The stars could be spinning above us and I wouldn’t know. There’s only him, his steady hands, his steady heart, and the way he kisses me like staying away was never an option at all.
twenty-two
LUCY
I’m lying in bed after Aidan dropped me off, the ghost of our kiss still dancing on my lips. The warmth lingers, a sweet burn that ignites my skin every time I think of it. His breath had mingled with mine, testing the waters, gauging whether I’d pull away. But I didn’t. I couldn’t.
I’ve never felt anything like that before. Not the heat, the intensity, and definitely not the way my heart seemed to sync with his. Every inch of me seemed to melt into him, falling into something intoxicating that felt too good to resist.
I’ve obviously been kissed before. Some were good, some not so much. Aidan’s kiss, though… It was a revelation. No one’s ever made me feel like that. Not evenclose.
I roll over, bury my face in the pillow, and try to calm the emotions swirling inside me, but it’s useless. Every time I close my eyes, I see Aidan’s face, feel the roughness of his stubble against my cheek, smell the faint scent of sea salt and something woodsy that clings to him.
I’mjolted awake by a sharp knock at the door. For a second, I just lay there, blinking into the dim light, disoriented and clinging to the remnants of sleep. The knock comes again, firmer this time, and I groan.
Who on earth would be here this early?
A quick glance at the clock on my dresser tells me it’s not early at all. Ten o’clock? Oh no. I bolt upright, panic setting in. I was supposed to meet Bree an hour ago. I haven’t slept this late…ever.
“Lucy, are you alive in there?” Bree calls, her voice cutting through the fog of my grogginess.
“Just a second!” I manage to shout back. I scramble out of bed, adrenaline kicking in as I throw on a robe, trying to appear somewhat presentable. My fingers fumble through my tangled hair, wincing at the knots that formed overnight.
When I finally swing the door open, there’s Bree, arms crossed and one eyebrow raised. “Well, well, well,” she says, giving me a once-over with a sly grin. “Someone had a late night.”
“I’m so sorry, Bree. I completely overslept.”
She waves off my apology, pushing past me into the room with an air of confidence that she always has. “I’m not here to judge your punctuality. What I am here for,” she says, spinning around to face me, her smirk widening, “is to find out what—or should I say who—has you sleeping so late.”
I groan, shutting the door behind her. “It’s nothing like that.”
Her eyes narrow, mischief dancing in them as she crossesher arms, leaning against the back of a chair. “Mmhmm. That blush on your face says otherwise.”
“It’s not what you think,” I insist, hoping she’ll drop it. The last thing I want is to dissect what happened between Aidan and me like it’s some kind of puzzle to solve.
I’ve never been the type to share details about things like this. It’s not that I’m ashamed or anything. It’s just…personal. Bree is always so open about these things, so casual in the way she talks about feelings and attraction. I envy the way she can make it all sound so simple. It’s never been like that for me.
“Oh, honey.” She tilts her head, her expression turning far too curious for my liking. “You don’t even have to tell me. I already know that look. You’ve gotswept off my feetwritten all over you.”
I open my mouth to protest, but she’s on a roll now, pacing the room. “Let me guess. Tall, dark, and brooding?”
“Bree,” I warn, but she ignores me, plowing ahead.
She claps her hands together triumphantly. “Knew it. Spill. What happened?”
I bury my face in my hands, torn between exasperation and the tiniest urge to laugh. “You’re impossible, you know that?”
“And you’re stalling,” she shoots back, plopping onto the edge of the couch as if she has all the time in the world. “So? Did he finally make a move? Or did you?”
“It was just a kiss,” I mumble, but even as the words leave my lips, the memory of last night sends a thrill coursing through me. “Or three.”
Bree gasps. “Just a kiss? Kisses with a man like that are never just anything.”
I roll my eyes. As relentless as Bree can be, she’s not wrong. Last night wasn’t just a kiss.
I let out a sigh and sink into the seat beside her. “Fine. You’re right. It was…” I trail off, searching for the right words. How do I even begin to capture what Aidan did to me? The electric spark, the magnetic pull, the way it felt like he was everywhere all at once, and the ache that remains, even hours later?
Her expression softens, her voice turning gentler. “That good, huh?”
