Credence

She nods. “At a fair once.”

I sit back and pull her into my lap, so she straddles me. “This is just like that.”

And I kiss her, slipping inside her once again.

Jake

It’s nineteen degrees, and I’m fucking sweating. I lift Tiernan into my arms, her arms and legs wrapping around me as I walk us up the steps of the house, our lips locked together, kissing as we make our way for the door.

“Don’t fall,” she murmurs between kisses.

“I’m not gonna fall.”

Just then I slam my shin into a chair on the deck and stumble, grunting.

Fuck.

We tighten our arms around each other, but she laughs quietly anyway.

Her jeans are still open, her shirt barely buttoned, and mine’s not buttoned at all. It’s too fucking hot right now. We get to the door, and I heft her up higher, looking up into her eyes. “You feeling bad about any of this yet?”

I don’t mean physically, just… I don’t know.

I’m too old. She’s too young. This was a mistake.

But I know damn well I’d make it again given half the chance. It hasn’t been that good for me in a long time.

She touches my face, her eyes gentle. “No,” she finally replies. “I’m glad it was you.”

I stare up at her.

She leans in, and I close my eyes as she kisses my forehead, my cheek, and then my mouth. “Anyone else wouldn’t have made it so perfect,” she tells me. “You were gentle and slow and you made it feel good.” She tips her forehead to mine. “I’m glad it was you.”

My throat tightens, and I grab the back of her neck and bring her in, kissing her. I still feel guilty, but… at least she doesn’t, and I can only be grateful for now.

And part of what she says eases my nerves a bit. Assholes like Holcomb wouldn’t have cared to make sure she enjoyed it or someone her age wouldn’t have had much experience to know how to make sure she enjoyed it. I certainly didn’t at eighteen. At least I could give her that.

But was it special?

Her sweet mouth and taste and the heat between her legs warming my stomach washes over me, and I tighten my hold, feeling fucking high and wanting to smile for the first time in forever. She feels like…

Like Flora did.

Except with Tiernan, it feels easier somehow. Like I might not hurt her. She’s strong.

“This can’t happen again, though,” I tell her.

She nods, amusement in her eyes as she looks down at me. “Okay.”

But her tone is too compliant. Like she doesn’t believe me.

“I mean it,” I snip. “You’re going to college. Don’t think about falling in love with me.”

“I won’t.”

She’s not taking me seriously.

“We released some pent-up frustration, and hopefully I gave you a worthy coming-of-age experience,” I say. “But that’s it. It stops now.”