“Ryan—” she starts, but I don’t let her finish as I crash my lips to hers.
It hits like fucking lightning. Heat and urgency and weeks of pretending collapse into one single moment, and all I can think isholy shit.
She gasps softly, and the sound sends a sharp jolt through every nerve in my body. I deepen the kiss, one hand sliding up her back while the other stays firm at her waist, the only thing keeping me even slightly grounded.
Her fingers tangle in my hair, tugging just enough to pull a low sound from my chest. And the moment her tongue brushes mine, every coherent thought disappears.
The world narrows toher. The way she tastes like cherry. The way she moves closer instead of away.
When her hips press nearer, it messes with all my senses and the last fragile piece of control I had snaps completely.
I move us backward without breaking the kiss, barely aware of anything except needing her closer, until the kitchen island counter meets her lower back.
A soft sound slips from her—breathless, surprised— and the dizziness hits me instantly.
My hands find the warm skin at her waist beneath her hoodie, and I nudge a few things aside on the counter behind her without looking, barely breaking the kiss. Then I lift her. She feels weightless as I set her on the counter, and I’m kissing heragain immediately, her lips soft and sweet as they move with mine.
Both my hands grab her hips, her legs wrap around me on instinct, and the feeling nearly wrecks me.
Electricisn’t even close to enough of a word. I feel like I could drown in this and never come back up. I don’t want to stop. Ever.
Then—a key turns in the lock. The sound cuts through everything like ice water. We both freeze.
She pulls back just enough to look at me, eyes wide. “Fuck,” she whispers.
I’m breathing hard, pulse roaring in my ears, hands still on her.
“Is that—” I start.
“Noah,” she hisses, already pushing at my chest. “That’sNoah.”
Oh, fuck.
34
MADDY
“Try not to flood the house, Mads.”
We scramble apart like we’ve just been caught committing a felony. Ryan stumbles back, running a hand through his hair, blinking.
I slide off the counter, heart in my throat, pulling my hoodie back down and adjusting my hair with shaky fingers. My lips feel swollen. My pulse is still doing cartwheels. And the front door swings open.
Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuck.
Noah’s voice calls out, casual and unsuspecting, “Mads? I’m back!”
I glance at Ryan. His chest is rising and falling fast, staring at me with wide eyes, like he’s still not over what just happened. Spoiler: Neither am I.
Noah steps into the kitchen and immediately pauses, eyebrows raised. Ryan and I are standing a solid two feet apart—too far apart to be normal.
His eyes flick between us. “Uh… hey.”
I clear my throat. “Hey. You’re… back.”
Noah blinks at Ryan as he lowers his bag against the wall. “Didn’t know you were here.”
Ryan shifts on his feet, one hand going to the back of his neck. “Yeah. I just came over to help…clean.”
