Page 62 of What’s Left of Us

Atlas abruptly rolls me onto my back, leaning over me. He’s careful to keep his weight off me, and it’s the last thing I need. I wrap my legs tight around his hips, pulling him down until our chests crash together.

He captures my wild energy, taking control until everything slows. The kiss turns deep, leisurely, as if we have all the time in the world.

When his mouth trails down my neck, I arch into him, rubbing against his hardening erection.

“I love you,” I say, surprised at how easily the words spill from me. It’s as if they’ve always been at the edge of my tongue, waiting to be spoken again. As soon as I say them, I am filled with calm and rightness. I am floating, held to earth only by Atlas’s arms. “I love you, Atlas. Always.”

He groans and drops his head against my shoulder. His cock is pressed against my stomach, but he doesn’t move for a long moment. He just presses soft kisses against my neck.

“I love you,” he finally says. His lips trail up to my jaw and press against my ear. “You have no idea how much.”

“Show me,” I whisper. I dig my fingers against his shoulder blades, feeling the coarse muscle beneath his shirt. “Please.”

“Fuck.” He grabs my hip, squeezing hard. “Fuck. Hold on.”

He rolls his hips, grinding his cock against my center. His movements are sharp, jerky almost. I realize he’s trying not to come already, and were I not so desperate for him, I might laugh. As it is, I pull at the elastic band of his shorts until his erection springs free. Atlas groans again, the noise radiating from low in his chest.

“Please,” I beg. “Can we⁠—”

He lets out a breathless laugh. Rips my shorts down, doesn’t even have them to my knees before he palms my cunt. He presses one finger into my heat, then another. I arch up into him, both horrified and aroused at the lewd noise of his hand against my opening.

“Please,” I say again.

“Just to take the edge off,” he says with an abashed smile. He lines at my entrance and thrusts inside, only a few shallow strokes before filling me completely. “Then I’ll fuck you properly.”

Chapter 27

now

“Okay, this is kind of handy,” I tell Hayden. We’re crammed together on our couch, legs tangled. I’m on my side to keep her from rolling off, and she has her computer on her lap. While I watch, she swipes through endless options of shirts.

“I told you.” She shoots me a triumphant smirk. “If I didn’t have this system, we’d be standing right now.”

“The horror.” I’m joking. Kind of. We got up early this morning to plan my Bumbershoot outfits, since I’ll need to be packed tonight. Atlas and I leave for the festival immediately after our classes tomorrow.

“How about this one?” She pauses on a red crop top before toggling back to her gallery of bottoms. “This top. These shorts. Annnnd, these shoes.”

“No heels. I’ll be in grass, remember?” I flap my wrist at the screen. She swipes through a few more options. “Those ones.”

Hayden silently adds my choices to a folder on her desktop. Five outfits for three days because, according to Hayden, it’s important to have options. She would have balked if she saw my hastily stuffed backpack for Cannon Beach.

“All right.” She claps her hands and slides her computer onto the coffee table, nearly knocking over my energy drink. “You’re ready.” She shifts to sit on the opposite side of the couch. “How are you feeling?”

“About Bumbershoot?”

She rolls her eyes.

“About Atlas. About dating the guy you once told me was the antichrist.”

“Oh.” I sit up too. “I feel…good.”

“Good,” Hayden repeats flatly, looking less than impressed. “This man has been pining after you for five years. You’ve secretly been pining right back. You’re finally back together. You’re definitely going to get married and have babies and live happily ever after. And you feel…good.”

“Yeah.” The smile that breaks free is undoubtedly dorky, but I don’t fight it. “I feel good.”

Hayden’s unimpressed expression softens into proud fondness.

“Good.” She nods at me, a smile of her own blossoming. “That’s good, Vi.”