(Lynna's P.O.V.)
A deep sigh escaped my lips as I walked across the parking lot towards the school. Mamaw had dropped me and Dustin off quite a bit early due to my car still being in the shop. She had a meeting to get to at the local library, so my brother and I were 'extra' early for school.
"This… sucks," Dustin breathed out with a tight-lipped smile.
I nodded in agreement. "It does."
His smile grew tenfold when he spotted Jade in the distance; she was beside the baseball field and waving frantically.
"Luckily for me, my super hott girlfriend showed up early as well." He smirked. "This was definitely not planned, just so you know." His voice was dripping with sarcasm.
I rolled my eyes playfully. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do." I grinned, giving him a shove in his girlfriend's direction.
He chuckled. "Duly noted, sis. Duly noted." With that, he took off at a sprint towards her.
I was smiling as I started walking towards the picnic table that was on the edge of the school grounds, close to the woods. Just as I was going to sit down, I felt a hand wrap around my clothed arm, pulling me back. I spun around and was met with the solemn face of Edward Cullen. His hand fell back to his side as his ochre eyes bore into mine. I furrowed my brows in confusion.
"I need to talk to you," he spoke in a low voice. "Privately."
My heart dropped to my stomach before fluttering away; the deep, gravelly sound of his voice caused a knot to form in the pit of my stomach that made my knees weak.
I glanced around and threw up my hands. "There's literally no one else here."
He nodded towards the privacy of the woods. "I don't want to take any chances," he mumbled in a dull tone.
I exhaled forcefully. "Okay then."
I was a bundle of nerves as I followed him through the trees. What could he possibly want to speak with me about? A part of me felt… giddy? When we were a safe enough distance from the school, according to Edward's standards, he hesitantly turned to face me. My mouth went dry under his intense gaze.
"I need a favor from you." He sounded completely calm and collected, but his jaw was clenched.
He was standing a good five feet away from me; I could tell he was being sure to keep his distance. I tilted my head to the side, studying his stoic face that gave nothing away.
"What sort of 'favor'?" I wondered, instantly intrigued.
My stomach was doing flip-flops. I felt like I was going to be sick, but in a good way. His eyes flickered to the ground briefly before reconnecting with mine. An array of emotions appeared to be on display in his golden orbs, but when he blinked—They vanished.
"Don't tell anyone about.. the woods," he breathed out in a voice above a whisper.
I quirked a brow. "The woods?"
He nodded once. I was at a loss.
"Could you be more specific?" I asked him, folding my arms across my chest and anxiously shifting my weight.
His features hardened. "Please don't tell anyone that we were together yesterday." His voice had a strange edge to it, sounding slightly panicked.
What? My mouth fell open. "Um. Why?" I asked him, narrowing my eyes at him in confusion.
He pressed his lips into a stern line. "I don't want anyone to… think anything."
"Think anything? Why would someone think anything?" I asked, genuinely confused.
He pursed his lips in obvious annoyance. "Why do you have to ask so many questions? Can't you just agree, Holloway? You owe me that much."
My jaw went slack. I was instantly on the defense which wasn't unusual as far as he was concerned. "Owe you?! Tell me, Cullen. Why do I owe you? For saving me?"
His jaw clenched. "That's right. For saving you."
I shook my head in disbelief. "You're unbelievable."
He ran a hand through his bronze hair, and I cursed myself for finding it attractive.
"Holloway… I stopped your car from flipping and going into the river. I saved your life. I was there to walk you home, in the dark, after work the other day. And yesterday, I prevented you from staying lost in the woods and made sure you made it home safely. The least you can do is keep quiet about it."
I was at a loss for words. "What? So, you're keeping count now?" I didn't bother trying to hide the bitterness in my voice.
His lips twitched up at the corners, leading me to believe that he was fighting back a smile. "Keeping you safe is a full-time job," he teased with a dry chuckle.
I placed a hand on my hip and raised my brows at him. "One that you have all but volunteered for, it seems like," I stated dully, jutting my chin in defiance as I continued, "Thank you for saving my life at the bridge. Really. But I never asked you to be my knight in shining armor, Cullen. You could have just left me in the woods yesterday. I didn't need your help."
