Page 37 of Strange Love

“Ivy, you don’t have to do this,” Corey whispers.

“But I want to,” I reply, stepping closer to him. I wait for him to take the lead, knowing I don’t know what I’m doing.

I exhale, and my gaze drops to his mouth, perfectly shaped and full. My heart pounds with anticipation, longing to feel his lips against mine.

Corey’s hands slide onto my hips, pulling me closer. I rest my hands on his chest, molding my hands to the hard muscles beneath his shirt. I tip my toes as he leans toward me, his warm breath tinged with the scent of cinnamon gum and boy.

The anticipation of this moment sends tremors of excitement and nerves through my body. I inhale and hold my breath as our lips finally meet.

At first, his lips press against mine lightly, causing me to melt into the sensation. The sound of the party, the gasps, and the ever-present judgment fall away as we become lost in one another. Corey shifts his head slightly, deepening the kiss as he presses more firmly. There’s a warmth and softness to his lips as he parts mine with a swipe of his tongue.

Butterflies explode in my stomach, and heat courses through my body as our tongues tangle together slowly. I instinctively open my mouth wider to deepen the kiss, enjoying the gentle and soft pressure of his lips against mine. When his tongue enters my mouth, I tentatively meet it with my own.

He continues to explore my mouth for several seconds before pulling back, sucking gently on my lower lip as he does, and ending the kiss the way it started, with soft closed lips pressing against mine softly.

I can’t help the smile that breaks across my lips as we pull away. Behind me, Stacy utters, “Barf me out,” as she stomps off, and the crowd that has witnessed the moment begins to disperse.

Taz drums Corey on the back, laughing wildly.

“Righteous! You showed them,” he professes before he walks away, announcing that he needs another drink.

Corey reaches for my hand and tugs me after him, his long legs setting the pace as we weave through the backyard and around the side of the house. My heart races as I struggle to match his strides, wondering where he’s taking me. When we stop behind a large tree, he turns to face me, his expression filled with regret and sadness. “I’m sorry,” he mutters, running a hand through his messy brown hair. “That wasn’t supposed to happen.”

My cheeks flush at the memory of our first kiss in front of his friends and some mean girls from school. “I asked you to kiss me,” I murmur, looking down to hide my embarrassment.

Corey lifts my chin with his hand, forcing me to meet his gaze. His eyes are softer now.

“I know. You’ve already lost so many choices in your life, and your first kiss shouldn’t have been another one taken from you.”

“It’s okay,” I say, feeling a mix of gratitude and nervousness at his words, “It was...nice.”

A small smile tugs at Corey’s lips as he leans against the side of the tree.

“It was nice,” he agrees. “But next time I kiss you, it will be just us, and it will be better than nice.”

Chapter 20

“Let It Whip”

Corey - Age 18, 1988

The ride to Ivy’s car at the mall was filled with heavy silence, each of us lost in our thoughts. My hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, my knuckles turning white from the intense pressure. My mind replayed the events of the party repeatedly, unable to shake off the lingering unease that settled in my gut. Tonight had been a disaster, not remotely close to how I had planned it. I had hoped for a simple gathering where Ivy could get to know some of the guys, and we could grab a bite to eat afterward. But as usual, Cruz managed to ruin everything. He had no business being at that party, let alone saying what he did about Ivy.

I pulled up beside Ivy’s car and stepped out, feeling a pang of guilt weighing heavily on my chest. She hopped out of the passenger seat, her long hair tousled from playing with it nervously. A small smile graced her lips, but I could see a hint of sadness in her eyes. We walked towards her car, and I couldn’t shake off the unsettling thought that I had crossed a line tonight.

The way she looked at me with those piercing blue eyes, her tongue darting out to wet her lips, made me lose all self-control. At that moment, it was just me and Ivy in the crowded room, our connection overpowering any disapproving stares from our friends. And as our lips met for an electrifying kiss, I knew deep down that I couldn’t regret it even if I tried because it felt so irresistibly right. Our bodies were molded together perfectly.

I wish it had been under different circumstances. I meant what I said when I told her I took something away from her. The next time will be different, I’ll make sure of it.

So much has already happened tonight that I didn’t want to complicate things any further, so I gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before she got in her car. I mentioned that we have an open practice tomorrow and invited her to come. Hopefully, she won’t become a witness to me stabbing Cruz with my skate, but something tells me if I did, she wouldn’t mind so much.

Our skates scrape against the ice as we start our warm-up drills, the sound echoing through the mostly empty arena. Now and then, a few people trickle in to watch our practice.

Coach likes to have open practices occasionally to keep us on our toes and prevent any slacking off. Today there are a couple of other coaches watching from the stands, along with friends and family members. I’ve only ever invited my mom before, so it’s strange to see Ivy and her friend Sascha enter the arena. Sascha looks less than thrilled to be here - she’s bundled up in a black coat, clutching a steaming styrofoam cup of coffee with both hands.

I’m not surprised, but Cruz was a no-show for practice today. I’m willing to bet he’s nursing a hangover from last night. What a pathetic excuse for a teammate. It infuriates me that someone like him gets to be on this team while countless others would do anything for the chance.

I glide past Ivy on the ice, flashing a grin as I pass. Her eyes light up with both excitement and curiosity. She mentioned that this is her first time watching hockey, so I can only imagine the thrill she must be feeling. The energy of the sport is palpable - from the vibrations that pulsate through the ice to the crowd’s roaring cheers. As we go through our drills, I can see Ivy’s gaze darting back and forth, taking in every exhilarating moment.