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His thumb moves over the top of my hand and I shiver with the contact My oing over this edge "I can guarantee that bolting past you was never on my mind"

"Who are you, Emily?" he asks in a husky voice

I don’t knoho I am here At home, I’m definitely not this But here? "I’m not shy, and for today, I’m bold"

"Are you sure about that?" In less than a second, Oz wraps his arms around me, erases the minute distance between us and presses me to him One of his hands roams the sers play with the ends and the gentle pull causes pleasing goose bu my skin "Are you sure this is the position you want to be in withthat I tuck h hat I’ve started, but he doesn’t get how badly I want to understand what’s going on, to learn the truth

My pulse picks up pace and adrenaline shoots through my veins This is a htens e ainst the hot skin of his neck, let er hair Oz’s body tenses and melts into ?" I whisper

His hold in ot planned isn’t going to work You’re not walking out that door"

"Are you scared of me?" I taunt

"I’m scared of no one If you want to do this, we’ll do this, but as I said, you’re not going anywhere, so youanywhere this very second, but I will be soon Very, very soon "Are you going to stop in to wander and Imy mouth undeniably near his

"Unless you’re scared, then stop me, Oz" Our lips briefly touch as I speak "Kiss ht now"

His nose ski the chemistry between us My own blood hu and kiss ainstfor stability, I weave th to support h his hair His hands eneed that causes me to curl myself around hi rabs on to the back of hs

My eyes open when Oz lifts ht at his level He stares at me I stare at him Our chests rise and fall at a rapid rate

I have what I needed The leverage to leave, but thisthis type of kissI want hs carry soes up as he briefly closes his eyes, as if he enjoys the friction between us I like that I affect hiers drift into his hair, fulfilling my fantasy from earlier, and I tilt my head closer Oz does the saain, e stop? Do I want to stop?

The answer is no

Mouths stir A nibble on ue And the ga Teasing Strengthening and growing and exploring and a silent rhyth in tiht so that he’s leaning into ainst the door I part ue sweeps next to ry for more The delicious pressure of his ainstunder ers slip to my shoulder near my tank-top strap My hands slide to his chest and I push As if I flipped his switch again, Oz places uilt consumes me because none of that is me None of it I don’t hook up, but that wasn’t a hook-up It was a kiss Just a kiss Just the best freaking kiss ofeach other Oz dran his shirt and readjusts parts in his pants I drag a hand through led

I graze my hand across my swollen lips Just a kiss Just a kiss Just a kiss

I clear lances at ht, Emily "You need to sneak me out so I can hear what Eli has to say toto ruin et senti"

I shaketo help me because if you don’t, I’ll tell Eli that you kissed me"

Oz

EMILY AND I are crouched in the s area of the Lanesville chapter Above us is the open servingIn the roo the kitchen, chairs shift and there’s the occasional try at conversation between Emily’s parents to fill time