Riley’s lips left mine, her nose pressed into my chest as she hid her face. I gave her a second, my hands slipping round to cup her nape, before nudging her head back gently. Her green eyes shimmered, light trails of residual moisture traced her bright cheeks, and her smile grew wider than I’d ever seen it.
Narrowing her gaze playfully, she scolded, “I can’t believe you did that!” before shifting her head to peer out over my hands and gauge the scene playing out around us.
I gave her my best smirk. “Yeah? Well, think about that the next time you paste on a pair of pants.”
Her mouth dropped open with a laugh, eyebrow quirking. “That’s what this is about? My ass?”
I laughed softly, stroking my thumbs over her cheeks while my eyes traced every inch of her face. I’d always seen her, but I’d never seen her the way I did now. The girl had always been beautiful, but now I looked at her and she took my damn breath away. I couldn’t take in enough of her. I knew what I sounded like. Couldn’t fucking bring myself to care.
“’Course it is.” I resisted reaching round and grabbing her ass. I didn’t need to do that for these assholes to know she was mine, and I’d never treat her like every other girl. Didn’t want to draw their attention back there, either.
She smiled softly, shaking her head slowly before dipping her tongue out and running it over her bottom lip, eyes flicking between both of mine. “I don’t believe you.”
My smile mirrored hers; a shared knowledge, a secret smile just for us. “I don’t either.”
Her eyes hooded, chest rising faster as we continued to stare at each other. Grabbing her hand, I turned and led us out through the doors; food was the last thing on my mind. Cat calls and whistles went off like a fucking orchestra playing us off stage, but I didn’t give them a second thought. We were down the hall, into a classroom and against a door before the sounds stopped ringing in my ears, replaced by a chorus of heavy breaths and panting.
My hands finally got to do what they’d been desperate to do all morning, and I grabbed chunks of Riley’s ass with a groan of pure relief, squeezing and lifting as she settled around me, legs locking behind my back. With my arousal straining against my jeans, I seriously contemplated whether I cared enough about the consequences of just sinking into her right against the door. But Riley pulled back, resting her head against the solid wood surface. Her dazed eyes snagged mine as a small v formed between her brows.
“You didn’t kiss Raya that day. I didn’t see it. You weren’t lying.”
It wasn’t a question, but I held her gaze and shook my head.
She glanced away for a second, biting her lip. “I've just realized something. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you kiss her before?” Her voice was tentative and uncertain, as if this had just occurred to her, but she couldn’t quite believe it.
I smirked because I knew I was about to shock her. I’d placed an invisible line in the sand years ago, and never once crossed it. I never knew what the fuck I’d been waiting for, why I avoided putting my lips on any of the girls I hooked up with. Now I did.
“I’ve never kissed Raya Mitchell.”
“What?”
“I’ve kissed no one else, Ri... no one but you.”
It had always been her, even when I was too fucking blind to see it.
Her breath burst from her chest in a shocked gasp. Her eyes glazed over just before she burrowed her head into the space between my neck and shoulder. I lowered her feet to the floor, still molding her ass cheeks with my palms, and waited her out.
Slowly, she raised her head, looking up at me with something like adoration. I recognized it before she opened her mouth and said the words.
“I love you, Maddox Renner.”
Easing her back against the door, I dropped my forehead down to hers and we stood there, just like that, sharing breaths, uninterrupted.
Until my phone sounded obnoxiously from my pocket. We ignored it.
A few seconds later, it sounded again. Breaking into the moment.
I frowned but ignored it. It would be the guys calling to bust my balls for dropping the L bomb in front of the lunch crowd. I could take it. I’d said one girl might be worth it.
She was. And then some.
My phone rang again right as my name sang out from the crackly speaker system above our heads.
We both frowned this time, heads turning in sync to the noise.
MADDOX RENNER PLEASE GO TO THE PRINCIPAL’S OFFICE IMMEDIATELY.
Gazes reconnecting, I huffed out a sigh and grasped Riley’s hand. She grinned.