I grunted at the sensation, the feeling new and exciting as Alessio turned and angled his head, almost as if he knew that would make this even better for us. I gripped his arm tight ashe swept his tongue around the inside of my mouth, and a small moan left me.
“You taste like fried Oreo,” he whispered against my lips. “My favorite.”
A shiver raced through me as I sat there, my hand still clinging to him like he was a lifeline.
“Rafael?”
When I didn’t answer, too busy trying to process everything that had just happened, Alessio frowned.
“Rafael? I… Shit. Should I say sorry?”
“No,” I rushed out, shaking my head. “No, I just… You kissed me.”
A wide grin spread across his lips. “Yeah, I did. Did you like it?”
“I—”
“Don’t lie. God’s listening, remember?” That mischievous glint that always sparkled in Alessio’s eyes twinkled bright.
“I wasn’t going to lie,” I said, dropping my hand from his arm. “I liked it.”
“How much?”
“What?” I started to laugh.
“How much did you like it?” Alessio pressed. “Because I’ve kinda wanted to do it forever but wasn’t sure if you wanted me to.”
So I wasn’t wrong. Hedidwatch me.
“I wanted you to,” I admitted as heat bloomed on my cheeks, the throb between my legs confirming, “I still want you to.”
“Like right now?” Alessio leaned in and grazed his lips over mine. “Or do you need to go home?”
I did need to go home. Mom would be mad if I was late. But when Alessio tumbled me back to the sand, his lips once again finding mine, I couldn’t find it in me to care.
Maybe his rebellious side was rubbing off on me—I wasn’t sure. But one thing I knew for certain, I suddenly didn’t mind the idea of getting into a little trouble.
Especially if that trouble’s name was Alessio Trentacapelli…
THE MEMORY SHATTERED with the sound of breaking glass somewhere behind me, followed by a chorus of laughs that brought me screeching back into the present.
I sucked in a breath, but my chest was too tight. I could still feel Alessio’s lips on mine, back then and only moments ago. Our first kisses had been perfect. Tentative, exploring the desire we’d been secretly hiding.
Tonight had been different.
Harder. Angrier. But still so familiar and so unmistakably Alessio.
And God help me, I’d kissed him back.
The city lights blurred in front of me, and I bowed my head, my hands clenched tight in my lap.
For the first time in a long time, I felt absolutely terrified. I was only seventeen when I’d made the decision that changed the course of my life. It seemed like the right choice at the time, and I’d never once questioned what I felt I’d been called to do.
Until now…
12
ALESSIO
