When they got there, Elle could tell exactly who the kids were that had been picking on Josh. They were already picking on another poor, little kid. However, as soon as they noticed Nero and Josh, every kid stared. Elle knew why, too; Elle, herself, had been a little terrified when she saw Nero for the first time, and that had been years ago.
When the school bus pulled up, Josh and Nero bumped fists again and Josh jumped on the bus. Nero walked over to the older bullies. The little kid was able to run free when Nero reached them. She knew Nero was talking to them but wasn’t able to hear what he was saying. By the looks on the kids’ faces, Elle knew it wasn’t things you should probably say to a kid. Under different circumstances, Elle might have cared by the way they ran like their lives depended on it once he was done, but she was getting sick of all the bullying. Moreover, she certainly wasn’t going to tolerate it when it concerned her little brother.
Nero started walking back toward her with a smug look on his face. He might have enjoyed that too much.
Then Elle pictured Josh’s upset face. Nah.
When he reached Elle, he grabbed her hand to start the walk back to his car. Elle let him do it without resisting. He did just help Josh.
“Hmm, I wonder what kind of thank you I should get for that.”
That’s what the smug face was for. “The enjoyment of terrorizing little kids?”
“No, that was just a bonus.” He pulled her body in a little closer. “I’ll think of something.”
Elle laughed. “I have no doubt.”
“Good, Elle-bell.” Nero said the last part sarcastically.
“Oh, gosh. Don’t you start that.”
“What? I think it’s cute, like a Disney movie or some shit like that.” He wasn’t done being sarcastic. She thought she might have deserved that, though.
“Yeah, from an eight-year-old boy.”
She and Nero walked to the car peacefully. She almost didn’t want it to end. She liked walking her street in the cold beside him.
Nero held onto her hand and went to the passenger door. Elle was expecting him to open it for her; instead, he pushed her up against the car.
“So, I’m going to pretend your ass was going to come back and meet me in your driveway.”
“I was just going to help Jo—”
As Nero moved and pinned her body against his, she looked up at him, thanking God this wasn’t happening in front of her house. She noticed his face looked tired, like he had hardly gotten any sleep the night before, and she was clearly making him cranky.
“What have I told you about lying to me, Elle?” His face was just inches from hers. She figured he was super cranky; however, she didn’t know why he was taking it out on her.
“I believe you told me not to lie to you. Not now, not ever.” She didn’t like his attitude at all. It’s his fault he can’t sleep.
“So, why did you just try to lie to me?”
Elle really didn’t know why other than it honestly was a reflex at this point.
Nero grabbed her hair, moving her head higher. “Why did you just lie to me?”
Elle had definitely had enough. “You don’t have to be so grouchy in the morning. Go to bed earlier if you’re so damn tired.”
Elle saw something break in Nero’s eyes. What she had just said to him had clearly sent him over the edge. She realized she probably shouldn’t have said that when his lips slammed down on hers. This time, the butterfly feeling came back stronger. She didn’t think it was possible, but Nero was much hungrier than the last time he’d kissed her.
Elle forgot all about his attitude and placed her hands on his chest. The way he was kissing her made her start to kiss back this time.
Nero grabbed her hip with his free hand, pulling her even closer to his body. Elle could feel his bulge grow on the lower part of her belly, making her realize what was going on. She tried to push his chest away and Nero bit her lip. Ouch. He then sucked it in his mouth to take the pain away, making Elle forget how turned on Nero was getting. He had started to do things to her with the way he was licking her lips, trying to enter. He pulled her hair a little harder with no success.
Elle heard him grit out the word “open” on her lips. She didn’t like when he pulled away to talk, her own desire making her mind crumble. She opened her mouth.
The feeling of his tongue entering her mouth was one Elle didn’t think she’d like, but when their tongues met, Elle wondered why she had fought it so hard. His tongue managed to get hers to release from her mouth, giving him the opportunity Nero had been waiting for. He sucked her tongue into his mouth, making Elle rise to the tip of her toes and dig her nails into his chest. She involuntarily let a moan escape from her lips.
The moan made Nero do the opposite of what Elle had thought he would do. He pulled his lips from hers, making her return to her feet. He then rested his forehead on hers as they breathed heavily. Elle could still feel his bulge before he pulled his hips slightly away, yet Elle was aware it had only grown bigger.
After a few seconds, Elle caught her breath and realized what had happened between them.
“You bit me!” She touched her lip to see if there was any blood. There wasn’t, but her lip felt a little swollen.
Nero laughed. “Technically, you asked me to. Remember?”
“I was being sarcastic.” Elle licked her lip to see if she tasted blood, feeling it start to pulsate.
Nero got the hungry look in his eye again. She thought he was going to give her another rough kiss, but this time, he tenderly kissed her bottom lip, letting his tongue swipe over the part that felt like it was burning.