Twisted Up (Taking Chances #1) - Erin Nicholas Page 0,9
when he said gruffly, “Not even the pope could have looked into those big green eyes that night by the river when you told me you’d never been really kissed and not wanted to be the first.”
Instantly she was back at that river, the area lit by the moonlight and the glow from the bonfire, the air heavy with humidity and anticipation. They’d camped at the river with most of the senior class. There were sleeping bags and blankets all over the riverbank that night, and very few of them had held only one person.
Jake had been cocky, but funny and sweet. He was full of himself and yet, somehow charming and thoughtful at the same time. There hadn’t been even a hint of nerves on his part, but she’d known she could say no at any point. She’d known exactly how much he wanted her, yet she’d felt safe and protected the whole time. The entire night had been better than she could have imagined, and it was all because of Jake. He’d made it amazing, even as a teenage boy with a virgin who was naive enough to not know exactly what to do. But she’d been smart enough to know she wanted to do it with him, and she’d figured things out pretty quickly. She’d been willing and eager. He’d done what any guy in his place would have done—he went for it. All the way.
When she’d found herself making out with Jake at the river and he’d asked her to stay all night, she hadn’t been worried about a curfew. Her grandmother had always complained that Avery wasn’t a typical teenager who went out on the weekends and stayed out past midnight. It hadn’t kept Ruth from having male friends over, but it had, apparently, cramped her style a bit.
So that one night she’d been a very typical teenager. She’d gotten drunk, tried smoking, and gotten laid.
The memories were still enough to get her hot and bothered.
Another good reason to stay away from him. He’d only kissed her over the past eleven months, but that was only because she’d been careful not to let him get her somewhere completely private. He’d pulled her behind the cotton-candy booth at the fair, kissed her behind the Christmas tree in the town square, and behind the bleachers at a football game.
Not that she was keeping track or anything.
Had they been somewhere more private, perhaps with a door and not much light . . .
“I know you want to kiss me now,” she said.
“Of course I do. Kissing you is one of my favorite things about visiting Chance.”
That should have stopped her. That reminder that he was only visiting, that this wouldn’t be enough to get him to stay.
But it didn’t.
“Then get it over with.” She grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him in, putting her lips to his.
Every time. Every damned time.
Jake couldn’t believe it.
Every time he kissed this woman, his world went up in flames. Ironic.
He knew he shouldn’t keep doing it, but he couldn’t help it. And now she’d kissed him.
Holy hell.
Kissing Avery Sparks was the best kissing in the world. Being kissed by Avery Sparks was the best thing in the world.
At least until she let him get her naked.
She was still holding him close with her hand gripping the front of his shirt. But he wasn’t going anywhere.
He ran one hand up her back, cupping her head, while bringing her hips closer with the other. She moaned and wrapped both arms around his neck.
He stroked his tongue along her lower lip, and she gave a soft whimper as she opened for him. Lust exploded in his gut, and the hand on her hip flexed, bunching the material of her dress.
With her heels, she was five eight to his six three. Still not quite tall enough to line her parts up just right with his parts.
But there was a workbench about ten steps to his left.
Kissing her deeply, he began walking them toward the bench. Avery was either too caught up or had the same idea, because she went along easily.
When they bumped into the worktop, their mouths disconnected long enough to suck in some air. They stared at each other in the dim light for a moment, breathing hard.
“A.” That was all he could manage.
She paused for a heartbeat. Then she whispered, “Yes.”
He knew somehow that it wasn’t an acknowledgment of the nickname. It was an agreement to do exactly what he wanted