Love After You

Chapter 22

*Very Mature Chapter*

Jessica pulled the door open to the bedroom, her head pounding from the accident. But also swimming with dirty thoughts about him.

She closed the door firmly behind her, hoping that he wouldn't follow but also secretly praying that he would.

The taste of him still lingered in her mouth. Mint.

The feel of his hands on her body was still burning on her skin. Her nerve endings sparkled with the lingering desire.

The rain soaked her skin, she was shivering. But she felt nothing but heat as she burned from his touch.

She needed him out of her mind, but all she could do was think of him, his mouth, his smell, his taste. It was all forbidden, but all she wanted.

The look on his face after the accident was one of pure horror that she might be hurt.

His lips were almost touching hers as he examined her.

The way his fingers tangled in her hair made her stomach swirl.

It was all too much.

It was wonderful.

It was awful.

Her stomach dropped as a small knock came from the door, knocking her from her memory.

"Can you let me in? I just need to grab some dry clothes. Then I'll go and sleep in the car." He told her from behind the door.

She opened the door quickly, afraid yet desperate to see him.

He was still wet, his hair shining against the lights in the hallway, black as midnight with glints of stars. His eyelashes were clumpy from the rain, and the tip of his nose was bright red.

"How could you do that?" She pleaded in hushed tones. "How could you do it?"

He glanced up and down the corridor, then nudged himself into the room, pushing her backward as he closed the door. "What, kiss you?"

"Yes. How could you kiss me?"

He watched her for a moment, a million emotions flickering over his face, his eyes swirling like a grey storm cloud. "Because I needed too. Because I was so worried you were hurt, I never felt such relief when I realised you weren't. Because I was done denying myself, when I've wanted to kiss you since the first moment I saw you."

"Since the first moment you saw me? Since the first Halloween party?" She stammered, her eyes widening.

"Yes." He took a step towards her, but Jess was frozen, unable to move, breathe, or do anything. "Oh God, yes! You have no idea how badly I wanted you. The moment I saw you in that Jessie costume, your hair in braids," he sighs at the memory, "I was gone from the moment I met you."

"But I was with Adam, then." Her voice was barely above a whisper.

But his wasn't; he spoke loudly, almost proudly. "Yes, I know. That's why I never did anything, never made a move, never told you how I truly felt... And it killed me. Every day. Seeing you with him and loving him, it killed me. You have no idea how much. How desperately I wanted you." He paused. His hand moved up to touch a dripping strand of hair on her cheek, but he hesitated when he saw her eyes lower to the ground. After a quivering sigh, he moved away from her.

He got two towels and passed one to her as he dried himself off as well.

The towel sat in her arms, she was too shocked to move.

"I tried to distance myself, I did." He continued vehemently. "But it was hard. Adam was my best friend, I couldn't just not see him. And you, with your wide eyes and big smile, were hard to resist."