Chapter 19 Better Than I Imagined
Ryland
It is three in the morning, and we are still wide awake. We have watched some of the movie, but we are talking right now. We are both on our sides, facing one another. We have been talking about random things, getting to know one another a little better.
“I want to ask you a personal question, okay? If you don’t want to answer, that is okay.”
“Ask me, but I can’t promise to answer.”
“I heard that you don’t date. Is that true? If so, why do you not date?”
Most people our age love to date.
“Yes, it is true. I find it hard to trust people. I don’t think it would be fair for me to start something with someone when I can’t be a hundred per cent honest with or trust them completely.”
I understand that. I am the same. I stick with hook-ups, flirting and messing around. At least that way, I am still getting some human contact without any expectations from either side. Her words make me believe even more that she has many secrets behind her pretty smile.
“I understand that. Don’t you get lonely?”
“Sometimes, I do, yes. What about you? Something tells me that you aren’t the dating type either, more of a hook-up sort of guy.”
“For the same reasons as you.”
“Sorry. It isn’t nice when you can be open enough to trust people.” There is sadness in her voice.
I reach in and push the hair from her eyes, nodding. I want to ask her what her secrets are, but I know she will not tell me. I don’t want to make her feel uneasy to the point she ends up leaving. I watch her closely as I move my fingers to her cheek, caressing it. Closing her eyes, she moves into my touch, and a soft whimper escapes from her lips. The urge to kiss her takes over me again. I move closer to her, going for it. It is only a kiss, that is all I want, nothing more. I have been craving her lips since the moment we officially met.
Gracie opens her eyes. When she sees how close I am, I hear her swallow hard. “Ryland, what are you doing?” she breathes out, eyes full of curiosity.
My tongue darts along my lips, and my eyes flicker between hers and her lips. Gracie tugs her lower lip between her teeth, chewing it nervously.
“Will you pull away if I try to kiss you?” My words are strained.
I am not one for asking, if I am interested in a girl and she is interested in me, giving all the right signals off, I will kiss her without hesitation. I don’t want to do that with Gracie.
Her eyes close over, and she closes the small space between our bodies. “Kiss me, Ryland.” She whispers.
It is the green light I need. I slip my fingers into her hair and close the space between our lips. When I feel her lips against mine for the first time, pleasure courses through me, and a deep moan escapes from my lips. Gracie moans softly, and her arms come around my neck. Mmm, they feel better than I could have imagined. I have pictured kissing Gracie many times. Her lips are soft and warm, her kiss gentle. I cup her cheek with my other hand, deepening the kiss, not enough to make her freak out on me.
Gracie plays with the hair at the back of my neck as our lips move perfectly. She kisses back without hesitation. Gracie parts from the kiss first, much to my dismay. I open my eyes to see her smiling with her eyes still closed.
“I have wanted to do that since the moment we met,” I whisper.
Slowly, she opens her eyes to look at me. “You have? Then why didn’t you? You have had many opportunities.”
“Because I thought you would slap me.”
“There would be a good chance of it if you tried just after we met.”
“And that is why I waited until now.” I smile.
Gracie pecks my lips. “Okay. I am getting tired now. I should sleep.”
Gracie says a quick goodnight to me before she turns away from me. I stay where I am, not sure what to do. I am not used to having a girl in my bed. No, I have never had a girl stay in my bed overnight. I have spent many nights in girls’ beds, but I have never allowed them to remain in mine until morning.
“Ryland, will you, no, actually, never mind.”
“What do you need, brown eyes? What were you going ask?”
Gracie curls up and pulls the covers all the way up to her chin. “Nothing. It is silly.”
I worked out what she was trying to ask me for. I move, lying down behind her and drape my arm over her waist. She instantly shuffles back, her body fitting perfectly into the curves of mine.
“Is this what you wanted?”
“Yes, I don’t sleep well at night.”
I link our fingers and kiss over her shoulders. “Maybe you will sleep better tonight since you have someone next to you.”
Gracie doesn’t answer. Her breathing evens out, she has already fallen asleep. It will seem like having me closer to her helped. I don’t know if she will be here when I wake up. I have a feeling she won’t be and will sneak out in a few hours.