Never Summer Again

Chapter Ten - The Night Ride

Score: Photograph - Ed Sheeran

Lydia

Shocked, I gasp and pull away and then I curse myself mentally for making this awkward. My subconscious scurries in helpfully, patting me on the back and reassuring me that it was probably just a mistake.

He was probably aiming for the cheek again.

Mark couldn't have kissed me on purpose. Could he? My head is going to explode right now. I am slightly aware of the fact that I am sweating.

And that I don't want it to have been a mistake.

Even though I pull away, I feel the urge to grab Mark's face and kiss him again, hard and deep, even though I know I shouldn't.

I really shouldn't. I have Patrick and I owe it to him not to do anything stupid.

Cross that.

I owe it to myself not to do anything stupid. I owe it to myself not to distract myself from my revision with yet another complication, in my already overcomplicated life. I have to stay focused. I have been thinking about Mark enough without us actually complicating things so far, to allow myself to be doing this right now.

I smile awkwardly and pretend nothing happened, as I reach with one hand for the door handle, and unbuckle my seat belt with the other. With a rushed "See you tomorrow," I move to get out of the car.

And in this brief moment, I feel like my brain somehow switches off.

I cannot think straight anymore. I am suddenly blinded by a light inside my skull, which is so fucking bright, and I can hear a deafening ringing in my ears, which is blocking the words he is saying.

I can see him with the corner of my eye, still turned towards me in the driver's seat, his lips moving, but I cannot make a sound of what he is saying.

I feel like my rational mind leaves my body and watches in horror, as I withdraw my hand from the door handle and turn to face Mark. I do not look him in the eyes but go straight for his mouth as I crash my lips on his and lean into him.

He doesn't pull away. He doesn't say anything, but just reaches for the back of my head, pulling me closer. My lips part and his tongue is quick to dart between them, eager to meet mine. He moves around feverishly, spreading my lips further to allow for his mouth to fully claim mine.

The ringing in my ears is so high-pitched now that it is threatening to split my skull open, the blazing light behind my closed eyes burning me and I am afraid that if I open them, the light may actually incinerate them.

I am lost, so lost in this moment. There is nothing in the world right now, apart from us kissing in the car, and it is the most wonderful, exciting feeling.

I lean further into him and he pulls me across the console to climb onto his lap, pushing the seat back to make more space for me to straddle him. I take a mental note of how hot and considerate this simple movement is and can't help but wonder if he has done it before.

I moan into his mouth as I sit on his lap and wrap my arms around his neck.

Our lips haven't parted since we began this madness and I break contact briefly, just to look into his eyes and to catch my breath. He doesn't say anything. He simply stares into my eyes, and there are no questions, no judgment in his, only hunger, for me.

He reaches with his hand and gently cups my cheek, pulling my face towards his, and kisses me again.

My rational mind is left gawking in the passenger seat, mouth wide open, watching helplessly as my body completely takes over. She wants to scream at me, pull me by the hair, and drag me out of this car and away from Mark, away from his hungry mouth and raking hands, which are burning white-hot trails across my entire body.