DON’T STOP (Lila and Darrell) novel Chapter 33

Lala

I stepped our of the shower feeling a little more honon the hot water food washed away time of the it couldn’t touch the ache in my chest. I dried off slowly slipped into my top pajamas The that always made me feel small and sate and lumbed to bed. The sheets were cool against my up to my chm and reached for my phone on the nightstand

It was finally charged. The screen lit up with notifications. Missed calls from Mom A few tenc Lopened the tapped her name.

It rang twice before she answered.

“Hey dear,” Mom said. Her voice was warm but worried.

“Hey,” I replied. My own voice sounded small.

“Why was your phone off today?”

“Sorry. Forgot to charge it.”

“It’s fine,” she said quickly. “Anyway, I already spoke to your uncle.”

I sat up fast. The covers pooled around my waist. “Spoke to him? What did you say to him?”

“I told him you didn’t want to stay anymore. Anyway, your dad will make time to come pick you up on Friday What do you think?”

I swallowed. My throat felt tight. “Okay then,” I whispered.

“It’s late now. Goodnight. Sleep tight, okay?”

“Okay, Mom. Goodnight.”

“Love you!”

I managed a small smile. “Love you too.”

I ended the call. The screen went dark for a second, then lit up again with two new messages from an unknown number

First message: “It’s me, Jerry.”

Second message: “I hope you have your phone charged!”

I chuckled softly despite everything. My thumb hovered over the keyboard.

I typed back: “Hey.”

The reply came almost instantly.

“Finally!”

I chuckled again. A real one this time – small, surprised.

8:56 am Ppp

I sat up straighter leaning against the headboard What?

You were the first girl to kiss me. You stole my fir-rise”

My eyes widened I gasped The phone slipped from the fingers and fell onto the blanket

I stared at it like it had burned me.

The screen hit up again.

“Hey? You there right?”

I picked it up slowly. My hands shook a little. I typed back: “Yes, I am. I’m really sorry.”

“It’s fine,” he replied. To be honest, I liked it.

Really? I asked.

Yeah.

I stared at the word. My heart beat faster.

“I wished we could even go further,” he continued, “but I knew we couldn’t since we aren’t really in that relationship, and that’s why I promised to ask you right.”

1 swallowed. “Ask me what?”

“Can we date? I really like you so much.”

My heart skipped. Hard.

“You can reply whenever,” he added quickly. “I won’t rush you.”

I stared at the screen. The words blurred a little. My thumb hovered over the keyboard. I didn’t know what to type I didn’t know what I felt.

I sighed softly. Then, I allowed my fingers to hover over the keyboard for a second before I typed back.

“Actually, I have a reply now.”

His response came almost instantly.

“Oh, so… what is it?”

I bit my bottom lip. My heart felt heavy.

“I’m so sorry, Jerry, but I don’t think we can date. I don’t have feelings for you. The truth is that I like someone else.”

The three dots appeared. Then disappeared. Then appeared again. The wait felt endless. When his message finally came through, it was slower than usual.

“Then why did you kiss me?”

I swallowed. My eyes stung.

8:56 am P P P

ours formedwasn’t thinking straight really apologize Please forgive me

I hit send and stared at the screen M, thumb hovered over the backspace button like I could take it all back

His reply took longer this time.

“Okay then It’s fine. I’m going to forgive you But I must warn you seriously

Relict rushed through me so fast my shoulders sagged

“Yes. You don’t have to worry about that.”

“It’s cool,” he wrote back.

“Thank you, Jerry.”

“Nah, it’s okay.”

A pause. Then another message.

don’t go around kissing her guys. Theynight

“Anyway, you wanna tell me who this

guy

is?”

I stared at the words. My stomach twisted.

“Who?” I typed back, pretending I didn’t understand.

“You said you like someone. Was wondering who. A crush? Boyfriend? Someone I know? Or…”

I bit my bottom lip harder. My thumb hovered. I didn’t know what to say. How could I explain Ryder? How could I even say his name out loud?

Before I could type anything, a soft thud came from the window.

My heart skipped.

I jumped to my feet. The phone almost slipped from my hand. I hadn’t shut the window earlier. The worst mistake

Another sound – a scrape, like someone climbing.

I was alone here for goodness’ sake… with Delaney downstairs, of course.

My pulse thundered. I opened my mouth to scream.

Then a face appeared at the window.

“Sshhh,” he whispered, pressing a finger to his lips.

Ryder.

I murmured his name in surprise. “Ryder?”

He sighed softly and jumped inside with easy grace. He landed lightly on the floor, straightened up, and looked at me.

“What are you doing here?” I asked. My voice came out shaky.

56 am P P P

#didn’t answer words 11: closed the distance in two dogs

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Ryder s mouth suddenly crashed once mine the moment he stepped inside No warning No he states

Dy face roughly fingers digging my cheeks just enough to tie my head bank so he could take more Holips wire pri and demanding pressing hard against mine like he needed to devour every hire and had left

I gasped into his mouth, startled, my hands flying up to push at his chest Ryder

He didn’t let me finish. His tongue pushed past my bus immediately, sweeping in deep and possessive He casted the wor and need. It was bitter, hot, and addictive I mumbled against him, struggling to break free but his armis branded sand mo waist like steel, pulling my body flush against his. His chest was hard and warm. His heartbeat thundered zast

I pushed again, weaker this time. My palms flattened against his shirt instead of shoving He groaned low in his throat the sound vibrating through me, and kissed me harder. His tongue stroked mine in long, insistent strokes chaming taxUPOR refusing to let me retreat. He sucked my bottom lip into his mouth, teeth grazing it lightly before he bit deren just enough to sting, then soothed it with his tongue. My knees buckled. A soft whimper escaped me.

He walked me backward without breaking the kiss. My back hit the wall. He pressed in closer, pinning me there with his body. One hand slid into my hair, gripping tight at the roots to hold my head exactly where he wanted it. The ther hand gripped my hip, fingers digging in possessively, pulling me tighter against him until I could feel every inch of his hardness pressing into my stomach.

I stopped fighting.

My resistance melted away. My hands slid up to clutch his shoulders. I kissed him back, desperately and hungrily, matching his intensity. Our tongues tangled wildly, sliding and stroking, wet and hot. He sucked hard on my tongue, drawing another moan from deep in my throat. The sound seemed to spur him on. He kissed me deeper, rougher, like he was trying to consume me completely. His teeth nipped my lower lip again, then soothed it with slow, deliberate licks. My head spun. My lungs burned for air, but I didn’t want to stop.

He growled low against my mouth – a frustrated, needy sound- and tilted my head further, deepening the angle so he could take even more. His tongue plunged in again and again/relentless, exploring every corner like he was memorizing the Laste of me. My fingers curled into his shirt, pulling him impossibly closer. My body arched into his without permission. Heat pooled low in my belly. My thighs pressed together instinctively.

When he finally pulled back, just enough to let us both breathe, his forehead rested against mine. Our breaths came in hot, ragged pants, mingling between us. His lips were swollen and dark red. Mine felt the same. He stared at me with eyes so dark they looked black.

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