Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 45785 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 229(@200wpm)___ 183(@250wpm)___ 153(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45785 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 229(@200wpm)___ 183(@250wpm)___ 153(@300wpm)
Oh. Oh, so he was still on that topic.
I side-eyed him, my vision having adjusted to the darkness by now, and I wondered if maybe he’d chugged his beer so quickly for another reason. He was nervous, wasn’t he?
I cleared my throat and figured I should act like the adult here. “Listen, Joel—”
He cursed and looked away. “Here we fucking go. I knew it.”
I frowned, then quickly shook my head. He didn’t know shit. “Or you can just hear what I have to say. You’ve had a few girlfriends, right?”
He scowled a little and faced me again. “Yeah?”
“So you’re into girls.” I prodded him along. “And…?”
“And what? That’s it.” He bit his lip, his gaze flickering with uncertainty. “I haven’t done anything with… I mean, I’m pretty sure I’m, you know—uh.” He squinted at nothing and rubbed the back of his head.
“I think the word you’re looking for is bi.”
The two chicks I’d dated in high school had hardly made the news, but the time I’d shown up at school hand in hand with my first boyfriend, we’d been the source of gossip for a whole week. My only boyfriend, I should say. The gossip had lasted longer than the relationship because I’d found out he liked to hold hands with a whole bunch of dudes. And suck their dicks behind the cafeteria.
I’d sworn off boyfriends and girlfriends—not only for that reason but because I was getting out of here. I didn’t want any attachments.
It hit me that Joel’s sexuality could be much more sensitive to him than mine had ever been to me. Aunt Sybil came to mind, of course. With Dad’s sister being gay, that sort of acceptance had always been around for me. I was fortunate. Many weren’t.
“Hey.” I shifted closer to Joel and nudged his elbow with mine. “Have you told your ma?”
He nodded once and stared at the sand. “She’s cool with it. I’ve just never had to deal with people’s reactions.”
Understandable. That took some getting used to, whether you’d grown up in an inclusive family or not.
“That part’s always gonna suck,” I admitted. “As soon as you identify with or as something that’s not the norm, some people will look at you like you’re from another planet.”
Some in disgust.
“I think I can handle that,” he said, clearing his throat. “It’s just nerve-racking at first. Especially when I’m sitting here like a fumbling idiot with someone who’s probably never had to make the first move on anyone before.”
I coughed around a laugh, unable to help myself. Was he stroking my ego, or did he just not fucking know? He talked about me like I was some big catch. Of-fucking-course I’d had to take the initiative here and there.
“You think I’m funny.” He was scowling again.
I shook my head in amusement. “No, I think you’re fucking sweet.”
His annoyance faded, morphing into doubt.
Damn, I felt good. That’d been some ego boost. From someone so incredibly hot too. And yeah, funny. I smiled at him, and I let the night sort of steal me away. It was just us here.
I leaned in slowly and paused an inch or two from his lips, and my stomach tightened with want. He swallowed hard, all the humor draining from the air around us, replaced by something heavier.
He wet his bottom lip and drew a shaky breath, and that did it for me. I kissed him tentatively and cupped his cheek. His lips were soft and perfect, and he kissed me back right away.
Looked like I was incapable of shooting him down.
Instead, we deepened the kiss at the same time, and our tongues met teasingly, unhurriedly. Fuck. One single taste of him, and I had to have more. I slipped my hand to the back of his neck, and he angled himself closer to me. We sucked in a quick breath before we were at each other again, and we started making out.
Shivers rocked my body as he tried to pull me toward him, and I didn’t fucking know what he wanted. I didn’t wanna break the kiss long enough to ask either, but when he grasped my shoulders tighter, I went with it. He leaned back against the sand, I followed, and then I was on top of him.
My fingers disappeared into the sand, and the slow wash of the waves rolling in faded into the background.
Goose bumps appeared across my back as he ran his fingers along my spine, and I couldn’t help but moan into the kiss. Fucking hell, he was intoxicating. My mind swam with lust. I had to remind myself that parts of this were brand-new to him, and I didn’t wanna rush anything.
“You feel so fucking good like this.” He breathed out and locked his feet around my calves. “I can’t believe we’re making out.”
I exhaled a chuckle and kissed him again, at the same time as I pushed my cock against his. Another shudder ran through me, and he groaned. He was hard as a rock already, and fuck me if I wasn’t too.