“Truth,” he replies, his voice as serious as the look on his face.
“Why do you bully me?” I ask.
He lowers his head to meet mine. “Because I need you to hate me.”
I gasp. “But … why?”
That familiar smirk pops right back up onto his face. “One question, Mo.”
Fuck. I wish I’d asked a better one.
“Truth or dare.”
“Truth.” I don’t think I’m gonna like this, but I’m not up for another one of his dares.
“You felt something when I kissed you, didn’t you?”
My heart swells.
Fuck.
I had not expected that.
Don’t get lost. Monica. It’s not real. None of it is. He’s a player. Someone who toys with hearts and minds. Someone who likes to win just for the sake of it.
“No,” I reply, trying to shake off this dread.
The look on his face is dead serious now. “Don’t lie to me. That’s not how this game works.”
“Prove it,” I retort, glaring right back at him. “Prove I’m lying.”
His hand reaches for my face. I don’t flinch, the mere touch of his hand on my skin enough to make me freeze. His palm cups my cheek, and I melt into him as his thumb brushes my lips, pulling one down as he slides farther and farther.
“Is that a dare?” he asks with a husky voice.
I don’t know how to answer without stuttering. My mind is going in circles, trying to tell me how bad this is, that I shouldn’t get close. But all I want is for him to kiss me.
And when I nod, I’ve sealed my own fate.
Because with his hands, he grabs my face and smashes his lips onto mine.
Chapter 15
Cole
I kiss her hard and fast, unable to stop myself from going further.
I tried. Fuck knows I tried so damn hard not to get close to the only girl I’m not supposed to have. The girl who’s irrevocably connected to the one person I hate the most. The same person who warned me to stay away.
But I can’t. I can’t fucking stay away from this girl, even though I should.
Even though I’ll probably wreck her …
I don’t care anymore.
I fucking wanted, no needed to kiss her right now, so I’m taking what’s mine.
She’s yearned for this as much as I have. I can taste it on her lips, feel it in her body that’s pressed against mine. Our connection was obvious from the start, but we both knew we were bad for each other. I take and take and take until I had my fill. I use girls like I use the fame, for self-gratification, and she knows.
It’s why I pushed her around, why I needed her to hate me.
Because if she lets me in … I’ll destroy her.
I’ll turn her into a weak, fumbling, driveling girl, just like all the others, until there’s nothing left but ruin when I’m done.
But this girl … this girl is different.
I don’t just want to be greedy. I want to give her everything I have. And that’s not something I’ve ever felt before.
My mouth can’t stop latching onto hers in desperation, almost as if it would kill me not to. I don’t know what it is about her that makes me so frenzied, so hungry for a taste. Maybe it’s the newness, or maybe it’s because she’s forbidden.
Or maybe my lips can uncover the truth beneath her lies.
Because no matter how much I desire to claim her as mine and have my way with her, another part of me still wants to know what makes her tick.
Her eyes shut slowly as I kiss her deeply, my tongue swiftly sliding in to claim her fully. I don’t care if she thinks this is wrong; I know she wants it. She doesn’t fight back, doesn’t push me away, doesn’t even flinch as I ravage her and leave nothing unscathed.
My hand curls around her waist to pull her closer against me, the cold water brushing her skin, creating goose bumps all around. Or maybe that’s because of me …
A smirk forms on my mouth, and I unlock my lips from hers to gaze at her from underneath my lashes. “Liar.”
“What?” Her eyes burst open.
“You felt something …” My tongue darts out as her eyes widen, and the realization of her own attraction to me shocks her to her core. “Truth or dare … Mo.”
Her lip twitches as she rubs her thumb along the edge, almost as if to wipe off my mark. But my kisses leave more than just a stain on her lips, and she knows.
“Dare …”
The word slips from her lips before she realizes it.
Before she understands the consequences of her words.
And she covers her hand with her mouth, almost as if to push the word back inside.
But I heard.
I definitely heard.
And I’m fucking ready to convince her.
Monica
I didn’t know what I said until it’d already slipped off my tongue.