Chapter 53
B eing kissed by Bo isn’t how they describe it in books. It’s infinitely better. Indescribably hotter. I’m on fire. Scorched and spinning, a spark floating within roaring flames.
Given a little, I only want more. I want all of him.
Bunching the orange material stretched across his hard chest in my fists, I jump him. He catches me, his palms becoming a pedestal for my ass.
“Peace,” he groans. Squeezing each globe, he rips his lips from mine and peppers the sensitive underside of my jaw with fiery kisses.
“Yes,” I moan. Wrapping my legs tighter around his waist, I rock over his erection and thread my fingers into his thick hair. “I want you.”
“I want you more.” He nips my earlobe. A needful shudder rolls through me as he brings his mouth back to mine. His tongue swiping across the seam between my lips, he urges me to open my mouth for him. The moment I do, he slips his tongue inside and fucks my mouth. I meet him stroke for stroke. My clit throbs each time our tongues clash.
Enslaved by need, I’m wet. I’m hot. I’m his willing captive and whimper as he kisses me deep and deeper still. It seems like he can’t get enough of me. I can’t get enough of him either and follow his lead. He’s the culmination of every fantasy. The star of every fevered dream. The captain of all my desires.
“Bo.” I need to breathe and rip my mouth from his. My lips deliciously bruised and swollen, I gulp in air that’s hot and charged. “I need you. Now. Please.” Shameless, I grind that slick, swollen, and throbbing part of me against his hard length.
“No,” he groans and abruptly releases me. “Stop.”
“Why?” I protest. Without his palms as my pedestal, I slowly slide down his body. Even my fingers lose their purchase in his thick hair.
“We shouldn’t do this.” He sets me away from him. I stare at him in confusion. My heart racing, lust clouds my brain. “I can’t do this. Not with you.” His voice is rough, abrading my passion burnt skin. “It’s wrong. A mistake.”
“Right.” I’m suddenly ice cold. His rejection is jarring after the heat of passion. “I’m sorry.” I jumped him after all. “It’s my fault. Forgive me.” Hurt, I drop my chin to my chest.
“There’s nothing to forgive,” he says gently. Wedging his finger under my chin, he lifts my head. Tears make my vision of him blurry, but even blurry, he’s so handsome he takes my breath away.
“If you say so,” I murmur. I’m grateful for the pass. We both know I was so desperate I practically mauled him.
“We’re friends.” His chest heaves as he draws in short breaths between his parted lips. “Just friends.”
“Right. Friends,” I parrot his words, but I notice he isn’t totally unaffected. His eyes gleam with stark hunger beneath his heavy lids, and he seems to be having as much difficulty as me catching his breath.
“You’re beautiful, Peace.” He inches farther away, raking a shaky hand through his hair. “And I let things go too far. Please don’t be mad at me.”
“I understand.” I push my glasses back into place. Thankfully, the lenses are no longer foggy, but I don’t need them to be clear to recognize the hurtful truth. Bo doesn’t want me.
“I hope so.” He removes the inches between us. His heat washing over me, he grazes his thumb along the underside of my jaw. A pleasurable shiver rolls through me as he tilts my head up and searches my eyes. “I need every friend I can get inside this place.”
“Well, you have one.” I lick my dry lips that continue to sizzle like the rest of me after that kiss. “And as friend, I have to tell you that the story you’re telling the cops is bullshit. It’s only a matter of time before they figure out that you’re taking the blame for Carson like you did for me when we were kids.”
“How long have you known?” he asks, his gaze rising from my lips.
“Not long. It took me a while to put all the pieces together,” I confess. “But I knew something was off. Your hair was completely dry after supposedly swimming, for one thing. And you were acting strange. You didn’t even seem surprised when the cops arrived. I still don’t quite understand that part.”
“I thought they were there about Mark. I assumed he ratted me out to his father.” He shrugs.
“Alex told me about Mark.” The pieces are all fitting together. “So you set yourself up to look guilty about Harmony so Carson wouldn’t get into trouble. But why?”
“Car has a record,” he replies. “When he was underage, he got caught with drugs in his possession.”
“They found cocaine in Harmony’s system.” I share that worrying bit of information, noting that he doesn’t seem surprised. Carson must have told him. “They think the drugs might be the reason she hasn’t regained consciousness.”
“Car said they were both using.” His lips flatten. “He feels like absolute shit about it. But he was afraid to get tested. Afraid that if they found out he gave her drugs, they could make a pretty solid case for reckless endangerment.”
“So you took the fall for him.” I sigh. “You are more of a good guy than you want everyone to believe.”
“You’re wrong. I’m totally bad, sweetheart.” His expression hardens. “Don’t kid yourself.”
“You can deny it all you want.” I glare at him. “But I know better.”
“Time’s up.” Officer Douglas chooses an inopportune time to reappear.
“Goodbye, Peace.” Bo staggers backward as the policeman unlocks the door.
“Let’s go, Jinkins.” Douglas gestures to me.
“Okay.” I step into the hall without glancing back at Bo. I know he’s not bad. Someone who’s bad wouldn’t sacrifice himself for his friends like Bo does. But there’s no use arguing with him.
Following the officer toward the exit, I decide that Bo has made his choices. It’s time for me to make mine. I can’t change the way he feels about me or our kiss, but he isn’t going to remain in jail a moment longer. Not if I can help it.