He scoffed and shook his head, smiling sarcastically. I, once again, was thoroughly annoyed with myself for noticing the butterflies that fluttered in my stomach.
"Lynna." The sound of my first name rolling off his tongue caused the butterflies to intensify, much to my chagrin. "If I didn't 'help you' yesterday, you'd still be lost in the woods."
I narrowed my eyes at him in annoyance, which he seemed to find amusing. His crooked grin widened, making his ember eyes dance in a majestic sort of way.
"I would not," I stated sternly, folding my arms across my chest and shifting my weight.
"Yes, you would," he was quick to say, stepping towards me slowly.
Noticing his proximity, I took a quick step back. There was a mischievous glint in his eyes as he took another step towards me.
"No, I wouldn't, Cullen." My words didn't come out as strong as I would have liked.
He continued inching his way towards me. With each step he took, I stepped back. I gasped when my back collided with a tree.
"You would, Holloway." His voice was low and rough as he took a final step towards me, nearly closing the gap between us.
My heart was gyrating in my chest as I looked up at him, locking with his piercing eyes that had darkened to the shade of midnight. He placed his hands against the tree on either side of me, caging me in. I feared I would faint as I struggled to regulate my breathing; my breaths were shallow and hastened. There was no denying the electrical current that was flowing between us. It felt even stronger than yesterday, which surprised me immensely. I clenched my fists as I fought against the sudden surge of desire that pierced through me.
"I-I—" I was struggling to form a coherent thought, let alone a sentence. "No," I whispered weakly, my mouth going dry as his onyx orbs continued to bore into mine.
He smirked devilishly and leaned in towards me, his cool breath fanning across my face. My heart stuttered and stammered. My knees felt like jello and my head was spinning. Why was he doing this?
His left hand hovered beside my face before he lightly traced the side of my jaw with his index finger, leaving a trail of flames against my skin. I shivered involuntarily under his touch. My heart stopped beating before picking up tempo, pounding loudly in my ears. Heat flooded through me, settling in my core.
"Are you sure about that?" He asked in a breath barely above a whisper.
He trailed his hand down my neck and I could have fainted. My breath hitched in my throat when his cold hand came to rest against my collarbone, splaying out his fingers. I knew that he knew the effect he was having on me, and I absolutely hated it. I wanted his hand to continue exploring. My skin was on fire. The fire spread from his touch, coursing through my veins and burning me from the inside out. From the outside in.
He quirked a brow at me, as if he was waiting for me to speak. What were we talking about again?
"Wh-What?" I was breathless. Speechless.
His eyes shone like black fire. Somehow, despite my own muddled state, I noticed his jaw clench before he took a swift step back, causing his woodsy scent to waft towards my face due to the speed he pulled away. His intoxicating scent made me lightheaded in the best way possible.
"Just don't say anything, okay? Can you do that?" He asked in a clipped tone. The sound of his deep, rough voice caused my heart to skip a beat.
I blinked rapidly, trying to clear my head of all things him. He took another step back, breaking the spell I had fallen under. When I came back to my senses, a wave of annoyance and frustration washed over me.
"Sure, whatever," I mumbled, chewing on the inside of my lower lip and averting my eyes from him.
He breathed a sigh of relief and ran a hand through his hair. I could feel him studying my face but I refused to meet his gaze. I, for one, didn't see what the big deal about any of this was.
"Thank you." The soft tone of his voice almost caused my frustration towards him to cease. Almost.
"Okay. Can I go now?" I asked, not even bothering to hide my annoyance.
I couldn't resist glancing his way. He was wearing a taunting smirk as he said, "You may."
I rolled my eyes before hightailing back to campus, desperate to put as much distance between us as possible.
Despite being one of the first students to arrive to school that day, I made a conscious effort to be one of the last to step into History class. For some reason, I didn't want to take the chance of being left alone with Edward.
