She couldn’t comprehend the reasoning as waves crashed over her body.

She didn’t want to think about anything but Hayden’s lips moving farther south. The sound of a zipper made her clench involuntarily. She wanted him to touch her so badly. Her body was practically demanding it, aching for him. He dragged her jeans down her lean legs and pushed her thong aside as his thumb rubbed against her already sensitive clit.

Her body bucked under him, but he took the moan that left her lips as encouragement and licked against her slick folds.

“Oh f**k,” Liz cried, her body already pulsing.

He slid a finger into her experimentally, and then another when she allowed it. She tightened all around him, imagining how good it would be in that moment to have his c**k fill her. God, she was going to come already.

He started to move in and out of her while he licked and bit and sucked her clit until she was visibly shaking underneath him. She couldn’t hold on. She was seeing spots in her vision. Her toes were curling and she was going from the tingly feeling to utter numbness as her whole body tried to take in the enormity of the orgasm pressing in on her on all sides.

Hayden forced her legs open wider with one hand as he continued to work. Gasps left her mouth in between the moans. Oh God, she couldn’t hold on any longer. Whatever he was doing right there. Just like that. With his tongue.

Liz’s head snapped back and her body pulsed wonderfully as a climax shot through her. Her body moved against his fingers, trying to keep them inside of her even as he slid out. And she just lay there breathing, exhausted and satisfied.

With a deep breath, Hayden rolled off of her before lying back down next to her. He kissed her forehead and pulled her into his bare chest. When had he lost his shirt? She didn’t even care right then; she just wanted to curl up against him and pass out.

“Lizzie,” he groaned, his breathing still uneven. “I don’t want to push you . . .”

He was so used to her saying no that even though she had looked and acted completely willing to move forward, he was hesitant. He didn’t want to push her away by pushing too hard. But he wanted her. It was all over his face.

And yet as dirty as she felt thinking about Brady in that moment, it all came back to her: the reason she hadn’t moved forward. Brady. She was still hung up on Brady. She couldn’t get him out of her head. She ducked into Hayden’s chest and tried not to think about Brady, but the image of him only came to her stronger.

She wasn’t ready.

Chapter 6

TRUST FOSTERS TRUST

Hey, gorgeous, are you out of class yet?

The text from Hayden flashed on her phone just as Liz was packing up. She shouldered her backpack and turned to leave. She was glad that she only had early classes on Friday.

Just got out.

Lunch? I’m starving, and I miss you.

Liz’s smile quirked on her face. Ever since that night when she had lost herself in him, she had found something in her changing. Even though they had been dating for nearly four months now, she felt what she could only associate with honeymoon butterflies: when in that initial stage of a relationship, all you wanted to do was spend all your time with the other person, and the mere thought of them made you break into a smile . . . yeah, that was where she was at.

If Hayden noticed the subtle changes in her behavior, he didn’t say anything, but he sure responded well to it. They still hadn’t had sex, but she didn’t have the same reluctance anymore. Now she had waited long enough that she just wanted the moment to be right. She didn’t want to walk into his bedroom and be like, Fuck me. Though she couldn’t see Hayden complaining about that either.

Yes. I need food. Where do you want to go?

Home . . .

Liz cracked a smile. Geez. She was giggly. She needed to work on that, but she knew she couldn’t control it.

As she was typing out a response, another message came in, this one from Justin.

Hey, I just got into town. Sorry I’m late. Are we still meeting up today?

She had totally forgotten that Justin was coming in today. She had even forgotten to tell Hayden. She should probably call him to let him know.

Yeah. Top O?

Definitely.

Liz found Hayden’s number in her phone and clicked Send. He answered immediately, “Hey. I’m just leaving the paper now. Where should I meet you?”

“Hey. About that . . .” she said awkwardly. She didn’t know why she would even let this make her uncomfortable. It was just Justin. There had never been anything romantic between them. And it certainly wasn’t like that now. Yet telling Hayden was making her a bit nervous.

She remembered telling Brady about Justin. He had gotten insanely jealous. Their relationship hadn’t even developed past sex at that point, but his jealousy had still struck her even then. It had resurfaced later after she had told him that she had gone out with Hayden in D.C. Liz closed her eyes to push out the memories, but the argument they’d had about Hayden washed over her all at once.

It doesn’t really matter! Didn’t you hear me? He’s not you! This isn’t a competition, Brady. There’s no room for jealousy.

No. She didn’t want him in her head. He hadn’t been there as much lately. She had buried him deep down inside of her where no one else could reach. It was the safest place for him. She hated the moments when life reminded her of him and fissures broke through her tough resolve.

Because the only thing I felt when he kissed me was that I was glad it was out in public. It wasn’t Hayden I wanted. It was you. And if it’s not you, then it doesn’t matter.

If it’s not you, then it doesn’t matter. God . . . she forced her mind away from it. She thought about Hayden and filled the crack with memories of his smiling face, his gentle kisses, his attention and devotion and perfection.

It all happened in a matter of seconds, but it felt like an eternity before she finally responded.

“I, uh . . . totally forgot that Justin was coming into town today and that I was meeting him for lunch,” Liz told Hayden. She waited for his judgment, his jealousy.

“Oh nice! I hope he’s doing all right since the DUI incident last summer. God, that feels like forever ago, doesn’t it?” Hayden asked.

Forever ago. Everything from the summer felt equally as if it had happened yesterday and a lifetime ago. But she could remember the whole summer in vivid detail that she was sure would never go away.