With great control, I slowly kissed a path downward. She was watching me, her mouth slightly open. I’d never felt this close to anyone before.

“West,” Maggie whispered my name as her hands gripped my arms tightly.

This was going to be my undoing. This girl. She was going to claim me.

Trust Me?

CHAPTER 33

MAGGIE

He was hurting. I had to remember that. He was lost and hurting and seeking comfort. I should stop him. I shouldn’t let him do something he’d regret tomorrow.

But I couldn’t.

He looked at me like he wanted me desperately. Like he wanted this desperately. Like I was beautiful.

I cracked a little more.

I’d never felt like this; my body hadn’t known it could feel like this. And I was enjoying this too much to make him stop.

“West,” I managed to get out. But I quickly forgot why I’d even said his name as his kisses moved lower.

My head was spinning. I wasn’t getting enough oxygen. Or maybe I was getting too much. I didn’t know. I just wanted more of him. Of this.

His hand settled firmly on my back, pressing my bare chest against his as his mouth covered mine again. “You feel so damn good,” he whispered as he nibbled and licked at my lips. I agreed, he felt just as good.

I got so lost in his embrace, at first I didn’t notice that his fingertips were grazing the inner waistband of my shorts.

I wanted to believe he wanted me. But I feared he just needed anyone right now. If it were Raleigh here, would he want her? Was this just a distraction and I was simply the available girl?

I felt a pain in my chest at the thought. I didn’t want to be just a distraction. He meant too much to me for that to be all I was to him. But how did I tell him no when he was hurting so much?

“West,” I choked out, and he froze. That got his attention fast.

He dropped his head to my shoulder and breathed deeply. He didn’t move his hand. “No one has made me feel the way you do, Maggie.”

I didn’t have anyone to compare this to, but I doubted anyone would ever make me feel the way West did.

He continued in a hoarse whisper, “Being with you . . . having you . . . I dream about it. It’s something I can’t explain and I can’t lose, either.”

That was it. What I needed to hear.

“Okay,” I replied, knowing I’d never regret this with him.

He lifted his head, and those blue eyes flared with heat. I was trembling even before his hand slid down farther.

“Trust me?” His voice was thick and raspy.

I just nodded. I couldn’t speak.

My heart was pounding so loudly, I could hear it. My body was on fire, about to shatter into a beautiful oblivion.

I’d said I’d be whatever he needed. I’d do whatever he needed me to do.

I knew now I had been so very right.

He slowly lifted his head and gazed down at me. “I need you. No, I want you. Just you. I don’t need or want anything else.” When he opened his eyes, they were glassy, and I could see the emotion he was holding back.

“What do you want from me?” I asked.

“I need you too much. I want you so much. You’re just . . . I just . . . You’re the only thing that makes the pain go away, Maggie.”

He was trying to survive. I was giving him a reason to survive. He was taking from me. But I wanted to give myself to him.

I ran my hands over his hair and tried to comfort him. I knew he wasn’t ready to hear me tell him I loved him. I wasn’t sure he’d ever want to hear that. But I had to tell him a small portion of the truth.

“I want this. I want you like this. Don’t apologize. What you’re taking, I am giving you willingly.”

He didn’t reply at first. When he finally lifted his head, I saw the heat in his eyes as he looked at me. “I want more. More than I deserve.”

I couldn’t imagine that, years from now, I’d looked back on this night and regret it. Even if this were it for us, I’d have been completely connected with West. It may have been a way to help him with his pain, but it also helped me with mine. Watching him lose his father brought back so much heartache and loss for me. The moments we had just shared made me feel alive. More alive than I’d felt in a very long time.

“I want more too,” I replied.

My heart started to flutter at the idea, and West’s sharp intake of breath told me he understood exactly what I was telling him.

“I don’t want to be a regret for you. Ever,” he said, looking torn.

“And I don’t want to be a regret for you. Ever,” I repeated back to him. I wanted him to cherish this memory just like I would. I wanted to be more to him. Something he’d never forget.