The second I walked into the classroom, my eyes found his. My heart betrayed me, skipping a beat as his golden orbs spilled into mine. I was quick to rip my gaze from him and focus on Emmett and Alice as I sank into my seat. The electrical current hummed between me and the stoic-faced vampire sitting to my left, but I was able to ignore it as I met Alice's excited gaze.
"Did you miss us?" Her face broke out into a smile.
I nodded, my eyes darting between her and Emmett. "I did. It wasn't the same without you two." I watched as their grins grew, causing one to spread across my face. "I was awfully lonely back here," I added with a nervous chuckle, remembering how I wasn't so lonely in the woods yesterday.
"I'd say so," Emmett spoke up, placing his arms on top of the table. "You can thank the sun for that," he whispered with a wink.
"Yeah, I know," I blurted out, not realizing my blunder until Edward's head snapped in my direction and a look of confusion fell across Alice's face. Right. There was no way I should know about that already. "I- I mean, I assumed it was something like that. I wasn't certain, obviously, but I figured that maybe the sun… You know.. affected you guys somehow." I said the last part in the faintest of whispers.
Emmett nodded. "You could call it that." He appeared thoughtful for a moment before saying, "We'll show you next time."
Edward turned to narrow his eyes at his brother. A blush crept to my cheeks when he turned his glare to me. "What?" I asked him, returning his glare in full force.
He shook his head, causing a few strands of his bronze hair to fall across his forehead. The copper color contrasted against his porcelain skin majestically, catching my eye despite my best efforts. I blinked rapidly before we ripped our eyes from each other in unison. I was chewing on my lower lip anxiously when I met Alice's curious gaze.
"So, did you get into anything fun yesterday?" She asked me, placing her hands underneath her chin as she rested her elbows on the table.
Per usual, I could feel Edward watching me intently. No doubt, he was on pins and needles, wondering if I would keep quiet about his 'knight in shining armor' tendencies.
"I, uh—I went and visited Grayson for a little while yesterday," I told them. "I almost got lost in the woods," I added with a chuckle. "That was fun."
Alice and Emmett wore matching worried expressions. Edward too, but his was for an entirely different reason.
"You should really be careful, Lynna," Alice scolded me before offering me a small smile.
Emmett nodded in agreement. "Yeah. You honestly shouldn't go into the woods alone. It's dangerous."
"I wasn't alone," the words spilled from my lips without a second thought.
"You weren't?" Alice challenged, quirking a brow in disbelief.
I could sense Edward tensing beside me, causing me to roll my eyes. Geez, he has no faith in me whatsoever..
"Grayson was with me," I whispered, meeting my aunt's concerned gaze. "He's always watching over me."
Alice's eyes glazed over as a look of sympathy fell across her face. Edward instantly relaxed.
"Be that as it may…" She trailed off, granting me a gentle smile. "You need to be careful."
I simply nodded. "I know."
Throughout chemistry, I was struggling to ignore his presence. The right side of my face felt like it was on fire due to his burning gaze as I worked on the worksheet. He had completed the assignment in less than three minutes, much to my chagrin.
"Would you like some help?" He asked in a voice that sounded like velvet.
"No," I stated sternly, rereading a question for the third time.
"Why not?" He asked, tilting his head to the side.
I looked up from the worksheet and narrowed my eyes at him. "Aren't you worried someone might find out if you do, Cullen?" I challenged, the bitterness seeping through my voice.
A smirk that the devil himself would be proud of flitted to his lips, causing a lump to form in my throat and my mouth to run dry. "You won't tell."
I raised my brow and wore a smirk that matched his own. "I might," I taunted, twirling my pencil along my lower lip and watching as his eyes darkened.
My eyes scanned the room in a dramatic fashion before locking with his onyx storms. "You should probably stop talking to me," I whispered, chuckling quietly before adding, "Someone might think you actually like me."
His eyes glinted mischievously. "That would be tragic."
"God forbid," I mumbled, slightly shaking my head as I turned my attention back to the assignment.
My golden hair spilled over my shoulder, acting as a makeshift curtain from his unnerving gaze. Still yet, I could feel his eyes on me.
