‘I’ll find his home address and drive you there.When we get back—’
Lydia laughed, ‘Ren.We don’t need to do that.’
We, we, we.We were a we.
Lydia’s smile was terrifying.‘Besides, I may have had my own Lydia brand of revenge…’
I stilled and cocked my head.‘What did you do?’
‘Let’s just say I heard through Niall that Craig has somehow managed to get a new job.And I may have sent him a little present in the mail…’ Lydia’s laugh was melodic.‘It’s just a little glitter bomb.Special delivery for when he runs his HIIT classes.Let’s make him clean the gym this time.I have a friend of mine who works there.She’s going to send me the video.’
I kissed her, hard.‘Brilliant.Evil, but brilliant.’
She shrugged.‘He had it coming.And I couldn’t let you have all the fun.’
My hands slid lower, bolder now, finding her gorgeous arse and squeezing until she gasped.She looped her arms tighter around my neck and shifted so we were aligned, her soft against my hard.
‘Lydia,’ I moaned into her hair.‘Careful.’
‘Why so careful now?’ she whispered, her lips brushing my jaw.‘You worried I’ll break you?’
‘No,’ I hissed as she gave a gentle bite to my neck.‘I don’t want to push you.A few nights ago, you hated my guts—’
‘I didn’t hate you, Ren,’ she said softly, but her hips rolled, teasing, and even in the cold water, I felt like I was on fire.‘I wanted to hate you, but you’re impossible to hate.And I want you, Ren.I’ve wanted you for a long time, but I couldn’t let myself be hurt again.But I’m tired of being scared.I’m ready to be fearless.With you.’
There was something in the soft, but certain way she admitted that she was ready – ready to explore this.Us. Maybe she wasn’t as ready as me.I wanted to burrow her away in my flat for months, keep her fed and watered and make her come.I wanted her to wear my clothes and smell like me.I wanted to give her a diamond ring and make her mine.Like I was hers.
But that would all come in good time.
Because she felt ready in my arms.
I pulled her closer, grinding her over me.I wanted to bottle the sound of her soft gasp.My hands gripped her arse, shifting her against me, knowing it would stoke some of the ache between her legs and mine.
She whimpered, rocking harder, chasing friction with no shame.Perfect.
‘How much do you ache, Sunshine?’ I rasped.‘As much as me?Because you’ve been keeping me on a knife edge these past few weeks.Tortured by those looks you gave me.Are you sure you’re ready for me?’
‘Say it.Say you want me.All of me.’
‘I want all of you, Ren.’
Chapter Twenty-Two
Lydia’s Diary, 18 Years Old
Dear Diary,
I left school today – just like that.Done.
I start my personal training apprenticeship in a few weeks, but right now, I just feel… weird.Ren left too, and everyone’s freaking out over what he’s going to do.Liam’s already working for his dad at HBC, so no one questions him.But with Ren?It’s like they expect nothing from him.It makes me so angry how much they underestimate him.He got the highest art grade in the whole year.He’s so talented.And not just that – he’s driven.If he wanted to, he could do something extraordinary.Something creative.But even if he doesn’t, that’s fine, too.
Ren says he wants to work in a restaurant, save money, and travel.Everyone acts like it’s typical Ren – like he’s just avoiding responsibility – but I don’t see it that way.He knows what he wants and he’s actually going for it.I wish I could do something adventurous like that, but… I’m too much of a homebody.Or maybe that’s just an excuse.
Sometimes, I wonder if I hold myself back because I’m scared of doing anything out of the box.Mum’s always worried about things that feel risky, and maybe I’ve just inherited that.
We’ve got a few weeks just to chill, and he asked if I wanted to see a gig with him on Saturday – just us.And I thought, maybe now school is over… maybe we’d become more than friends.
But maybe I’m reading too much into it.
