my pecs. The feel of her hands on me made goosebumps break out across my skin.
“You’re so hot,” she exhaled as her hands continued to explore over my shoulders and down my back. Seeing her beneath me with her hands on my skin while she looked at me with so much desire had me pressing against her. Her eyes rolled back and her lashes fluttered closed, and I was desperate to see more of her, to feel more of her.
“Is that the only reason you’re with me?” My voice came out low but playful despite how turned on I was as I kept the steady movement against her.
Her eyes opened suddenly, and she placed her hands on my shoulders, urging me to stop moving.
“Slate.” Her tone was soft but serious. “Yes, to me you are the sexiest man alive, but that is not why I want to be with you.” She ran a hand through my hair, and the feel of her fingers had me closing my eyes briefly from the pleasure of it. “You’re sweet and thoughtful, you’re accepting and encouraging, you’re funny and loyal, and…” She paused, kissing my cheek. “You’re my best friend.”
Warmth spread through my chest. She loved me for me. Not because I was good-looking, or because I played on the Waterford football team, or because she’d heard I knew how to satisfy a woman. She truly knewmeand whoIwas, and that was enough for her.
Leaning down, I kissed her deeply. Her words meant more to me than she’d ever know. My hands slid under her shirt, pushing it higher and higher until I pulled it over her head, revealing a light purple lace bra. Her full breasts took my attention, and I spent time enjoying the feel of her skin and the sounds of pleasure that escaped her.
As much as I wanted to go fast and feel her around me, I wanted to savor the moment even more. I’d slept with so many women, but I’d never made love to any of them. I’d never spent time before getting to know every inch of a woman’s body. Never enjoyed the high that could come from pleasing a woman, more than wanting to enjoy it myself. Never once felt the thrill of connecting with someone on such a deep level. The way our bodies intertwined with one another felt like we were imprinting our souls with one another, becoming one in a way I hadn’t even known was possible.
I was consumed by Isla, and I didn’t want it any other way. She gave me a reason to strive to be a better man, to live my life in a way I could be proud of. That my mom could be proud of. Isla had woken me up from the dazed autopilot life I’d been living, and I couldn’t be more grateful to have her by my side.
I continued to bask in the euphoria that only Isla could provide me, our mouths and bodies continuing to prove how much we loved each other. And I knew that for as long as I lived, I’d never get enough of her.
* * *
The Sorensen Building was decorated in the same Waterford navy blue and gold decorations as last year’s New Year’s Eve party. Streamers lined the walls and hung from the ceiling, and the small twinkling lights scattered around the large banquet room reflected in the panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows. Appetizers and desserts were served on one side of the room, and on the other, a bar served mocktails. In the center, the dance floor was hopping, with a DJ in the corner and disco ball lights strobing across the room.
This was the second year the athletics department had thrown a party in celebration of the football team winning this year’s bowl game. Everything looked the same, but there was one major difference. I wasn’t sneaking sips of liquor from a flask, working on getting wasted to forget the painful reminder that my mom had died years ago after going to a New Year’s Eve party.
This year, I had my gorgeous girlfriend on my arm, and I was the happiest I’d ever been. Yes, I still felt the painful sting of the anniversary of my mother’s death, but I had my friends, and most importantly, Isla, here to help me work through it. Tonight, I didn’t want to be drunk, throwing up in a bathroom with my head in some dirty toilet as I tried not to relive the worst night of my life. Tonight, I wanted to celebrate a new year that would be filled with happiness and new beginnings.