He leaned towards me, putting his face dangerously close to mine. Immediately, I tensed up as my heart picked up rhythm. He appeared to be deep in thought before asking in a low, gravelly voice, "What if I do though?"
My jaw went slack when I processed his words. I couldn't stop my heart from skipping a beat when I hesitantly met his gaze, his ember eyes dancing in amusement. Was he… flirting with me? I looked at him in disbelief.
"What if you… like me?" The skepticism was plain as day in my voice.
He nodded once and hummed in response, tilting his head to the side as he awaited my answer. I narrowed my eyes at him suspiciously. I knew he was only messing with me but why?
"You don't." I told him, setting my pencil down and pushing the unfinished assignment to the side.
A crooked grin flitted to his lips, causing my breath to hitch in my throat.
"I never said I did, Holloway. I was simply asking 'what if'." He chuckled lowly.
I pursed my lips and breathed out a scoff. "If you did, Cullen— Then, you wouldn't have a problem with anyone knowing that you were with me yesterday."
He pressed his lips into a thin line and stared blankly straight ahead for a good twenty seconds before he nodded. "I guess you're right."
"Okay.. Truth or dare," Paige said to me, wearing a playful smile.
Noah and Paige were sitting across from me at the picnic table. We chose to take our studies outside during Study Hall. It had been a while since I spent some quality time with Noah, so I was making the most of it. He had Paige's hand in his, and he was rubbing circles on the top of her hand with his thumb.
"Are we really going to play this?" I ask, chuckling at her giddiness.
She nodded fervently. Noah grinned from ear to ear as he admired her. I pursed my lips, debating whether to choose truth or dare. In the end, I couldn't resist.
"Dare," I smirked, pushing the textbook to the side.
Her smile transformed into a smirk to match my own. Her eyes flitted over my head and her smirk grew, causing me to look at her suspiciously. I turned and saw that she was looking at Tyler. My heart dropped to my stomach; I had a feeling I knew where this was going.
"I dare you…. To kiss Tyler," she whispered as she signed, her eyes lit with excitement.
My eyes grew as I shook my head. "No way. Not gonna happen."
Noah's shoulders were shaking with silent laughter. Would you rather kiss someone else?He asked, wearing a cheeky grin.
I nodded once. "Obviously."
"Who then?" Paige challenged. "You chose dare. Go kiss him. Rock his world."
I shook my head once again. "No…"
You've never backed down from a dare, Noah was quick to say.
I pressed my lips into a stern line. He was right. Paige was looking at me with a mischievous glint in her eyes.
"Okay, you don't have to kiss Tyler," she said, causing me to breathe a sigh of relief. My relief was short-lived when she spoke her next words. "Kiss Edward instead."
My jaw dropped. I felt my face heating up immediately. My eyes grew to the size of saucers, no doubt. The thought of kissing Edward absolutely horrified me, but for all the wrong reasons. I could only imagine his reaction; he would be mortified. He was adamant that no one found out that he even had anything to do with me. If I tried to kiss him, he would be furious.
Then, another possibility occurred to me. What if he actually allowed me to kiss him?! The thought of his lips against mine caused my stomach to do a flip-flop; I was quick to recognize the feeling—Butterflies.
They both quirked a brow as they gauged my reaction. I blinked slowly, still trying to form a coherent response.
"I'd rather die," I told them. Okay, maybe I was being a tad bit dramatic.
Paige threw back her head and laughed. Noah's grin grew as he took in my blushing face.
After Paige's laughing fit, she flipped a switch and wore a poker face as she said, "Edward or Tyler. You have to choose. Kiss one."
I gulped. I inhaled a shaky breath before getting up from the table and turning around. My eyes locked with Tyler's, causing dread to settle in my stomach. I involuntarily scanned the campus for Edward. He was nowhere to be seen. If I 'chose Edward', I could pretend to go look for him and convince him to tell them that I had successfully kissed him for the dare. He would go along with that, right? I was keeping his 'heroics' a secret for him, after all.
