Chapter 21 Tigerlily
Chapter Twenty-One: Tigerlily
I want him to kiss me.
But he’s just looking at me. Observing. Waiting.
Like he needs me to be the one to make the move.
I’ve kissed a boy before. Once. Behind the gym at a football game in high school.
Some boy who meant nothing to me. It was before my life went to shit, and I haven’t thought about kissing a boy ever since.
The kiss lasted three seconds and tasted like gross beer. But I’ll never forget Matthew Green.
But this is different.
Callum is different.
He’s easy to be around. Not brooding like Jax or intense like Zephyr. Everything about him is charming—the way he smiles, the way he talks, the way he looks at me like I’m the only person in the room.
For a second, I wonder if I’m just another girl to him. If I’m one in a long line of girls who’ve been in this exact position.
Then I realize I don’t care.
Because right now, I want to kiss him.
I lean up slowly.
His breath catches.
The moment stretches, longer than what feels safe. My heart’s pounding so loud I’m sure he can hear it.
Then I press my lips against his.
The world stops.
His lips are soft. Softer than I expected. I taste salt and him.
He deepens the kiss. His hand moves to the back of my head, fingers threading through my hair, pulling me closer.
His tongue brushes against mine.
I’ve never—
My world tilts.
I match his urgency without thinking. He groans and pulls back. He looks into my eyes. A smile spreads across his face, slow and satisfied.
Then he’s kissing me again. Faster this time. More desperate. His fingers tangle in my hair. His tongue fills my mouth.
I pull back to breathe. My head feels light, and my entire body tingles.
“Tiger,” he groans. He licks his lips. “Wow.”
I can’t help the smile spreading across my face.
He grabs my chin gently, tilts it up, so I’m looking at him.
“You have no idea what you just did to me,” he says.
Heat floods my cheeks.
I feel awkward now. I don’t know what to do with myself.
I stand up. “I’m going to get some water.”
I close my bedroom door behind me and smile as I walk down the hall.
I check Zinnia’s room quickly. She’s asleep. I close the door, feeling lighter than I have in weeks.
In the kitchen, I fill a glass with water and take a long sip. I stare out the window at the dark street.
I wonder if Jax and Zephyr know Callum’s here. Will my dad know? I shake the thought.
When I walk back to my room, Callum’s made himself comfortable on my bed. One arm behind his head, bicep flexing. He pats the bed next to him.
I lock the door and set the water on my nightstand. I lie down next to him. He kisses the top of my head.
I close my eyes, enjoying the feel of him against me.
He laughs at something on his phone.
I look up at him.
He puts the phone down and says, “I wasn’t planning on kissing you.”
He reaches for my face and brushes his thumb across my cheek.
“Really?”
He smiles. “I just wanted to hang out with you.”
I wrap an arm around his body. “I’m happy you came.”
“Me?”
I nod, playing with the hem of his shirt. “Yeah. You.”
Because it’s true.
Jax and Zephyr—they’re focused on protecting me. On saving me. On making sure I’m safe.
But Callum just wants to be with me.
He makes me feel different, not like a problem to solve, like he wants to know me for me.
“You know Madison fooled me last night,” Callum says.
“What do you mean?”
“She talked to me all night last night. I thought it was you.”
I raise my brows, surprised. “Wow.”
“Yeah.” He pauses. He plays with my hair. “I blocked her.”
That makes me chuckle.
He reaches down and lifts my chin. “Fuck, you’re cute, Tiger.”
I blush hard.
He licks his lips. “Can I get your number?”
I laugh quietly, shoulders shaking. I chew my bottom lip.
He kisses me and whispers against my mouth. “Give me your number, cutie.”
“I shouldn’t,” I say. “My dad goes through my phone.”
He whispers against my lips. “I have the perfect solution. Give me your phone.”
I hesitate before handing it over, curious about what he’s going to do.
He creates a new contact, enters his number, and types in the name “Callie.”
Then he texts himself.
