Too Close

Chapter 24

Olivia's P.O.V

"I'm hurting you," his voice was low and breathy in my ear when he suddenly came to a stop and released his hold on my waist.

"No, I'm fine." I kissed his mouth then a spot on his chin to show him that I was okay. He started up again.

My moans were raspy in his ear, climbing to higher octaves as he rocked us. My fingers slipped across the slick skin of his back, wet with sweat, and found their way in his hair. Release washed over us, merging us at the top. Me clawing skin and arching to kiss him, him cursing into my mouth and moaning my name. His face was nestled in his favorite spot on my neck and his arms shuddered on either side of my head, straining to support the weight of his weakened state.

"God," he breathed. I stared at the ceiling and he rolled onto his back beside me, leaving me cold in between. I turned my head and when he looked at me, his face broke into a heart wrenching grin. He reached over and pulled me to his chest. I felt a blanket being pulled over me.

My eyes landed on the crack in the door where it hadn't closed all the way and watched as the first snow of the season landed on the ground. It was peaceful. We laid that way for a while and I watched the snow coat layers over the ground. I didn't know how long we'd been gone, and eventually, I began to wonder if we'd missed the rest of the party.

I sat upright in the bed and gripped the blanket to cover my breasts. The sudden movement woke Tyler who had fallen fast asleep.

"Hey," he smiled, reaching for me. I climbed over the edge wrapping the covers around me and began searching for my clothes. I grabbed my bra from the floor and yanked it on. "Where did you throw my underwear?"

"It might be over there." He inclined his head toward the foot of the bed and climbed out of the mangled sheets as well. He picked up his clothes and began dressing his lower half. When my clothes were on, I found my shoes lying on the floor. Thinking, I need to get away from this room, I turned to leave with my phone and keys in hand.

"Wait—where are you going? What's wrong?" I didn't answer. Instead I made a mad dash for the Hollenbecks' house almost falling on the slippery grass.

Tyler's P.O.V

I pulled on my sweater and boots, and tried to follow her.

"Olivia, wait!" She was already sprinting across the yard. A woman smoking a cigarette at the back door watched me.

"Chasing after the girl, how romantic," She sneered, looking me up and down. Ignoring her, I jogged around the side of the house to the front.

"Olivia! O, wait up!" I tried when I reached her. She unlocked her car and opened her door. I said the first thing that came to mind. "You're my ride." She groaned and got in the car. I banged on the window with my fist. "C'mon!" After a moment, she unlocked the passenger door.

"What is it? Can you talk to me?" She didn't look at me. "Fuck that. You stormed out of there and you won't explain why?"

"What is there to explain? We had sex Tyler! Doesn't that say it all?"

"Yes, we had sex. So what?"

"So what?" she repeated. I was shouting and she wasn't. I didn't know if her calmness was a good thing or bad.

"You wanted to...I don't understand."

"Then don't understand, I don't care." The car went silent as I stared at her. I licked my top lip and tried to figure out what to say next.

"Then what is the problem?" She pulled up to the house, turned off the engine and got out of the car in a blink of an eye. I threw open my door and followed her inside.

"You say I'm the most difficult person. You don't ever want to voice your feelings to me and it drives me insane," I said. "Tell me why you stormed off like that."

"It wasn't right—"

"But it felt right." I grabbed her hands. "We feel right." Can't she see that? I searched her face, feeling my stomach lurch when she avoided my eyes.

"What does this mean? For us." She asked finally. She cast her gaze up to look at me.

"I don't know," I sighed, closing my own eyes.

I thought about what Colton would say when I told him about this. He'd tell me again about how dangerous it is to be involved with her and that—

"What is it?" She placed a hand along my jaw. I turned toward it and kissed it.

"Nothing." I saw the dubious look in her eyes but she didn't push. I'd try and make this work. Find a way around everything. I'd try.