That plan went out the window when Edward rounded the corner with Emmett. His ember eyes met mine instantly; my heart fluttered violently in my chest, and I hated myself for it. I closed my eyes for a moment, inhaling deeply, before I forced them open and took a step towards who I thought to be the lesser of the two evils.
(Edward's P.O.V.)
"You down for a quick hunt after school?" Emmett asked as we walked outside.
His thoughts were guarded as to why he decided to follow me out here. I had a feeling it wasn't just to ask me to go hunting. Was he on to me? Did he know that I came outside because she's out here? No way. If he even so much as suspected something, he would confront me about it. I knew my brother well enough to believe that to be true. I found myself shrugging in response to his question, trying to appear nonchalant when I locked eyes with Lynna. She was standing beside the picnic table looking absolutely petrified. Her cheeks were blushing a delicious shade of scarlet, and she was chewing on that lower lip of hers, tempting me from afar.
Her heart was beating frantically. The hypnotic sound echoed in my ears, nearly blocking out the sound of Emmett's voice.
"Lynna looks like she's about to pass out," he commented, sounding concerned.
I opened my mouth to speak, but closed it when she took off like lightning towards Tyler, who was leaning against a tree and chatting away with some of his football buddies. Had he done something to upset her? I racked his mind for an answer but was coming up blank. He was simply in awe that she was approaching him. He pushed himself off the tree and peered down at her when she came to a stand-still directly in front of him. She looked… nervous? Emmett and I exchanged a curious look; he was just as confused as I was.
"Tyler," she greeted him, her voice sounding strained. "Just go along with it, okay?"
Tyler quirked a brow. "Go along with wha—" He was cut off mid-sentence when she threw her arms around his neck and crashed her lips against his.
My jaw went slack. Undiluted anger and jealousy pierced through me; it was blinding. I clenched my jaw and balled my hands into fists. She's kissing him?! Why?! She hadn't given me an inkling that she was into him, aside from going to the dance with him, and she was adamant that they just went 'as friends', but now she's kissing him?! Not just kissing—Oh, no. She was making out with him! And he was enjoying every second of it.
He kissed her back hungrily, greedily; his thoughts were going a mile a minute. When he placed his hands on her hips, I nearly lost it. I could feel a growl building in my chest as I envisioned rushing over and removing his head from his shoulders. This was not okay. Why was she doing this?! I couldn't take it anymore; I couldn't stand watching the display for another second, fearing that I would put an end to the boy's existence.
I paid no mind to my dumbfounded brother as I spun around on my heels and practically teleported inside the safety of the school. I was going to get answers out of the infuriating, confusing girl. And I was going to get them today.
(Lynna's P.O.V.)
As I was walking down the hall to get my bag from my locker, a startled gasp flew through my lips when I felt a pair of arms grab me and pull me into the storage closet. Judging by the electrical current that traveled through my body at the gesture, I knew who it was before I even saw his face.
Edward slammed the door shut behind him, leaving us alone in the small closet with the only light filtering through the crack at the bottom of the door. His pale, porcelain face appeared to glow against the dark shadows. His eyes were the color of midnight as they bore into mine with a burning intensity that made my heart quicken in my chest.
His jaw was clenched, his voice low and threatening as he asked, "What the hell was that?!"
I pursed my lips, fighting back a smile as I feigned innocence. "What was what?"
He scowled, pulling down his features. His eyes flashed angrily. "Don't play dumb with me, Holloway. You know exactly what I'm talking about."
I bit my lower lip forcefully, pulling it between my teeth. I tilted my head to the side, watching as hunger played in his eyes and his lips parted slightly.
"I'm sure I don't, Mr. Cullen. Can you be more specific?" My lips twitched at the corners, fighting back a smile.
He breathed out a scoff as he leaned against the wall behind him, folding his arms across his chest. "You kissed him," he spoke through clenched teeth.
I pressed my lips in to a thin line in a feeble attempt to hide my mocking smile. "Kissed who?" I batted my lashes at him innocently.
His scowl deepened as rage, once again, flashed in his eyes. "Tyler," he snarled his name, a growl erupting from his chest that caused my stomach to clench deliciously.
