All About You

Chapter Twenty Three

Past Collides with Present

Present

Oliver trails kisses over my chin. His palm is pressed over the swell of my breast. I close my eyes, trying to lock this moment in my memory. Comparing it to that night before the party, when we were together. I move my hands over his back, tracing the cords of his muscles. When I open my eyes again, I notice his sharp intake of breath as his eyes drift shut.

He mutters with an expression of bliss on his face, but before I can show him how much more I want to pleasure him, he slits himself between my legs and smiles, meeting my eyes. Lust explodes in my core, making my head swim. I feel his hardness pressed over my thigh and, oh boy, that feels so good.

I gasp for air, knowing I can ask for more, aware that the pain will never, ever come back. I won't have to worry about the demons anymore. Oliver's taking them away, erasing memories of Christian's hands on my body. He's my therapy and my redemption. We stay like that for a long moment, not pulling apart.

"India, you can't even imagine what you put me through," he says, breathless. I want to respond and explain myself, but he doesn't let me. He continues kissing me, harder and fiercer, like he can't get enough of me.

Before he picks up the pace, he pauses and helps me get rid of my T-shirt. Soon, his clothes fly across the room and we're both connected, bare skin to skin, heart to heart. The heat surges over me and the place between my legs continues to pulse as his hand moves over my breasts. My body reacts when he shifts his touch quickly and devotes his attention to that sensitive spot between my legs. I gasp his name and my body rages with shooting desire. His tongue circles my hardened nipples. I cry out, pushing my hips forward, feeling him hard and ready pressed against my core. My heart pounds in my chest. I press him harder to myself like this closeness isn't enough for me, like I want him to stay like that forever. We've both waited so long to truly enjoy each other.

Oliver's gentle and he makes me wait for pleasure. Instead of hurrying up, he kisses me again, lifting me off the sofa. His breath feels short, cheeks warm and flushed.

"India, this is happening too fast. We have to take it easy," he says, pulling my caramel hair away from my face. I bury myself in his chest, not understanding why he wants to go slow. We sacrificed each other because of the past and now I want to forget and just make love, how we meant to.

"I don't want to take it easy," I say, almost whispering.

He lifts my chin and smiles. "You were attacked yesterday, and I came here to check on you. I'm not taking advantage of you just because you're acting on an impulse."

"Oliver, I'm fine. Those two guys were too slow, and I got away. Now the police will take care of them."

He pushes me back to the sofa and puts a blanket over me. "We don't have to rush anything, India. I want this to be special," he adds and puts on his clothes.

Okay, maybe we're both overwhelmed with this sudden reunion. Oliver's right. I shouldn't start something that might be over in a couple of days. A few months ago, I wished he was dead, and now we were just about to have sex without discussing what we both expected.

"Did I hear right? You broke up with Rhian?" I ask, just to be sure he wasn't joking when he came in. Rhian is a nice girl and I hate that he broke up with her because of me. Now I'm responsible for her grief.

"Yeah, I broke up with her a couple hours ago. I shouldn't have gotten together with her in the first place."

I bite my lip and put back my T-shirt and trousers, realising Oliver's right. We aren't a couple; we aren't even friends. Only a few days ago, we were trying to rekindle our friendship. If we mix sex into this, then maybe there is nothing real about us. Maybe it's just a short outbreak of passion carried over from the past.