He leaned towards me and I held my breath as the distance between us lessened. My heart thundered in my chest—not because I was excited by the thought of Hayes kissing me, but because I couldn’t decide whether I wanted him to or not.
His fingers tangled in my hair and his breath fanned over my lips, waiting.
I closed my eyes, my thoughts and feelings a raging inferno inside me.
I was promised to no one, but my heart didn’t know that.
“I’m sorry,” I mumbled, turning my head away.
His hand fell and he sighed, not in disgust but resigned. I felt bad, because Hayes truly was a nice guy and I believed him when he said he wanted more than a meaningless hookup, but I couldn’t see myself with him.
“Is it Ezra?” He asked. He didn’t sound angry.
I winced and reluctantly raised my head to look at him. “I know it’s stupid, he doesn’t even like me like that,” I winced, hating the fact that I sounded like I was in elementary school, “but yeah…I can’t feel this way towards him and kiss you. It’s wrong and I won’t use you like that.”
“I can respect that.” He sat back, putting distance between us. He surprised me by holding out a hand to me. “Friends?”
“No,” I put my hand in his, “family.”
He grinned—the smile lighting up his whole face. “The Willow Creek family.”
“Exactly.”
“Thanks for…uh, giving me a shot, I guess.” Hayes said with a laugh when he parked his truck in Ezra’s driveway.
I laughed too. “Hayes, you’re going to find the girl for you someday, it’s just not me.”
He nodded. “I know.”
He leaned over and kissed my cheek before I slipped out of the truck.
He waited in the driveway until I had the door unlocked and then he turned the truck around to leave.
I stepped inside and locked the door behind me.
A small squeal left my lips when I turned around to find Ezra standing behind me.
“You have got to stop sneaking up on me like that.” I put a hand over my racing heart and moved to drop my purse and keys on the kitchen counter.
“Sadie?” He swallowed thickly.
“What?” I looked at him curiously. He didn’t look right, slightly sweaty and pale. His fists opened and closed at his sides.
I was about to ask him if he was sick when he threw his hands in the air in defeat, cried, “Fuck it,” and stormed towards me.
I stood frozen, completely transfixed as he closed the space between us in three powerful strides.
He cupped the back of my neck and my back hit the wall beside the refrigerator as he towered above me. Before I could blink his lips were on mine.
Let’s face it, I’d fantasized about kissing Ezra. He was hot, and I had an unrequited crush so it was bound to happen.
In those fantasies he’d always been sweet and tender.
But I would never use those two words to describe this kiss.
His lips were rough and demanding.
There was something feral about the way he moved—how he consumed me.
He growled low in his throat and my own moan captured the sound.
Holy shit, I was kissing Ezra.
Actually, he was kissing me and I was just along for the ride, but oh what a fun ride it was.
My hands began to wander up his chest and he grabbed my hands, pinning them above my head.
His hips dug into mine, and—holy hell.
A breathy sigh escaped me and his tongue pressed beyond my parted lips.
My knees began to quake.
I had never been kissed like this before.
No, that was a lie.
A kiss had never felt like this before.
Our lips moved together like they were singing the same song.
My fingers twitched in his grasp, desperate to touch him, but his hold only tightened.
I had never expected Ezra to be this rough, and aggressive, and hot. He was always so nice and gentle, but apparently there was a side to him I’d never experienced before and I was all for getting to know this part of him…intimately, and by the bulge pressing between my thighs he was up for that too. No pun intended.
“Finally.” He breathed the word against my lips before pulling my bottom lip between his teeth and letting it go.
I moaned and my hips jerked forward.
A chuckle rumbled in his throat and then he deepened the kiss.
My brain grew fuzzy from the lack of oxygen, but the last thing I wanted to do was stop kissing him.
With one last slow stroke of his tongue he retreated and he let go of my hands. They fell onto his shoulder and my chest pressed against his with each breath I took.
He reached up, caressing his fingers lightly against my cheek. “I’ve wanted to do that for so long. You have no idea.”
My eyes closed and I chanted in my head, this has to be a dream.
But when I opened my eyes Ezra still stood there and my lips were swollen from his kisses.
“Why now?” I couldn’t stop myself from asking.
“Because,” his teeth ground together, “seeing you with Hayes…” He looked away, fighting to gain control of his temper. “It was even worse than seeing you with Braden. At least I had a legitimate reason to hate him, but Hayes? I couldn’t hate that guy if I tried, and that made it a thousand times worse.”
“What do we do now?” I asked.
“It was only a kiss.” He started to pull away, but I tightened my hold around his neck.
“No, don’t you dare say that,” I spat.
“Sadie—”
“Please, stop.” I laid my head against his chest. “Please, don’t take it back.”
“I wasn’t going to.” I felt his fingers smooth through my hair.
“Why won’t you let this—let us happen?”
His Adam’s apple bobbed and he peered down at me. “You’re my best friend,” he reminded me yet again, “what if things didn’t work out between us? I can’t lose you.”
“And I’m not worth the risk,” I snapped, the words laced with venom as I reared back. I shook my head at him and stormed away, up the steps, and slammed my bedroom door like a surly teenager.
Rejected, yet again.
IT HAD BEEN a week since our kiss.
Seven whole days.
And in those seven days I hadn’t spoken one word to him.
He’d talked plenty though. He liked to tell me my behavior was ‘childish’ and I guess the silent treatment was childish, but I was afraid if I opened my mouth to talk to him I might scream.
I was so incredibly frustrated, and hurt, and…horny.
Yeah, that last one really sucked.
I’d avoided Ezra’s place as much as I could—usually hanging out with Maddox and Emma. But they were annoying to be around after a while. I honestly didn’t know how they were still so lovey dovey after being together for four years. Or was it five? I’d lost count. But they were still all over each other and I could only handle Maddox sticking his tongue down her throat so many times.
Now, I was sequestered in my bedroom while Ezra made dinner.
He always made enough for me too—and then I would make a point of not eating it. Even if it meant I OD’d on sour patch kids or something else equally sugar filled that I kept hidden in my room.
Tonight was different, though.
I had an idea, one I hoped he’d go for.
Although, after my silent treatment he was probably apt to kick me out and not listen to what I had to say.
I paced restlessly around the small bedroom that had become mine the past month.
This idea of mine…it was crazy.
Stupid, even.
The chances of Ezra agreeing were slim.