I pursed my lips, appearing to be deep in thought before I nodded. "Oh. Yeah. I did."
His fists were clenched as he took a step towards me. "Why?"
I shrugged nonchalantly. "It was a dare. And kissing him was better than the alternative."
"A dare?! You kissed him for a dare?!" He was seething; I could tell. He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed before calmly asking, "What was the alternative?"
At this, I couldn't stop the smirk that overtook my lips. "Kissing you," I taunted with a gleam in my eyes.
His jaw dropped, his eyes widening in surprise before a strange emotion started stirring in their dark depths. His jaw snapped shut with an audible click. "Is that so?" His voice was low and calm— Too calm.
All I could do was nod under his unnerving gaze. He was looking me over as though I was his prey— Which, I was. He took another step towards me, nearly closing the gap between us. His body was mere inches from mine; the electrical current flowing between us had my stomach in knots. He placed his hands on the wall on either side of my head and leaned down; his face hovering dangerously close to my own. I mentally slapped myself when my heart stuttered in my chest, knowing he could hear it. A devilish smirk sprung to his lips.
"So, you're saying you'd rather kiss him than me?" He challenged, his smirk growing as my cheeks started heating up.
"Th-That's right," I stuttered out, my voice wavering nervously.
He shook his head, his eyes dancing mischievously. "I don't believe you," he stated; his voice was low and rough yet somehow managed to sound like velvet.
The very sound of his voice caused my lower stomach to tighten. Not wanting to give away the effect he was having on me, I lifted my chin and forced a smirk onto my lips.
"What's wrong, Cullen? You jealous?" I quirked a brow at him.
"Jealous?" He sneered the word as if it disgusted him.
I hummed in response and nodded once. "Are you?" I whispered, biting my lip in a bid to be seductive.
The smirk vanished from his face as he stared down at me with lust-filled eyes.
Without a thought, I placed my hand on his clothed chest, gripping the fabric of his shirt in my hand. He inhaled a shaky breath and closed his eyes.
"Are you jealous that it was his lips on mine? His hands on my waist?" My hand trailed down his clothed stomach. His entire body stiffened under my touch. I could feel his solid muscles beneath his shirt, causing desire to course through me and settle in my core. "Are you, Edward?" I whispered his name breathlessly, watching as his midnight eyes fluttered open and locked with mine.
"No." I watched as his lips formed the word. He slowly wrapped his hand around mine that was on his stomach, his cool fingers setting my skin on fire. His grip was firm yet gentle as he removed my hand from him, his fingers entwining in mine for a brief moment before he dropped my hand to my side.
"Liar," I mumbled, folding my arms across my chest.
He breathed out a scoff and flashed me a mocking smile. "I'm not. Do you want to know why?"
I rolled my eyes and said nothing, knowing that he would continue on his own accord. To my surprise, he leaned in even closer to me. His cool breath fanned across my face, making me lightheaded. I felt myself going weak in the knees as his lips hovered dangerously close to mine. I could hear my heart beating in my ears, pounding against my ribcage like a drum.
"Because…" He whispered, his voice husky. "I know who you really want. I can see it in your eyes. You don't look at him that way."
My heart skipped a beat. I blushed furiously at his words. I wanted desperately to deny it. Doing so would be the biggest lie, but I didn't care. I didn't want to give him the satisfaction, yet I was at a loss for words. I couldn't bring myself to speak in that moment no matter how hard I tried.
"And I also know…." He trailed off, his lips a breath away from my own, causing me to release a ragged breath. He gulped loudly, his eyes darkening, before continuing, "That you want me to kiss you right now."
I mean, he wasn't wrong. Still, I couldn't form words. My heart rate somehow managed to accelerate— I feared it would give out. My lips felt like they were on fire as his moved even closer to mine. If I so much as spoke, our lips would be touching. His eyes fluttered shut, his jaw clenching.
"Tell me to stop," he whispered huskily, pulling back slightly to speak.
