AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Somewhere quiet. Just you and me.” I squeeze her hand, hoping she understands this is more than a simple escape.
“Okay.” She squeezes back, and we slip out of the arena into the outside. “That was amazing. I didn’t realize how intense hockey could be.”
“You liked that, did you?” There’s a massive crowd to the right of us, so I steer her toward the left.
“Yes. I mean, I froze my ass off. I still think my nose is numb.” She scrunches her face, drawing my attention to that cute, stubby nose. A sense of urgency to be alone with her consumes me, and I want the crowd gone now. “I see why Ryan hounded me to watch a game.”
Hmm, I’m not sure I like him asking her to show up for him. I get ready to say something, but a person interrupts me before I embarrass myself.
“Good game, Blake,” the person says, along with a few more congratulations.
“Thanks. Our team is a force to be reckoned with this year.” I say the practiced words, hoping they’ll leave, but more people pile around. I instinctively grab Amanda’s hand and guide her away from the crowd. “Let’s cut through there.”
“Wow, I didn’t realize how popular you are…” Her words trail off as we turn a corner into an alley, the world around us hushed like we’re the only two people left.
“Shh.” I spin her until her back is against the brick and press a finger to her lips. The anticipation builds between us, crackling like electricity in the air. Those green eyes look at me as if trying to read me. They’re compassionate and raw.
“Sorry I was late. The dinner ran over,” she says.
“You showed. That’s all that counts.” She’ll never know what her being here means to me or how grateful that makes me feel.
“Always.” The word comes out breathily, testing my resolve. Fuck, if that doesn’t make me want her more. Who cares if Ryan asked her to come to a game? That was in the past. This girl showed up for me when she had never shown up for anyone.
I lean in closer, the proximity between us becoming unbearable. My heart pounds as I feel the heat radiating off Amanda’s body. Every rational part of me screams to back away, to keep things casual, but my desire for her is overpowering.
She showed up for me. When no one else ever does.
Her fingertips brush against the fabric of my black T-shirt, and I fight back the urge to shiver at the contact. We stand there, immersed in our own little bubble of silence. But it’s when she runs her tongue along her plump bottom lip, the last of my restraint crumbles.
I press my lips forcefully against hers. It’s a fierce, desperate kiss fueled by adrenaline, pure need, and greedy want. Our tongues tangle, and our bodies melt together like they were made for this moment. Time stands still as we lose ourselves in each other. I feel like I am on fire with every touch and caress. It’s as if the adrenaline in my body has been ignited in this one explosive moment. Nothing else matters except for her and this intense connection we share.
CHAPTERFIFTEEN
AMANDA
The rough brickof the building’s wall scrapes against my back, a stark contrast to the softness of Blake’s lips. Tousled dark hair brushes my forehead, and I’m sinking, no, melting into him.
His calloused hand cups my cheek with a tenderness that belies his confident swagger. The taste of mint from his breath mingles with the faint tang of soda pop—an intoxicating combination that sends my senses reeling. He deepens the kiss, hungry and insistent as if trying to convey all the unspoken things between us.
My hands clench his shirt in a desperate plea to pull him closer as if I can’t get enough. I’m lost to the sensation until it hits me—the reality of what we’re doing, or more like the gravity. Kissing in dark alleys isn’t part of the plan. We’re supposed to be faking it, not making it real. Panic claws its way up my throat, and my hands unclasp his shirt and push against the solid muscle.
“Wait,” I gasp, breaking away, air rushing to fill the vacuum his absence creates. Green eyes wide and searching, I try to read Blake’s expression in the faint streetlamp glow that bounces off his determined blue gaze.
“Sorry,” he breathes out, the word hanging between us, ripe with an apology that doesn’t quite reach his eyes. There’s a question there, too, a silent inquiry into what, I don’t know. “I got caught up in the moment. I’ll try to stick to the script.”
Nodding, I stumble to the side, putting distance between our bodies. The night air feels like a splash of cold water that sobers me up. This added space gives me time to think and remember who I am—a pre-med student, not some love-struck girl lost in Blake Morton’s embrace.
“Let’s just go,” I say, my voice barely above a whisper, betraying none of the turmoil threatening to spill over.
There are no words as he offers his hand. I take it as a silent agreement to continue the charade and bury whatever was between us. But as our fingers entwine, I can’t shake the feeling that something irrevocably real just happened outside the hockey rink.
And that terrifies me.
“The guys are meeting up at Barton’s. Are you up to going?” Blake’s voice comes out gravelly and a bit breathy.
My heart thuds against my ribcage. I stop walking and search Blake’s eyes. The low lighting stretches from the streetlamp, casting an otherworldly glow on his face. His pupils are dilated, not just from the dim light, but from something else—something that speaks of the same chaos unraveling inside me.
“Look, Amanda…” His voice is a low rumble, and he runs a hand through his tousled hair, an edge of frustration to the movement. “I shouldn’t have kissed you like that. We said we’d keep things simple.”
