Beside

16 - lust

"Fox, why do you stare at the sky so much?"

"To see if it's changing."

"It looks the same to me."

"Yeah, but it won't be tomorrow."

ᖴO᙭

The sun's barely a sliver now, dipping under the horizon, leaving the sky bruised and heavy with the last bits of light.

Noah thought running would help. Burn off the edge, clear the noise in my head, but Noah's an idiot.

I round the corner to the apartment building, sweat sticking my shirt to my skin, my breath coming in short, sharp bursts.

Then I see her.

She's sitting on the bench just outside the building, knees pulled up to her chest, her chin resting on top. Shorts and a tee shirt. Both purple, but one shade lighter than the other. She looks small, huddled like she's trying to fold in on herself, lost in the dusk.

I'm done with this fucking game we've been playing. It's driving me insane—the back-and-forth, the hesitation.

"Chris," I call out.

Her head snaps up, eyes wide like I've caught her.

I walk over, each step measured, my pulse thrumming behind my eyes.

She's gawking at me, eyes wide and unblinking. I stop just in front, towering over her huddled form on the bench.

"I need this to stop." My voice is low, but there's no softness in it. "Tell me right now. Either yes or no."

Her mouth opens, but I don't let her get a word in.

"No more bullshit. You either want this, or you don't. If you don't, fine. We move on—"

She stands carefully, her fingers brushing against my lips, silencing me. Her face is flushed, her breath shaky, and her eyes... those big, doe eyes are staring right through me.

"I was just waiting for you to get back."

Her hand slides down, tracing a line from my lips to my chin, my throat, my chest.

"Yes," she whispers.

She's kissing me the next second.

After I realize what her yes means, I let go.

I'm on her, hands tangling in her hair, my mouth crashing into hers. She exhales into me, and I feel it—the way her body melts against mine, the way she arches into me like she's been waiting for this just as long as I have.

Her hands fly to my neck, pulling me closer, her fingers threading through my damp hair like she's scared I'll pull away. Not a chance. My tongue slides against hers. She tastes like sugar again.

"We need to..." she gasps, but whatever she was going to say gets lost. She smells like rain, and I'm fucking drowning. Thank god.

I press a searing kiss to her lips and pull back just enough to grab her hand, tugging her inside the lobby, ignoring the doorman's stare.

The elevator doors slide open, and the second we're inside, I've got her against the wall again, my mouth on hers. She's all breathy moans and soft gasps, her hands tugging at my hair, pulling me closer.

I press her harder against the mirrored wall, my hands sliding down to her ass, lifting her just enough for her to wrap her legs around my waist. She does, and it's like heaven and hell colliding. I'm fucking gone.