All I could do was blink. I didn't want him to stop. I wanted to feel his lips on mine. I wanted him to kiss me like I had never been kissed before. I wanted his hands to explore every inch of my body, leaving a fire in their wake.
I inhaled a shaky breath at the thought. His eyes flew open, revealing their midnight depths— A burning fire dancing in his irises that nearly caused my knees to buckle.
"Tell me," He growled, inhaling deeply before continuing, "To stop."
The sound of his aroused growl caused a growing pressure to form between my thighs. Heat flooded my core, blinding me to rationality. I wanted him. There was no denying that.
After a moment of silence, the only sound being our ragged breaths and my racing heart, a devilish smirk sprung to his lips.
"That's what I thought," he whispered huskily before barely brushing his lips against mine.
The simple touch set my lips on fire, sending a spark throughout my entire body and settling between my legs. He exhaled sharply; his cool breath fanning against my trembling lips made me lightheaded. My heart was pounding so furiously that I feared it might give out.
After a couple strangled breaths, he pressed his ice-cold lips against mine was so gentle— His cold lips gently brushing against mine caused a light moan to escape my throat as desire pierced through me like a knife. He groaned in response, pressing his lips against mine much more firmly.
I was seeing stars. My toes curled as a hazy fog drifted through my mind. It was him— All I could see, feel, touch. Him. My thoughts were jumbled and chaotic; all I knew was that I needed more of him. This gentle kiss wasn't enough. I wanted— needed more.
Without a second thought, my hands entwined themselves in his hair, tugging forcefully. He groaned loudly against my mouth, causing my lower stomach to clench almost painfully. I pressed my lips against his and kissed him urgently; fervently— Our lips molding against each other's in a sensual dance. I crushed my body against his, breathing heavily as his solid, stone-like body contoured against mine. I could feel the coolness of his skin through his clothes yet it felt like my entire body was on fire. I needed to feel his touch.
His hands traveled to my sides before he grasped my hips, causing me to gasp as butterflies fluttered about violently in my stomach. My tongue traced along his lower lip, begging— dying for entrance. He moaned— the most delicious, erotic sound. I wanted to hear it again; over and over.
Before I could deepen the kiss, he pulled away abruptly and launched himself to the opposite wall, putting as much distance between us as possible. I was panting heavily as I ran a hand through my hair. My flushed cheeks heated up when I realized what had just transpired between us. Edward Cullen kissed me. And I let him. I kissed him back. The worst part was— I didn't want him to stop. As I looked over and noticed his wild, bewildered expression and the hunger dancing in his eyes, all I could think about was kissing him again. My stomach was in knots at the mere thought.
All of a sudden, like the flip of a light switch, the desire in his eyes vanished— leaving an empty abyss in its place. A scowl crawled onto his face, pulling his lips down at the corners. Those lips that had just kissed me were now pulled down in disgust. His fists were clenched as he shook his head angrily.
"That can't happen again, Holloway," he sneered through gritted teeth.
I was aghast. My mouth fell open as a wave of anger and frustration coursed through me. "Need I remind you, Cullen, that you were the one that kissed me!"
Fire flickered in his midnight eyes, making them appear to glow against his porcelain skin. "Well, you certainly had no problem kissing me back, did you? Do you have a death wish or something?!"
I scoffed quite loudly. "What the hell are you talking about?! It was a fucking kiss!"
He ran a hand through his bronze hair forcefully and huffed out of frustration. "Lynna, have you already forgotten what I am?! You can't just throw yourself at me like that! Have you lost your mind?!"
If I was angry before, then I was absolutely seething now. I clenched my fists tightly and wore a scowl that matched his own. "Throw myself at you?! You. Kissed. Me. God, you're such a hypocrite!"
His scowl deepened, as though it was perfectly carved in his face. "Doesn't matter. It won't happen again," he snarled.
"You know what, Cullen?" My voice had a sharp edge to it as I locked eyes with him before I placed my hand on the door handle. "Just stay the hell away from me," I snapped before I stormed out of the closet, desperate to escape from the unfeeling, hateful boy that had my stomach tangled up in knots.