“Nothing about any moment I’ve spent with you will ever be a regret.” The fierceness on his face made me shiver. I felt special. He made me feel that way.

Just. To. Me.

CHAPTER 34

WEST

Nothing in life had prepared me for this. My heart felt like it was going to beat right out of my body.

I shed the rest of my clothes after taking a condom out of my pocket. I was so nervous, my hands shook as I put it on.

As I lowered my body over hers, my chest tightened. Finally those eyes I’d come to dream about lifted to meet mine. There was a quiet confidence there. A trust I would cherish. One I couldn’t lose.

With careful ease, I entered her, and she held on to me through it all. Never taking her eyes off mine.

Later, when she curled up against me in the truck and I held her while I looked out at the lights of Lawton below us, I let the first tear fall.

For all that I had lost.

For all that I had found.

For all I couldn’t lose now but feared I would.

The next day I returned to school. My mother’s mom would be arriving today, and I didn’t want to be there. Why mother had called her and asked her to come, I didn’t know. She’d never been around us much before.

Of course I also wanted to see Maggie.

Taking her home last night, I’d been so scared of losing her that I’d been dead silent. Too silent. Rather than my own thoughts, my concern should have been Maggie. I would fix that today.

The one thing I didn’t want to face was people telling me they were sorry to hear about my dad. I didn’t want to think about it. I also didn’t want them looking at me with pity. So I ignored everyone as I walked through the doors and headed straight for my locker.

Maggie was standing there, her books tucked close to her chest, waiting. A warmth spread through me that only Maggie could cause, and I hurried through the crowd to get to her. When she spotted me, her lips curled into a small smile. It said so many things. It was for me. She didn’t give that smile to anyone else.

I liked that. I liked that a whole fucking lot.

“Morning,” I said as I reached her and tugged her close to me before pressing a kiss to those lips that were smiling just for me.

She tensed at first but quickly melted into me and let me have a taste. I didn’t want anyone else seeing how good she looked with those swollen lips, so I pulled away after I got enough to get me through first period. Still, I kept my hand on her back and pressed her close to me.

“Ah, good morning,” she replied, looking flustered.

Grinning, I pressed a kiss to her nose. “God, you’re always so damn pretty,” I said.

Her cheeks flushed pink, and she ducked her head as a grin spread across her lips.

“I didn’t think you’d come today,” she said as she glanced up at me.

Me neither. Until I’d woken up thinking about her. Maggie was here, and this was where I wanted to be. With her.

“You’re here,” I admitted. She needed to know how I felt. Even if I wasn’t sure exactly what that was just yet.

“West,” she said breathlessly, and reached up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. “I wish we had classes together.”

So did I. Next semester I’d make sure we did. I hated not getting to see her except at lunch and in the halls.

“You’re talking.” Brady’s voice startled us both.

Maggie’s eyes went wide as she stared up at me. She wasn’t turning to look at him. There was a panic in her green depths, and a protectiveness came over me. I moved her closer to me and slightly behind as I faced Brady.

“Not to you. Not to anyone else. So back off, and keep your mouth shut.” I held his gaze and let him read into that whatever the hell he wanted to. Because I wasn’t giving her up. Everyone needed to know she was mine now. Including Brady.

“What . . . but she doesn’t talk. If she can talk or is talking again, then—”

“Just to me, Brady. Get that. Just. To. Me.”

He moved his eyes to her, and I could see frustration there, but I also knew he was my best friend. I’d buried my dad yesterday. He had to give me some slack. For now. I knew we’d have to deal with him eventually.

He finally let out a frustrated sigh. “Fine. But others are going to notice. I just did.”

Then he turned and left. Maggie didn’t move from where I had tucked her behind me.

He was right. If she weren’t careful, others would see her. How did I protect her from that? Not everyone would back down like Brady had.

Especially his parents.

We Gonna Let This Slide or What?