I wiped at the corner of my mouth to tidy the lipstick before stealing a glance at Dean.
Red lipstick was smudged across his mouth too as he tugged at his collar and sleeve cuffs. When he noticed me watching, his mouth curved into a lopsided smile while he combed a hand through his hair.
Everything about the simple mannerism made me blush all over again before I pulled a spare tissue from my bag and approached him. My heart skipped with every step.
“You have lipstick...” I reached up and gently rubbed the tissue across his lips as he watched.
With the other guests taking their time to finish their cigarettes, we went back to the party.
Dean opened the car door for me, and I thanked him. Unable to look him in the face again purely because if I did, I might pass out from pure nerves. Excited nerves. We kissed, and I wanted to do it again. I just didn’t know how to initiate one seeing as he just knocked that second one out of the park.
I refused to acknowledge the one I had tried the first time.
He walked with me to the front door of my apartment building in comfortable silence. His hands were in his pockets and his hair mussed as he looked around with a carefree sort of feel about him.
When we reached the door, I didn’t waste any time looking through my clutch for the swipe key. Trying to evade any awkward silences in the process but failing miserably as he waited beside me.
My brain was a mushy mess as I rummaged hastily, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear in frustration.
“I swear I put it in here before I left— You don’t have to wait for me,” I said as I stole a glance in his direction.
He half smiled. “My mother would ring my neck if she found out I left you standin’ outside on your own. I want to make sure you get inside alright.”
Bring on the blushing again.
My fingers grazed over what felt like a swipe card and I quickly pulled it from where it was wedged at the bottom of the bag. Holding it up to the card reader beside the front door, it let out a quiet beep, the tiny light flashing from red to green, before the door clicked open.
I turned back to him, speaking softly. “I had a good time tonight.”
“Me too.”
Kiss him. Kiss him. Kiss. Him.
I hesitated, torn between moving towards him or just saying goodnight and heading inside, until Dean made the decision easier.
In one smooth movement, he closed the gap between us. Instead of bringing his lips to mine again, he ducked his head and pressed a feather-light kiss to the side of my throat. Right above where my pulse was beating erratically.
“Goodnight, Lily,” he said against my skin, sending a barrage of goosebumps scattering down my arm.
When he moved away again, I bit down on my bottom lip. Watching him leave so easily as if he hadn’t just factory reset my body with his mouth. I shuddered. I could still smell his cologne on me; could still feel the way his touch lingered on my skin.
I stroked a finger lightly over the side of my throat, smiling to myself like a giddy idiot before heading inside. I listened out for the sound of his car pulling away from the curb as I crossed the foyer.
When someone coughed pointedly nearby, I almost jumped out of my skin. Whipping around to find Susan, our nosey neighbor, standing beside the wall of letterboxes with a smug little grin on her face.
Chapter 44
Lily
I jolted upright, hair a tangled mess as I squinted into the bright morning sun blaring into my bedroom through the curtains I forgot to close last night. Woken abruptly by a collection of quick, urgent knocks tapping loudly through the apartment.
It’s eight in the morning on a Sunday!
I pulled myself from my bed and padded sleepily into the living room. Kira being a heavy sleeper meant she hadn’t woken up to whoever was tapping at our door.
“I’m coming,” I yawned.
They kept knocking anyway.
