Bad guy (REWRITTEN)

Chapter 19

                               Anna

A month later.

The city lights of Los Angeles glittered far below like a spilled galaxy, but up here on Billie's private rooftop terrace the world felt hushed and intimate. The full moon poured silver over the concrete garden she'd turned into her secret escape, potted jasmine climbing the iron railings, a low daybed piled with blankets, the faint hum of the city reduced to a distant heartbeat.

I leaned against the railing, head tilted back, chasing constellations in the scatter of stars. They refused to connect tonight, the way they never quite did for me, but the attempt itself was peaceful. Until it wasn't.

Soft lips brushed the side of my neck, feather-light, followed by a slow, deliberate kiss that sent heat racing down my spine. I turned just enough to see her, standing behind me, arms sliding around my waist like they belonged there. Her breath was warm against my skin, carrying the faint trace of the mint gum she'd been chewing earlier.

"What are you doing?" I whispered, the words half-laugh, half-gasp because her mouth kept moving, teasing the sensitive spot just below my ear.

"Kissing you" she answered, voice low and velvet-rough. "What else would I be doing up here with you?"

She didn't wait for a reply. Her lips trailed lower, pulling the collar of my shirt aside so she could reach the curve of my shoulder. I closed my eyes, tilting my head to give her more room, the cool night air kissing every place her mouth left wet. Then her fingers gently cupped my jaw, turning me fully toward her. The moment our eyes met, she closed the distance.

The kiss was slow at first, deep, unhurried, the kind that said we had all night and she intended to use every second. Our mouths moved together like we'd done this a thousand times and still couldn't get enough. When her tongue traced my bottom lip, asking, I opened for her instantly.

She tasted like mint and something darker, something that was entirely Billie. Her hand slipped beneath my shirt, palm gliding up my ribs until she cupped my breast, thumb brushing over my nipple in lazy circles. I gasped into her mouth, the sound swallowed by another kiss.

I was already aching. Needy in a way that made my thighs press together on instinct.

Her other hand drifted lower, sliding inside the waistband of my jeans but stopping just over my underwear. Two fingers pressed against my clit through the thin fabric, rubbing slow, deliberate strokes that made my knees weaken. I moaned against her lips, hips rocking forward without thinking.

"You're wet" she murmured, breaking the kiss just enough to speak against my mouth. Her voice had dropped an octave, husky and amused.

"All this from a few kisses, baby?"

I couldn't answer. My head fell back against her shoulder instead, eyes fluttering shut as she kept teasing up and down, then slow circles that made my breath hitch. My fingers tangled in her soft hair, gripping tighter than I meant to.

"Billie..." It came out half-plea, half-frustration.

"Patience" she whispered right against my ear, lips brushing the shell. The single word sent a shiver straight through me.

"We're not doing this out here where anyone could look up. Come inside"

She pulled her hand free, leaving me throbbing and empty. I nodded, too turned on to argue.

The moment the terrace door clicked shut behind us, the atmosphere shifted. Billie pushed me back against the nearest wall, mouth crashing into mine hungrier now, teeth grazing my lip, tongue claiming. Her hands gripped my hips hard enough to bruise in the best way, pulling me flush against her so I could feel every curve of her body. Then, without warning, she spun me and walked me backward until my knees hit the edge of her bed.