Stay With Me (Come Back to Me #2)

Chapter 44

Adelaide

I never meant for things to escalate so quickly. I'd just wanted some privacy to discuss the questions Justin asked me.

But there's something about this room that makes me want to act. Maybe it's the dim lighting or the fact that I locked the door. Maybe it's because I never realized how badly I want him until he said my name in a challenging tone. Seriously - it's like he was asking for it.

That said, I don't regret kissing him so spontaneously. Not at all.

This is another one of those moments where I feel more than alive. I'm aware of my heart pounding against my chest; aware of every nerve in my body; aware of each move Justin makes and the way his heart beats. Everything around me is amplified beyond belief.

My back is pressed against the comfy mattress of the spare bedroom, Justin's body pressed flatly into mine, making my body buzz with excitement and my head swim in a pool of rapture as he kisses me.

The kiss...My God.

It's demanding and hungry yet there's the softest hint of hesitation.

But I immediately forget about Justin's hesitancy when his hand slips beneath my sweater and grazes the bare skin of my stomach. The feeling his touch leaves behind makes me think my skin is on fire, tingling and burning in the best way possible.

Grabbing a fistful of Justin's sweater, I tug at the fabric impatiently, wanting it gone so I can gaze at the body my eyes love to look at. Justin, not moving his lips from mine, urgently swats my hand away before he pulls away.

I suppress a shiver - my mouth feels cold without his on it - and look up into his blue eyes. They've changed; gone ten shades darker, reminding me of the indigo colour that saturates the sky after the sun sets, and are filled with a heavy longing.

My heart skips a beat as I take him in. His hair is messier than I've ever seen it, sticking up and patterning his forehead, tangling with his lashes. I decide that I like his hair at this length. I reach up and run my fingers through it. The ashen blond locks are soft against my skin.

Yes. I like it very much.

I watch in complete awe as Justin pulls his sweater over his head, tossing it to the floor. Normally, I'd be against this. I wanted my first time to be in the confinement of my room or his room when we had the house to ourselves. But the risk makes it more exciting. I feel rebellious, like I can do anything.

My eyes trail up and down his pale skin, taking in each freckle and how there's a faint trace of muscle along his torso until my eyes meet his again. His eyes make my toes tingle and my mind go into overdrive. They're so full of passion and longing, making him look so...so...

I can't find words to describe Justin.

I wonder if he knows how beautiful he is, both inside and outside. I wonder if he knows how amazing he is. How strong and beautiful and amazing and relentless. How much I admire him for holding his head up high and managing to make it through everything he's been through.

The quietness of the bedroom is thick around us, making everything seem very, very real.

Swallowing back my nervousness, I grasp the hem of my sweater and pull it over my head so I'm in nothing but my bra and leggings.

Justin's eyes widen the slightest bit.

I grab his face and desperately pull it to mine, our mouths colliding with such a force I nearly knock the wind out of myself. Justin's mouth is hot and fervent as he kisses me, his tongue tasting every part of my mouth. Everything - the world, my thoughts, everything - melts around his touch, singling out the two of us.

When our lungs are aching for air, Justin inches his face backward from mine, brushing his lips against mine a couple times before he pulls away to regain his own breath.

And at that moment, I reach down and unbutton his jeans.

I want him. All of him.

Before this, I would've never considered giving my virginity to someone at such a young age. But now that I have Justin, I want to. I want my first time to be with him. I can't see myself being with anyone else.

My hand is hovering over the zipper when Justin grabs my wrist.

Instantly, my heart drops.

Does he not want me as much as I want him?

"Not yet," Justin says, reaching out and brushing a lock of hair behind my ear. "Not because I don't want to - trust me, I do." To prove his point, he presses his lower body against me and I close my eyes, suppressing a moan. Why did I ever think different? "I don't want to risk having a seizure in the midst and ruining it. You know how it is, Addie. This is overwhelming for me, in a good way, but sometimes overwhelming situations can be a trigger." He presses a kiss to the tip of my nose. "I don't want to ruin our first time. When it happens, it's going to be perfect, okay? Sometimes you have to wait for these perfect moments."

I take a deep breath and then nod. "Okay. I understand." I reach up and rest my palm against his cheek. "You're worth waiting for."

Justin smiles bashfully and looks down at my bare stomach. "I better, um, move," he says, his cheeks turning slightly pink. "You are a difficult girl to resist, Adelaide Levesque." I watch as he gets up, rolls off the bed, and stands. He then proceeds to gather up the articles of clothing we tossed around the bedroom.

And the whole time, I watch his bare upper body. God, he's hot. So hot. I feel like a typical teenage girl saying that but it's true and I'm definitely not going to lie. How did I ever get so lucky?

Grinning, Justin passes me my sweater so I can put it on. "Y'know," I say, as I pull it over my head. "You're not easy to resist, either."

Justin rarely acts cocky, which is why I'm a little surprised when he shrugs and says, "I figured that when you expertly flicked open the button of my jeans."

My cheeks begin to burn. "Cocky jerk," I mutter, getting to my feet.

He sighs. "Yeah, it doesn't really suit me, does it?"

I laugh and shake my head. "No, but I sort of like it. Maybe keep it exclusive."

Justin laughs with me. "Point taken."

After the laughter dies down, a comfortable silence sets between us. I thought it would have been awkward, but it's far from. We just promised each other a moment in the future. The date isn't set nor is the time. But that doesn't matter. It'll happen when we're ready.

"Should we, um, get back to the party?" I ask.

Justin nods, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah. Sure. You should probably go down without me, though."

I'm about to ask why, but then I realize why he'd want to stay up here for a moment. My cheeks start to burn again. "Right. Yeah. Makes sense," I blab, keeping my eyes above his waist. "I'll see you down there."

"Yeah," he replies, shaking his head in embarrassment.

I exit the room after that, heading down the stairs and to the place where we kicked off our shoes.

The whole time, I replay what happened between Justin and I.

I wanted him - I still do.

But he's right. The first time needs to be perfect.

I've waited seventeen years to meet him. I can wait for three months or three years. However long it takes, Justin is worth the wait.