Scars of Yesterday (Sons of Templar MC #8) - Anne Malcom Page 0,5

brushed against the thin fabric of my shorts. The mere friction of it caused me to gasp in pleasure. Cody, always attuned to my body and sounds, obviously mistook this for pain or fear, so he tried to stop.

I was quicker, for once. Need was hot in my blood, making me grip the back of his neck with both of my hands so he couldn’t move, his body still pressed against mine.

“Lizzie,” he gritted out.

“I want this,” I begged. “I want you. Please.”

His eyes searched mine then lowered down to my bra that suddenly felt like the sexiest thing in the world. He let out a harsh hiss of air.

Then the pressure against my hands released as he moved to press his lips against mine.

I kissed him back hungrily, desperately.

He stopped it as if he was trying to torture me. “I’m gonna give you something,” he murmured against my lips. “I’m gonna make today all about you. Because you may think you’re ready now, but I don’t want you to have any regrets. I don’t want it to be in my bedroom on a night my mom is gone. I want it to be... more special for you.” He brushed the back of his hand against my cheek. “But I’m going to be your first, Lizzie. I want to be your last, but I’m not stupid enough to think you’ll be with me forever, no matter how much I want that.” His hand moved quickly, unlatching my bra and pulling it free. No matter how naïve some might say it was to think it, I knew he was my forever.

“But I’m gonna make the most of every moment I have with you,” he continued, lips firm and hard against mine once more.

Then he moved.

Downward.

First to my exposed breasts.

Then to my bellybutton.

His tongue teased me with what was going to happen, moving across my stomach.

Then much lower.

Suffice it to say, the need I was feeling was sated. Twice.

Chapter 2

Five Months Later

“Well,” I said, closing the door to Cody’s room. “You’re officially no longer shackled to the institution known as high school.”

There was a low thump coming from the living room, we’d left the music on. Everyone had left the graduation party that Cody’s mom, Olive, had given permission for him to throw as long as they stuck to beer and everyone was out by midnight.

My mother would never leave me alone in a house to have a party; she’d never trust a bunch of teenagers to abide by such rules. But Cody adored and respected Olive, so it was five after midnight and we were the only ones here.

My mother was out of town, and I’d told my father I was sleeping over at Willow’s. He was far too smart and observant to believe me, but he also trusted me.

So he’d told me to, “be careful” and kissed me on the head.

This wasn’t the first night I’d be sleeping curled up with my boyfriend. We didn’t get many of these since there were only so many sleepovers my mother would believe I was having, and Olive rotated night shifts. Although she never said anything when I was sitting at her breakfast table when she came home from work. She’d just smile, kiss me on the cheek and sit with me and Cody while we ate.

She was the mother I wished I had. I knew it was a nasty and a cruel thing for me to think considering my mother didn’t beat me or verbally abuse me and bought me whatever clothes I’d decided fit my vision at the time. I was into more rock chick, Bridget Bardot these days, growing my hair longer, wearing winged eyeliner, tight black jeans and band tees. My mother hated it, but she still bought me the clothes.

She was a good mother.

But she didn’t kiss my cheek in the morning. Didn’t sit at the table with me and just talk about life. Her version of talking was gossiping, pressuring me about college, grades, the future. Lecturing my dad about whatever he’d done wrong that week.

Olive asked me what my dreams were. What was my favorite book? Movie. Who inspired me? What countries I wanted to visit.

She’d taken me in as the daughter she’d never had, and it made me feel warm and accepted.

My mother didn’t have that in her.

Which was fine, because I had Olive. I had her for as long as I had Cody in my life, and I planned on having him in my