WOW.
My first thought is to climb on him and kiss him, but I try my best to rein in my reaction.
“Oh, that’s sweet.”
“And that,” he says, stepping in front of me. “Nothing I say fazes you. Ever. You just understand. Hell, I don’t even understand what I just said.”
“It’s not that I understand what you’re saying, Simon. It’s that I understand you. Something is stopping you from taking what you want. I don’t know what it is, but I know enough to give you space to find out.”
The words are barely out of my mouth when he presses his lips to mine, cupping my face with his hands. I melt into him, tossing my empty drink on the chair behind me so that I could grip his shirt.
He backs us up until he hits his chair. He sits, pulling me on top of him. Our lips never break from devouring each other. As soon as my hips start to move, guided by the rise of his own, he groans. It fuels me to move faster. I smooth my hands down his shirt, sneaking them under it to feel the ripples of his abs. He takes this as a sign to help me out of my shirt, but as he starts to lift the hem, he stops.
“Greer, wait.” He lets out a big breath, closes his eyes, drops his head back. “I can’t?—”
I don’t even wait for him to finish this time.
Like I told him, I’m a very understanding person, but a girl can only be turned down so many times before she cracks. And right now, it’s my turn. The beer might have helped escalate my emotional state.
I crawl off him and race into the house, grabbing my things as I head for the front door. I’m just off the porch when I hear him behind me.
“Greer, wait, please.”
“No.”
“Please. Let’s talk for a moment.”
“We don’t need to. Not anymore.”
“Yes, we do.”
“We really don’t, Simon.” I try to go back to what I was doing.
I let myself get carried away. I let myself think about things I shouldn’t have, and it’s nobody’s fault but my own.
“You’re crying, Greer. Let me explain.”
“It’s really fine. I’m fine.”
“I know you’re lying. Look, I’m sorry.”
“The words every girl wants to hear after a man kisses her.Again.” I take a breath, wipe under my eyes, and then force a smile as I look at him. “See—all better. I’m going to go if you don’t need me for anything else.”
“Greer.” Simon is hot on my heels as I cross the grass between our houses. “Believe me when I say those are the last words I want to say, but we… this… I can’t give you what you want.”
“Then why are you following me? Why not just let me go home?”
He sighs.
“I…”
His lips part like he’s going to say something, but then he looks back to his house for a split second before his eyes find mine again. A moment passes, and he doesn’t say another word. I toss my hands up and let out a breathy laugh.
“Wow,” is all I say before I walk away.
“I don’t know what I’m doing.” He stalks toward me. “But seeing you cry is something I never want to see again.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, did I make you sad?”
