Lies We Tell (Thistle Cove 3)

“Beautiful,” he repeats again. He bends and kisses me, hips grazing mine; a move that reveals how excited he is—how twisted up I am. My fingers push at his waistband, brushing over the soft hair on his lower belly. He tugs at the sides of my shorts, pushing them to the floor, soon we’re standing in the middle of the room, naked, hard, and wet.

His fingers glide down my arm, over the side of my breast, sending a shiver down my back and pebbling my nipple. I lick my lip, and he kisses me again, the tip of his erection bobbing against my belly. Finn continues his descent; lips blazing over my belly, my hips, and the inside of both thighs. I tremble under his attention—feeling bolder by the moment.

Our bodies press together, and I love that he’s so tall, but hate that I’m so short. His hands reach behind me, under me, and he picks me up. I exhale, feeling his hard, warm stomach rubbing against my core.

He carries me over to the desk, pushing my notebooks and books aside. His hands palm my breasts and I run my fingers through his hair, spiking it up.

“Is this okay?” he asks, cock pushing at me.

“Anything is okay.” All I want is to be with him, feel him, consume him.

His fingers dip between my legs, toying with the wet slickness. His pupils pulse, and he licks his bottom lip. I never thought I’d be the kind of girl that would want sex so bad, to feel so ready, that a guy could make my body tremble from the simplest touch, but I am.

He kisses me, then darts across the room, pulling a condom from the drawer by my bed. He rolls it on walking back over, ready when he gets back to me.

I lift my hips and he enters me slowly, his green eyes open and watching me. His fingers roll my nipples and his teeth graze down my neck, biting and nipping down to my shoulder.

Our mouths meet, tongues warm and wet. I feel him deep inside, jaw clenching with every thrust. He moves with diligence—slow and intentionally quiet—the pens in the ceramic vase clinking together with the same rhythm as our bodies. I lift my foot to the wall and lean back, groaning as he sinks deeper. His eyes focus on my chest, on the way my tits rock as he claims me. I train my gaze on his body, on the hard muscles of his abs, the way the V carves into his flesh, the way he feels as he plunges into me. His thumbs press into my hips, holding me in place.

I bite down on my lip as pleasure rolls over me and he yanks me forward, our bodies crashing together. His lips press against mine, tongue pushing forward, and he comes, groaning into my mouth.

His knees buckle and he grips my body as he slumps forward, forehead sweaty against mine.

“I love you,” he says, kissing my ear.

I loop my arms around his neck, my heart beating like a thousand drums. “I love you, too.”

33

Ozzy

I carry the list through the store, dodging shopping carts and frenzied customers. It’s Christmas Eve and even in a town the size of Thistle Cove, things get hectic.

I’m starting to think my mom tricked me into agreeing to come for her.

“Seriously? You’re out of rolls? How can you be out of rolls? My family will revolt if there are no rolls on the table tomorrow!” The shrill voice echoes through the frozen food section. I take a step back and start the other way.

Unfortunately, I bump right into someone, slamming into their grocery basket.

“Sorry!”

“It’s fine, Drake. I won’t break.”

“Oh, Alice, hey.” I look at the currently dark-haired girl. She’s in a short plaid skirt and tight, white, turtleneck sweater. I’m still trying to get used to this new look. More school girl—less edgy fangirl. “Yeah, sorry. Things were getting tense back there. I figured I’d hit the dair section instead.”

“Thanks for the warning.” She tugs at her high collar and gives me a smug smile before heading toward the canned goods.

I walk toward the dairy case, thinking about how I still haven’t figured that girl out. She’s had a full change this year—although to be fair, Kenley has made some changes, too. Her relationship with me, Finn, and Ezra. Her “sexual revolution,” as she calls it. But she hasn’t really changed her looks or her personality. If anything, she’s kind of shed the baggage that’d been holding her back.

I grab the eggs and everything else on my mother’s list and squeeze back down to the checkout. Alice is two rows over, paying for her items. I walk out a few people behind her and inadvertently follow her through the parking lot. It’d been packed when I got here, and I was forced to get a spot way in the back. Alice walks over to a black SUV idling in the far corner and gets into the passenger seat. I frown when I see the person behind the wheel.

Jason Chandler.

I duck behind a beat-up minivan so they can’t see me, but can still see them—and the kiss Alice gives him on the cheek. My heart jumps anxiously and I duck as they drive past.

What. The. Fuck.

It was obvious something was going on with them—with Alice, it’s hard to know what game she’s playing—but that kiss. That kiss broke this wide open. Again.