Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 79564 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79564 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
He smiled down at me. “Not here. Not in front of everyone for our first.”
“But where?” I asked.
Liam took my hand and led me across the darkened gymnasium. I trotted to keep up with him in my low-slung heels as he led me right underneath the bleachers where we could have some privacy.
Through the slats, we could see out to all the other kids on the dance floor, but no one could see us.
I could hardly believe any of this was happening and it was so magical. My cheeks were flushed from dancing, my heart buoyant in a way it hadn’t ever been. Everything had been the best kind of dream. All that attention he paid to me, flashing that easy, heart-stopping smile every time our eyes met.
And tonight, I was at the dance with the most beautiful, popular guy in the school.
Me. Farren Abrams.
Not one of the cheerleaders or the effortlessly cool girls who seemed to exist in a world far above mine. Me.
And now… he wanted to kiss me.
My first.
The echoes of laughter and music felt distant, muted, as if we were in a world of our own. The air smelled faintly of old wood and gym sweat, and my heart raced as Liam stood inches away, his face illuminated by the faint glow of the gym’s lighting.
“You look amazing tonight,” he said, his voice soft and earnest as his gaze raked over me. “I couldn’t take my eyes off you out there.”
I ducked my head, feeling my cheeks heat. “Thanks.”
He reached out, his fingers brushing a strand of hair from my face. “You’re so different from the other girls, you know that?”
“Different good or different bad?” I asked, my voice trembling but teasing.
“Definitely good,” he said with a grin that made my knees feel weak. “I’ve been wanting to kiss you so bad.”
I was hypnotized, unable to say a word. Liam leaned in, his lips brushing mine in a soft, tentative kiss. The world seemed to tilt on its axis. It was my first time, and it was perfect—or at least, I thought it was. My heart felt like it might burst as his hand cupped my cheek, his thumb brushing my skin in a way that made me shiver.
When he pulled back, he smiled down at me, his gaze warm and reassuring. “That was even better than I imagined.”
I laughed nervously, wiping my sweaty hands on my dress. “Yeah?”
“Yeah,” he murmured, his lips curling into a grin that made my stomach flip. “You’re amazing, Farren.”
His words settled over me like the dawn of a new day, wrapping me in a feeling I’d never experienced before. For the first time, I felt seen. Wanted.
“Let’s try that again,” he whispered, and this time, the kiss was completely different. His tongue touched mine and his hand slid down my back where he squeezed my butt. Sparks went off behind my closed eyes and I moaned into his mouth. I had never felt anything like that and my skin heated to an almost unbearable level.
But when his other hand pressed against my breast, I jolted away from his touch. “Stop. I can’t do that.”
“I’m sorry,” he immediately said. “I just… you’re so beautiful and I got carried away. But I can take things slow with you. You’re worth it.”
“Really?” I asked in awe, completely swooning and ready to sign my heart over to him forever and ever.
“Really,” he reassured me with another brush of his thumb over my cheek. But then his expression shifted, his gaze turning almost shy. “Hey, can I ask you something?”
“Sure,” I said, still floating on the high of our kisses.
“I just…” He hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck. “I want something to remember tonight by. Something that’s yours.”
I frowned, confused. “Like what?”
He glanced down, then back up at me, his eyes pleading. “Your panties.”
My stomach flipped, but this time it wasn’t a good feeling. “What?”
“I know it’s a lot to ask,” he said quickly, soft and coaxing. “But it’s not like I’m asking for anything else. It’s just… you’re special, Farren. I want something of yours to keep. Something that’s just between us. To prove to me that you feel the same way.”
I stared at him, my mind spinning. This felt off. But then he kissed me again, his hands framing my face, and all my doubts melted. When he pulled back, his voice was a whisper. “Please. It’ll mean so much to me.”
My gut screamed that this was wrong. But the way he looked at me—the way he made me feel—overrode the warning bells in my head. “Okay,” I said finally, my voice barely above a whisper.
His smile was blinding, and he stepped back to give me space. My hands trembled as I reached under my dress and I was so glad it was dark so he couldn’t see the details. I slid my panties down my legs, the cool air against my skin sending shivers up my spine, but I ignored it, focused solely on Liam’s expression.