“It’s not fine,” Laura insisted, whirling around to face him. “It’s not okay. They can’t make you uncomfortable like that! You’re the sweetest guy ever, more than any other guy I’ve met and I absolutely hated what that girl did. I hate it.”
Josh’s eyes widened a fraction, pink rushing across his cheeks. Sweetest guy? She didn’t really mean that, did she?
He swallowed thickly, pushing his hands into his pockets. “You were forced to make out with that guy. That’s worse.”
Cringing, Laura wiped at her mouth again. She could still feel his disgusting lips against hers, and Laura took a deep breath to calm herself down.
“It was a game,” she muttered, mostly to herself. “I had it coming. I should have just stuck to truth.”
“If you had it coming, then so did I,” he reasoned calmly, taking a step closer. “And you didn’t. You shouldn’t have been forced into kissing him if you didn’t want to.”
“Your dare only involved that… girl sitting in your lap. There wasn’t any kissing involved,” Laura swallowed as he took a step closer. “It wasn’t like they were going to change the dare, anyway. I don’t know that guy, but I know he had been eyeing me for a while. I want the feeling to go away.”
“That guy was disgusting,” Josh said firmly, “They both are. And I’m sorry you had to endure that.”
Kiss me.
“C’mon, let’s get out of here,” she said instead, bending down to slip off her heels. She held them in her hands, wiggling her toes. “Feels much better.”
Josh chuckled softly, pushing a hand through his hair. “I will never understand how girls can comfortably wear high heels, much less walk in them.”
“We go through deep lengths to feel pretty,” Laura responded, the ground cold against her feet despite the tights she wore. “Not for others. For ourselves.”
"You're pretty despite what you wear," Josh answered in as casual of a voice as he could muster, Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed thickly. "But I guess that sort of makes sense."
At his compliment, Laura’s face burst into flames. He thought she was pretty. Why did he have to and say those kinds of things? Why get her hopes up and then mention Violeta?
“Well, I’m glad you think I’m pretty,” she said instead, smiling, trying to appear as nonchalant as possible. “You’re handsome, too, you know.”
Josh’s smile was slightly pained. “You don’t mean that, Laura,” he murmured. “How long until we get to the park?”
Laura looked at Josh, taking in the forced smile on his features. “I don’t really say things I don’t mean, Josh, unless I’m being sarcastic,” she said seriously. “I think you’re handsome. Extremely so. Haven’t you seen all those girls at college swooning at you? You’re rather oblivious. And we’ll get there in a few more minutes.”
Josh stared at her for a couple seconds, disbelieving but touched… and flustered. Maybe one day she’ll——
No. It was too good to ever happen.
“I don’t think any of them swoon..”
Laura snorted. Had he ever paid attention to her?
“Like I said—oblivious,” she winked, walking behind him with a mischievous glint in her eyes. She jumped on his back, her arms wrapped around his neck, her heels clutched tightly, her feet still touching the ground. “Carry me. The ground’s too cold.”
Josh stumbled to one side, catching himself on the exterior wall of an apartment building before he could fall. Swallowing thickly, he hooked his hands under her legs and lifted her up. “O-Oh. I—Okay.” Her warm body was pressed to his, legs and arms wound around his body… he nearly lost it right then and there.
Laura closed her eyes, a shiver escaping through her when he hooked his hands under her legs. It was stupid how far she was going just to be so close to him. Laura didn’t seem to care. She merely tightened her hold around his middle and buried her face in his neck.
He even smelled so goddamn good. Was there anything this guy was incapable of?
“I’m not heavy, am I?” She questioned quietly. “I do eat a lot.”
Her mouth was on his neck—her legs were wrapped around his waist—
Josh nearly lost it. Dizzy and disoriented from her closeness, he sucked in a sharp breath, unconsciously tightening his hold on her. “You’re not—You’re not heavy,” he breathed, closing his eyes.
Why was she doing this to herself? The girl didn't even know. She breathed him in, closing her eyes. Her mouth was pressed against his skin and God, she wanted it to be there for a kiss, not for… this.
And he was stuttering again, stumbling over his words. Perhaps he was annoyed with her. Of course, he was. She had just jumped on his back without permission. Of course, he would be.
"I can get off if you want," she said, loosening her hold on him. "We're nearly there, anyway."
No. His heart hammered wildly in his chest, screaming out its aversion to her suggestion. “Stay,” Josh murmured, tightening his hold even farther. “Please. I mean—If you want.”
Her mouth was hot against his skin and it was driving him insane. All he wanted to do was gather her up in his arms and kiss her until she collapsed, until she was just as driven by a want for him as he was for her.
But this attraction—it ran much deeper than the surface. And he couldn’t do that to her…
Laura almost collapsed against him. He wanted her to stay. He didn't want her to get off. Her heart began to hammer wildly in her chest, her body unnaturally warm. Was he able to feel her how fast her heart was running? Did he realize it was because of him that it was like this? Did he realize just how badly she wanted him to pin her against something and quench the desire brewing inside of her? She wanted him so badly.
It was insane. And his hands on her legs. Everything was driving her mad.
"I think I like it here," Laura responded, swallowing, tightening her hold on him. "So I'm staying."
Josh was struggling to put one foot in front of the other by now. He wanted nothing more than to crush his mouth against hers, to cup her warm cheeks in his hands, to trail soft, loving kisses along her jawline. Each step was a mental battle, each breath more painful than the last. I like you, he thought, again and again and again. So much, Laura.
Closing her eyes led Laura to imagine his mouth on hers, so she opened them again. Her breathing was slightly ragged, body flushed with desire. She didn't remember wanting a man as much as she wanted Josh at this moment. She shuddered at her thoughts, hoping Josh would think it was because of the cold and not because of him. How she wanted to tell him to kiss her, tell him she liked him. But she couldn't. His heart was with Violeta, not with her.
"Ah, we're here," Laura mumbled, disappointment lacing her voice. She wanted to be pressed up against him a while longer.
Josh let her slip from his back, fingers trailing over her skin for a split second more before he pulled away. “Are you cold?” he murmured in askance, slipping his unbuttoned flannel from his shoulders (he was still wearing a t-shirt underneath). “You can wear this if you’re cold.”
Laura sucked in a deep breath when his fingers trailed over her skin before he pulled away. Then he was taking off his shirt and she burst into flames.
"N-no!" she exclaimed. "I'm fine. Really, I'm fine!"