Page 59 of Don't Think

Carefully leaning forward, I slip the shirt over her head, and she leans in slowly, her breath warm against my skin while I pull it down her body. When her eyes meet mine, there’s a quiet shift, and she gives me a small smile.

Her eyes flick to my lips, then back again, and my chest explodes into a raging fire. Then her lips crash into mine, warm and soft. They slowly part as her tongue tangles with mine, gently sweeping across as we taste each other.

I carefully lace my fingers into her hair, cradling one side of her face and keep kissing her, afraid I’ll never stop. The way she tastes is intoxicating, and I don’t mean because of how much alcohol she’s had over the last few hours. But instead, it’s the way my heart nearly bursts as she gently moans into my mouth.

The sound alone is enough to make me want to rip her clothes off, but then I remember why I can’t.

I immediately pull back, separating the two of us. Her lips are slightly swollen, and the look of lust in her eyes makes me want to say fuck it. But I can’t do that.

I’m not like Gareth.

“You’re drunk, love,” I murmur.

“So what?” she says, sounding disappointed.

I chuckle, gently swiping my thumb along her cheek. “So, I’m not that kind of guy,” I admit. I don’t want to say anything bad about Gareth out loud, but he and I are absolutely different when it comes to this.

Her eyes drop while she finishes putting on her shirt and slides back up the bed. She crawls under the duvet, and I help the best I can, pulling it into place around her.

She turns over, bunching the blanket in her hands and blowing out a slow breath.

I tilt my head, searching for the right words. It’s not that I don’t want to—becauseGod, do I want to—it’s just… notright.

“Are you okay?” I ask quietly.

She nods but says nothing.

I rest my hand on her thigh through the blanket, my thumb rubbing slow circles.

“What’s on your mind?”

“I just… feel silly,” she admits, her voice barely above a whisper.

I shake my head slowly. “Please don’t, Allie. I want to—believe me.” I chuckle softly. “Just… not like this. Not while you’re plastered.”

She rolls slightly, offering me a small smile. “So… if I weren’t drunk?”

I nod, returning the smile. “If you weren’t drunk, I wouldn’t have pulled away,” I admit with a shrug. “We can talk about it when you’ve sobered up if you want. I just want you to be clear-headed if we were to make that sort of step.”

She nods. “Okay.”

I slowly stand from the bed, taking one last look at her to make sure she’s okay before walking to the door.

“Jax?” The vulnerability in her voice makes me stop dead in my tracks.

My hand lingers on the handle while I turn around. “Yes, love?”

“Can you stay?”

If my heart explodes one more time tonight, I’m afraid there’ll be nothing left of it.

I press my lips together, suppressing the grin that wants to slip through. “Sure.”

Carefully, I kick off my shoes and climb into the bed, raising my arm so she can scoot closer.

Her head settles gently against my chest before she murmurs, “Thank you.”

I rest my chin on top of her head before muttering, “It’s my pleasure.”