Sweet Little Lies (Dirty Little Lies Duet 2)

Gabriel swims closer but keeps his distance. “What are you looking forward to most about college, little bird?”

“The boys,” I reply, watching his face for any reaction.

His brow raises in interest as he swims closer. “What do you imagine a college boy will do for you?” he challenges back.

I shouldn’t admit this. It’s not a topic I should be discussing with him, but I can’t help myself. “Well…sex.” Fire burns behind his steely gaze as he takes in my reply. He feeds off my words, and I can’t help but wonder what he wants to do with that information. I lick my bottom lip and continue. “I hear college is where all daddy’s girls lose their innocence.”

I’m playing with fire—and Gabriel isn’t a man to mess with, let alone tease. But there’s this burning need inside me to poke the masculine, forbidden bear and see if he’ll bite if I taunt him. The way he’s devouring me tells me he’s as hungry as I am.

He swims up to me and stands on the bottom step, his frame towering over me and blocking the sun. I have to crane my neck to keep eye contact.

“Can you handle a college boy, little bird? Your innocence is something you can’t take back. Once you’ve given it up, it’s gone forever. You may no longer be my little bird. You want a college boy to ruin you for me?”

My throat tightens. My mouth becomes dry. I fight to look down and see if my nipples have turned into pebbles through my white bikini. “What makes you think I’m yours?” I poke further.

“I’ve looked over you your entire life. It’s my duty to watch over you wherever you are. I haven’t spent years fending off fuckwit boys for you to spread your legs for a drunk frat boy.”

My legs begin to widen at his words. I’m going to hell. My dad is going to go on a murdering spree. “What do you say I do about it then?” Shame, guilt, and desire swim in my gut, but I can’t make myself stop. For years, I’ve fantasized from afar. Allowed him to look at me in ways I memorized and replayed in my head when I touched myself at night. Dreamt of attaining the unattainable. I’m riding a thin line. My tongue licks my bottom lip as I suck it back between my teeth. Yep. I’m definitely going to hell.

He stands over me, his cock coming alive in an opportunity to test our boundaries. I continue to push. “Are you trying to tell me you want to be my mentor? Be the one to take my innocence?” I can hardly breathe, and my nerves are suffocating me. How am I being so brazen, so blatant? How is he so collected? He’s slow and methodical as he bends down, a single finger gliding along my neck. His words are low yet almost threatening. “I would break you in two, little bird. I would ruin you, and for every other man, because you would forever feel me inside you.”

I stop breathing. My lips part as he abruptly stands, gets out of the pool, and walks inside the house. I don’t move for what feels like hours. Possibly a lifetime. His words replay in my mind. I blink to make sure I’m not dreaming. “Holy shit,” I breathe, still feeling the heat of his finger across my neckline. “Holy fucking shit,” I repeat, still in shock. I’ve yet to take my eyes off the door where he disappeared. My fingers follow the trail of where his once were, and I can’t help but bask in his warning.

This is wrong. I should stop whatever insane idea I have swarming in my head right now. But I know I won’t. The need to get a taste of him is too strong, and I can’t and won’t leave until I get what I want.Hazel

One week later…Walking out of the pizza place, I wave goodbye to my friends—a last meet up before we all head off in a couple weeks. Everyone is going in different directions, and it sucks not knowing at least one person in college. I’ve chatted a bit here and there with my roommate, and she seems friendly enough, but who’s to say we’ll get along living in such close quarters?

I head toward my car just as the neon sign turns off. Wow, how long were we in there for? I check the time. It’s almost midnight. Shit, I should text my dad so he doesn’t worry. My fingers dig into my purse for my phone when a familiar car drives past. Only one person I know drives a luxury SUV, suped-up to the nines. Gabriel. I wonder where he’s going. Or where he’s coming from. Jealousy pings in my chest at the thought of him with a woman. My thoughts go back to the pool last week and how I confessed my intentions about college boys. I’m not a virgin by any means. My tactic was simply to lure him in with my innocence. The last thing I expected was the response he gave.