“It’s not odd!” I say, laughing as I smack him.
“She also hits really hard when she’s mad,” he continues. “Or maybe that’s some kind of foreplay. I don’t know her well enough to tell.”
I feel my face heating up. Did he really just reference foreplay? Has he been thinking about that with me? I might have thought the same thing about him, but it was in a dream. I can’t control my dreams.
“You can’t go out with Trudy,” I say, my rational side taking over. “She’s off limits.”
“Far as I know she’s single.”
“Single but still forbidden. I heard her cousins have this major feud going on with you.”
“I don’t give a shit about her cousins. I’ve taken them on before. I can do it again.”
“Why would you want to? Seems like a lot of trouble for some girl.”
His eyes lock on mine. “I like trouble. I seem to attract it. And if I want something, I go after it. I don’t let people stand in my way, especially spoiled immature assholes with overinflated egos.”
“Maybe Trudy isn’t ready for another relationship.”
“Then we’ll take it slow.” He moves closer to me, his hand curving around the side of my face. “We’ll take it as slow as she wants.”
He leans closer. My heart’s pounding as I close my eyes, waiting for it. Wanting it.
His lips brush gently over mine, and I feel his warm breath right before he kisses me. The kiss is slow. Sexy. His tongue teasing my mouth in a way that sends a rush of pleasure through me.
It’s a type of kiss I’ve never had. Axl didn’t kiss like this. His kisses were fast and hard, his tongue pushing its way in and thrashing around my mouth. He’s the first and only guy I’ve ever kissed. I thought all kisses were like that.
Now I know what I’ve been missing. I grab hold of Jackson’s shirt and sink back on the floor, pulling him toward me as we continue to kiss. I tug harder on his shirt, urging him to get closer, but he resists.
His lips break from mine, and I open my eyes. He’s looking at me like he’s thinking we should stop. But I’m not ready to. I want more. More kisses and just . . . more.
As we look in each other’s eyes, I feel a connection like I’ve never felt. Not just with Axl but with anyone. A feeling that whatever this is, it’s right. This person is someone I was supposed to meet, as if all the moments up until now were somehow leading me to this place. And to Jackson.
He pauses a moment, then his body sinks into mine as he kisses me. I press my hips up, wanting to feel him. Wanting more.
He breaks from the kiss and whispers, “Rumor, we—” He stops himself and looks down.
“I know.” I take a breath. “I just didn’t want it to end.”
He moves off me and sits back against the bed, offering me his hand. “Come here.”
Taking his hand, I rise up, then feel him turning me so my back’s to him. His muscular arms wrap around me, holding me against his chest.
“Why’d you stop?” I softly ask.
“Because I had to.” His warm hand runs up and down my arm. “You’re upset. Hurting. This isn’t the right time.”
“But I wanted you to keep going,” I say, turning to look at him.
“I know.” He kisses my forehead. “But I don’t want to start this when you’re still getting over him. It’ll ruin it.”
I lean back into his chest. “Then why did you kiss me?”
“It wasn’t something I thought about. I just did it. Because I wanted to, so fucking bad.”
My lips curve up. “You did?”
“Since the day you ran into me.”
