She struggles against me but I don’t let go of her. “No, I can’t put you down, baby. I know you’re hurting but I promise you that Darrius Penn isn’t worth killing yourself over.”
She stops struggling, a confused look on her face. “Do you know Darrius? And I wasn’t trying to kill myself.”
I give her a skeptical look; I’m not putting her down until I’m sure she wasn’t trying to end it all. “Yeah, unfortunately I know Penn. He isn’t just a shitty diver, but judging by how he treated you he’s also a fucking shitty human being. Wiping the tarmac with him at the next state event will be even more of a pleasure now.”
Recognition seems to dawn on her. “Oh. You’re one of those other guys! I saw you a couple of times last year when you’d just arrived in town. You’re one of the Devils, right?”
I smile. “Peyton Cox, at your service. What’s your name?”
“Lenley,” she says softly. “Lenley DeLaurent. Now that we’re acquainted, do you mind putting me down?”
I offer her a doubtful look. “Are you sure you weren’t trying to drawn yourself?”
She shakes her head. “No, I wasn’t. I was crying and I was lying on the wet sand. I just wanted to clean myself up a little bit, I have sand in places I can’t even mention.”
I can’t help but imagine where she might have sand with that short dress and I fight to suppress a smile. “Sure, I’ll put you down. Once we’re out of the water,” I say, starting to walk back toward the beach.
Her eyes widen in surprise. “You don’t believe me?”
I shrug. “Better safe than sorry.”
I put her back onto her feet and she thanks me. “Look Peyton, I really wasn’t trying to kill myself. I don’t even know what I was doing. But thank you for worrying about me.”
God she’s hot, I can’t take my eyes off of her, nor keep my stupid mouth shut. “For what it’s worth,” I say. “Penn is a fucking idiot. I saw the girl he was with earlier and you’re fifty times hotter.”
Lenley is beautiful but when she smiles, she’s even more breathtaking. “Do you really think I’m prettier than Kiara?”
I nod. “Without a doubt. Maybe you should tell your mom to give that dumb-ass a medical and make sure he hasn’t landed on his head and that his eye sight is fine. I bet that’s why he can’t win for shit lately, fucking up all his jumps. You’re beautiful and he isn’t just blind, he’s also an asshole.”
She tilts her head to one side, looking into my eyes. “How much did you hear?”
I rub the back of my neck with my hand, embarrassed to admit the truth. “I heard you say that you love him and all the bullshit about him using you to make his ex jealous and all that shit about you not being his type.”
She sighs, her eyes filling with tears again. “Last year we got drunk and I tried to kiss him. He was horrified. That’s the effect I have on men, Peyton. They feel disgusted at the idea of kissing me.”
I snort. “Maybe idiots like Penn. Any guy I know would fucking get in line to kiss you, Lenley. Including myself.”
I don’t know what the fuck gets into me but I pull her closer to me and crush her lips with mine.
Fuck, her lips are even softer than I imagined and after giving her a second to step away if she doesn’t want this, I increase the pressure, teasing the seam of her mouth with my tongue.
She seems hesitant but she opens up, allowing me in. She tastes sweet and she’s very timid at first but after I slide my tongue against hers a couple of times, she begins kissing me back.
My fingers tangle into her silky brown hair and I keep exploring her mouth. Her soft chest is smashed against my chest and I could kiss her all night, if only I didn’t have the two biggest cockblockers in the entire state of California as best friends.
“Hey dude, finally! We’ve been looking everywhere for you! Oh, you found some company? Sorry!”
Lenley steps away from me with a gasp and I glare at Channing. By the smile on his face I know he isn’t sorry at all.
***
Lenley
ONE MINUTE I’M CRYINGabout being rejected by Darrius and the fact that he was horrified just by the idea of kissing me, and a few seconds later Peyton seizes my lips.
Gently at first, but as soon as I part my lips for him ... I feel his kiss everywhere in my body.
Every swipe of his tongue against mine sends waves of sensation to all my nerve endings.
My nipples tighten to the point of becoming painful and there’s a hot throbbing between my legs.
I’ve imagined how a kiss would feel a million times but I never thought it would be like this. Hot, consuming and a little scary because my body needs more and more.
I don’t want this to be over. Ever.
I’ve always imagined my first kiss would be with Darrius, I’ve waited all this time for him to finally see me.
My first kiss.
Peyton holds me close to his solid chest, with his fingers tangled in my hair and I surround his neck with my arms, playing with the short blond hair at the nape of his neck.
When it comes to his looks, he’s the polar opposite of Darrius; Peyton is taller, more athletic. Where Darrius has a very slender build, the Cove Devils leader wouldn’t look out of place in a football field. His body feels strong and powerful against mine and for the first time in forever I feel truly pretty and desirable.