I’m surprised he even noticed my absence.
“The last time I saw you, you seemed kind of busy.” I cringe as the comment shoots out of my mouth before I can rein it back in. God, could I sound more jealous?
“Busy?” He frowns before shaking his head. “What do you mean?”
Zip it, Dani. Don’t make matters any worse. He already thinks you’re a loser.
Unfortunately, I don’t take my own advice. “I saw you making out with your girlfriend.”
“Girlfriend?” It takes a few seconds for understanding to dawn. “Oh...Heather.” He shifts his stance. “You saw that, huh?”
I nod. I really need to go inside before I say or do anything else that I’ll kick myself for in the morning.
As I take a step in retreat, he springs forward, wrapping his fingers around my forearms. “Don’t leave.”
My eyes widen. “Why not?”
“Give me a chance to explain.”
“You don’t owe me any explanations.” The fact of the matter is Ty doesn’t owe me a damn thing.
“I know.” His voice softens. When I don’t fight the hold, he draws me closer. “But it’s important you know the truth. Heather and I broke up freshman year of college, that was almost three years ago. I guess she’s not over it. Whenever I run into her at parties, she throws herself at me. I’ve told her a dozen times that I’m not interested in getting back together, but she refuses to take no for an answer. She needs to realize that it’s never going to happen because there’s someone else I’m interested in. If I’m being totally honest, I’ve liked this girl for a while now. She’s all I can think about. But it never felt like the right time to tell her.” He searches my eyes in the darkness. “Until now.”
My heart clenches. I didn’t think it was possible for Ty to inflict any more damage, but I was wrong. It takes everything I have inside not to fold in on myself.
Unable to listen as he declares his love for another girl, I twist away, breaking free before stumbling back a couple of steps. “I need to go inside before my parents wake up.”
“What?” He blinks in confusion. “Wait—I haven’t told you who the girl is yet!”
Yeah, I know. And that’s exactly the way I want it to stay.
Ty
It’s almost impressive how spectacularly I’m fucking this whole thing up. Normally, I’m a pretty smooth dude, but that doesn’t seem to be the case where Danielle is concerned. Before she can escape into the house, I yank her to me. A gasp falls from her lips before she staggers forward, landing against my chest. Her eyes widen as she stares up at me. I have no idea how to make this situation better, but I’m going to take a chance and do what I’ve been dying to do for years.
Without another word, I slant my lips across hers. As I do, everything in my head goes silent. For a fraction of a second, she stiffens in my arms before melting against me. When my tongue sweeps over the seam of her lips, she opens until I’m able to slip inside. Dani tilts her head, granting me easier access. Our tongues dance, and it’s the best damn feeling in the world. Cheesy as it sounds, somewhere in the back of my brain, fireworks are exploding.
When every last bit of tension drains away, leaving her soft and pliant, I pull her closer and deepen the kiss. A breathy little sigh escapes from her as she twines her arms around my neck. I have no idea how long we stay fused together. Now that I’ve had a taste of her, how will I ever get enough?
When she pulls away, it’s all I can do not to delve in for more. I’m nowhere near done exploring her mouth.
“I don’t understand what’s going on here.” A dazed expression clouds her eyes. What I love most is that I’m the one who put it there.
“Don’t you get it?”
Uncertainty flickers across her face as she shakes her head.
“I’m crazy about you, Dani. I always have been.”
My admission has her eyes popping wide. “Really?”
“Yeah,” one side of my mouth hitches, “really.”
“You...don’t see me as Brett’s little sister?”
Brett’s little sister?
Hell, no. “I haven’t thought of you like that for a long time.”
When she bites down on her lower lip, I groan, delving back in for more of her sweetness. It only takes a few moments to lose myself in the gentle exploration.
For the second time in a matter of minutes, Dani pulls away. “I can’t believe this is happening.”
Me, neither. “I’ve wanted it for a long time.”
“So have I.” She glances away before admitting, “Ever since you kissed me when I was fourteen years old.”
My hands slide up to cup her cheeks as my thumb grazes her plump lower lip. “At the school dance.”