Then his lips are on mine, steady and encompassing.
My brain melts away. The version of me that suggested we do anything butthisis gone. She was a fool.
He parts my lips with his tongue, and I place my hand on the back of his neck to pull him farther in.
My fingers brush the base of his shaved hair, and it’s softer than I expected. His hand on my waist loosens and trails down the side of my body until he brings it around to grab my ass. His hands fill with my body wherever they land. He’s greedy and I love it.
Warren lets out a small moan as he readjusts and brings his other hand to my ass as well. He can kiss, likereallykiss. Perhaps I have never been truly kissed before. I nip at his top lip and pull away slightly to take it with me. He smiles against my mouth as he repeats in kind. We kiss like we bicker—trying to one-up each other.
My lips are buzzing against his. Kisses like a welder’s torch hitting metal. Our mouths clash and soothe with such ease, it’s as if we’ve been doing this all along. A fire lights in my belly thinking of all the time we’ve wasted not kissing since he walked through my front door.I’m going to make it up to you, body.
He tastes of wine and licorice, and I can’t seem to get enough. He must feel the same, as the tip of his tongue licks across my lips again and again. I can’t help but moan into his mouth as I imagine him doing that elsewhere on my body.
Warren’s hold on me tightens in response. He pulls away to speak but seems to shake it out of his system and comes back to my mouth. I smile against his lips, thinking of the man who wouldn’t even let me sit next to him a few weeks back—now lost for words.
"What?" His voice is full of amusement and sensuality. I kiss the corner of his mouth, then jaw, which he raises with a huff of air, allowing me access to his neck.
“I was thinking about how much I must’ve won you over… to be here now.” I kiss his earlobe, and he releases a staggered moan. “I thought you hated me.” I nip at his neck, and he takes a long breath in.
“Chloe, you’re not at all who I thought you were. But fuck my opinion. I’m a judgemental ass.” As he says the word, he spreads his palms. “Yours is amazing, by the way.”
I pull away from his neck to find his mouth, but he rests his forehead on mine. It feels more intimate than the kissing somehow.
My panting breaths slow as he gathers himself and goes on. “But I never hated you. Not even close. You’re not the problem here.” With that confession, he moves to find my lips again, building until we’re back in the rhythm and feverish wanting of before—except now, there’s an additional layer of something left unspoken.
I part my legs further around his hips, and he steps closer, leaving no gaps between us as our hands travel each other’s bodies. I run my hand over the top of his head again, loving the feeling of it over my palm. My chest presses into his, serving as a reminder to him, it seems.
He trails one hand up my back, then up the side of my body in a painfully slow, delicate movement. My shirt is doing nothing to separate my skin and his touch. He moves to cup my breast and bites my lip in sequence.
I want him to carry me to his room. Without speaking, I think he knows this. He moves both hands to the back of my thighs, preparing to lift me. I brace to be picked up, wrapping both my arms around his neck, when there is a clanging of dishes from the edge of the room. We startle back from each other, and I fall into the sink as Warren turns to face the noise.Shit.
“What is happening?”Luke can’t decide where to let his eyes land. I look at Warren, who is attempting to adjust the bulge in the front of his jeans. I push out of the sink and lower myself down off the counter.No, no, no.
“I think you’re old enough to understand what is happening,”Warren signs back to Luke, hands practically smoking from their speed.
“Yeah, thanks.”At first, I thought Luke was shocked, but he’s just angry.
I try to decide how quickly I could reach the bottom of my stairs if I run. I take a small step to the left, edging closer to my exit route, as Luke continues,“What happened to not getting too attached? If you mess this up, I’ll be in another group home before you can get your dick back in your pants.”Luke is fuming, and Warren doesn’t look too far behind.
“I’m going to go.”I don’t look at either of them as I walk between them and hurl myself up the stairs. I sit on the edge of my bed, desperately wishing I could eavesdrop on sign language from a safe distance. The lights downstairs don’t turn off for another hour. A slow, tortuous hour. They must have had a lot to say.
I check my phone and open my texts with Warren. Ellipses appear and disappear from him. I don’t know what to say either, butI'll start.
CHLOE: Luke okay?
WARREN: Yeah, he’s fine.
CHLOE: Good.
WARREN: Helluva kiss… Definitely saved my birthday.
CHLOE: Well, happy birthday.
WARREN: Sure you don’t need the bathroom? You know, before bed…
CHLOE: I think I’m good.
WARREN: Glass of water, perhaps?
