at her had her under a spell—so intimate. So full of longing. “I think you’re pretty wonderful.”
Her words, though quietly spoken, were like taking a hammer to glass. It shattered the restraint, shattered the reasoning holding them back. Ronan leaned forward, sliding his hand along her jaw and around to cup the back of her head. He was closer now. Their noses brushed, and his lips parted, hers following in automatic, instinctual want.
They hovered there for a moment, ready to drown in anticipation, and Audrey let her eyes flutter shut, blotting out the light. She wanted only to feel.
Ronan’s warm breath skated across her skin, and then the soft yet firm pressure of his lips melted her. Her hands reached out blindly, catching his shirt and curling so she could tug him closer. His tongue darted across the seam of her mouth, encouraging her to open to it. And she did. He tightened his fingers in her hair and tipped her back, sliding closer so he could kiss her more deeply.
His facial hair scratched against her skin, but in the most delicious way possible. The friction was fire in her blood, air in her lungs, electricity in her brain. His thumb brushed over her ear as he delved deeper into her mouth, and Audrey pressed against him even though something dug into her hip and thigh. She didn’t want to stop.
Her whole body pulsed with sensation. Tightness gathered between her thighs, and liquid heat pooled lower in her belly. She felt her breathing come harder, like dragging air into her lungs was a second priority to the feel of his mouth on hers. A sigh rose up from deep inside her, and she leaned farther forward while Ronan’s hands began to explore her body. He skimmed over her shoulders and down her arms, tracing the dip at her waist and the flare over her hips. It was so good to be touched. To be learned and understood.
Encouraged, Audrey slipped her hands down, too. Hard chest, flat stomach, the leather of his belt and soft denim over muscular thighs. And…oh. Her fingertips brushed the ridge of his erection lining his inner thigh, and Ronan groaned in response.
The loud squawk of the car horn made them jump apart, and Audrey clapped a hand to her chest. Her heart was thundering, though whether it was from the offensive sound or the kiss she wasn’t sure. Outside, a couple walked hand in hand to their car, paying them no mind.
But anybody could have seen them. What if a college staff member had been walking past? Or a student who recognized them?
“I… We shouldn’t…” Ronan scrubbed a hand over his face as he let out a breath. “Shit.”
“Don’t,” Audrey said breathlessly. “Please don’t ruin it.”
She hadn’t been kissed in forever. And while she knew it was wrong, she wanted to cradle that precious moment in her mind. It would be like a snow globe, a thought she could shake when she felt sad to watch it glitter and shine. And she refused to tar it with reality.
Ronan’s eyes were hot like an open flame, but his jaw remained tense. Tight. “I can’t be doing this with—”
“I know, I know.” She nodded, holding up a hand. “It didn’t happen.”
Only it did happen, and Audrey wouldn’t forget it anytime soon. For a moment she wanted to scream and pound her fist against the dashboard, because any time something good happened to her there seemed to be a catch. Why couldn’t she have a night of fun without worrying about the consequences?
She wanted to say something more, but her throat was clogged with anger and frustration and…desperation. She pushed the door open and got out before he had a chance to respond.
Her hands trembled as she fished the car keys from her bag, her body still running on adrenaline from their kiss. But she had to get herself together. She slid into the driver’s seat, started the engine, and drove out of the parking lot as though she were simply going about her business.
She didn’t dare look to see if Ronan was behind her.
Audrey felt her armor slide back into place, as it always did when she returned home—shoulders straightened, eyes bright, smile painted on. She pumped the radio so loud it made her ears hurt and the bass rattled the shitty speakers in her dash. The second she pulled into the driveway, the night would be safely tucked into the back of her mind for safekeeping.