I smile. “You can’t send me selfies, Callie.”
He tickles my ribs. “I’ll send you whatever I want.”
I grab his hand to stop him. Then I’m kissing him again.
This time it’s more serious. Hungrier.
Suddenly I’m underneath him. Feeling every part of his body pressed against mine.
Including the part growing between his legs. He gently presses it against me, and a surge of desire rolls through my body. I jolt in reaction.
I pant, trying to breathe.
“Sorry,” he mutters, pulling his hips back.
I sit up and drink some water.
He touches his forehead. “Tiger, I’m sorry.”
I shake my head. “Don’t be.”
“You’re...”
I turn to him. “I’m what?”
He smirks. “Impossible to resist and hot.” He chuckles. “Fuck, you’re so hot, Tiger.”
His words settle right in my chest. Butterflies swarm my stomach as I look at him. “It’s not that you... you know...” My eyes look at his boner.
“Then what is it?”
I look away.
“Is it because of Jax?”
I don’t say anything.
“Zephyr?”
I blink.
He wraps his arm around my waist, pulling me in. His nose touches mine. “It’s okay, Tiger. I know you like me the most.”
I roll my eyes and smile. He’s so cocky and sure about himself all the time.
He smiles. “Your dad doesn’t know about me, so how about this...”
“He does. I told him you’re Madison’s boyfriend.”
He grins. “Perfect. How about I take you out for lunch? Something casual during the day.”
My chest blooms with warmth.
He’s asking me out.
I nod. “Okay.”
He kisses my forehead. “I’ll let you get sleep. Text me, okay?”
He opens the window, and the cold air whips me in the face. He climbs out quickly. Then he places the screen back on.
Once it’s on, he pauses for a second, watching me. He places his hand on the screen, so I put my hand against his.
“Thank you for tonight,” he says. “You just made me the happiest man alive.”
I blush. “Good night, Callum.”
“Good night, Tiger.”
He disappears between the neighbor’s houses.
I close the window and pull the curtain shut.
Then I fall onto my bed. Smiling. I touch my swollen lips and fantasize about kissing him again.
I shove my face into the pillow and sigh.
I wake up to a text message from “Callie.”
Monday.
I send a thumbs-up, smiling like an idiot.
I fall back into my regular routine. I cook breakfast and make coffee for my dad the way he likes it. He hasn’t said much since that night. I’m terrified of what he’s going to say when he finally does. But for now, I’m grateful he’s leaving it alone.
It’s Sunday. I have a full day of reading ahead of me.
I’m still working through Jane Eyre for English Lit. The pages are starting to blur together—Victorian prose and moral dilemmas and Jane’s endless suffering.
I do some homework. Text Callie a few times.
Monday comes fast.
I meet Cal after my morning class, and my stomach fills with butterflies when I see him. We meet at the campus café and order coffee.
Cal pays before I can even reach for my wallet.
“Where’s your girlfriend?” I tease, wondering if he invited Madison or if I was supposed to.
Cal watches me over his cup. “I’m looking right at her.”
I blush and look away.
We walk out of the café with our coffees. We walk in silence, slowly. The contrast between last night and right now is obvious, but I like it. I’m happy to be doing this.
Once we’re away from the crowd, Cal says, “I can’t stop thinking about kissing you.”
I smile.
He points. “I’m parked right over there.”
“Cal,” I blush. “We shouldn’t.”
He shrugs. “Just letting you know what’s possible.”
I take another sip, appreciating how smooth he is. I just rejected him, and he’s still smiling. “Thanks for the coffee, Cal. I have to run.”
“What?” He sounds genuinely confused.
I smile. “I only have fifteen minutes between classes, and I like to be early to get a seat in the front.”
“Tiger,” he warns, tilting his head.
“Bye, Callum.”
He throws his hands up. “When can I see you again?”
I shrug, walking backward.
He’s grinning, shaking his head.
I turn around and head toward my next class.
And I can’t stop smiling the entire way.