Page 9 of Oops! I Fell for the Biker Next Door

We're talking about kissing here. He's practically a stranger! Don't fall for it, Zoey.

"I'm not kissing you," I force out, turning my head away to stare fixedly at the porch railing. It's warped over the years, the stain faded out from far too many seasons passing. I chew on my bottom lip, desperate to hide the tremble in my breath. "If you were half as good as you claim, you wouldn't be sitting here begging for a redo."

Accidentally returning his challenging tone with one of my own, the laugh that leaves him is torn and strained.

Is that what this is? No way.

I bravely look his way once more, my poor heart pounding away a nostalgic tune. One I swore I'd forgotten.

That molten look is back, but it's not just heat behind his gaze. There's a hunger so strong, it's a miracle I'm not devoured on the spot.

The arms of my chair creak beneath his grip, his knuckles glaring paler than red now.

"You don't know what begging is," he finally says, his words making my skin tingle. "Can you just let me kiss you, or are you going to keep being stubborn?"

I know how this ends. I know the headache and the heartache that comes with letting a guy like him back into my head. It is, without a doubt, the single dumbest decision I could make today.

The truth is, I’ve never known how to be strong around him. He’s had his grip wrapped around my heart since I was a girl, and no matter how tightly I tried to lock it away, he can still make me swoon just as easily.

Now that the guy who owns the key is back, it's pointless to lie to myself. My feelings for him haven't faded completely.

"Just one," I agree after losing this fight. "But don't be upset if you're not good enough to knock my socks off or anything."

A spark lights his eyes, telling me he's accepting the challenge I've given him.

I take a deep breath, my eyes fluttering shut as I prepare for the aftermath of my worst decision so far.

Chapter five

Riot

Ithought I had forgotten all about my first kiss and the feelings of my one and only true love, but seeing Zoey right here waiting, the memory fades back into existence.

The day of graduation, I had my bags packed and a secret I couldn't bear to tell her. I was ready to slip out of town like a coward. But before I could, she’d coaxed me out of my home, grabbed me, and kissed me as if tomorrow didn't exist. When she confessed she’d loved me since eighth grade, every instinct screamed at me to stay, to build something real with her. But my mother’s condition left me with no room for my own happiness, and I walked away without ever telling Zoey how much she meant to me.

Leaving her that day is easily one of the biggest regrets of my life. I should've asked her to come with me, even if I had no idea of what I was doing.

"Riot?" She cracks one eye open, a soft, gorgeous blush creeping up her cheeks. "You were teasing me, weren't you?"

"No..." I force a laugh, shaking my head as my hand reaches out on its own. "Just got a little caught up in the view."

I might not deserve her forgiveness for walking away back then, but she deserves everything I have to give right now. Closing the distance between us, I cup her chin, tilt her face up, and finally give her the kiss I've been thinking about for the last few days.

When my lips meet hers, the memory of our clumsy first kiss vanishes completely. I take the lead, pressing in softly. Unsure of how much experience she really has, and not wanting to think about another man touching her, I don't stop at a simple brush of our lips.

The hunger burning through my veins demands more of a taste.

My hand slides down the curve of her jaw to her neck, my thumb hooking under the edge of her choker. I press just enough into the pulse fluttering beneath her skin to coax a soft, helpless gasp from her throat—giving me all the access I need to slide my tongue past her lips.

Zoey tastes as sweet as she looks, and the rumble that shakes through me can't be helped. When she pulls back, I follow on instinct, chasing after her to keep this kiss from ending. I should know when to pull back, especially when I can feel her beginning to tremble.

I can't tell if I've scared her, or if she's enjoying the reaction she's pulling from me.

Sliding my hands away, I grip the arms of her chair and try to pull back. My efforts are futile, even more so when this beauty lets out the softest of whimpers.

Zoey has to make the call, and when she tilts her chin back to suck in a lungful of air, I'm left staring down at her. Her lips are swollen, her cheeks painted a deep pink, her chest heaving as she tries to catch her breath—and my heart remembers exactly who it belongs to.

I'm falling for this woman all over again. Instead of suffering through years of awkward teenage feelings, I'm speedrunning it this time around.