Page 75 of The Draft
“That was to make you jealous. I’m not interested in any of those guys.”
“What about Henry? You told me back in high school that you only dated him because he was the only guy that had ever said you were beautiful. What if the same thing is happening here?”
“It’s not. Give me some credit, Big Man. I’m not sixteen anymore. I know what I want now.”
“Still, I’m not willing to blow up one of my longest friendships if you’re only interested in fucking me. I need to know there’s something serious between us before I tell Cade.”
I should have known that my own words and actions would be used against me. But how was I to know I’d end up in a supply closet discussing the possibility of dating Dash after he ate me out?
I raised my hand and shook my head. “I don’t know what to say, Dash. You’re not a fetish to me, if that’s what you think. I’ve had a crush on you since before I even knew what it meant. Ever since the day you taught me how to hit a puck, I always thought you were the coolest guy on the planet.I couldn’t stop thinking about you after you broke Henry’s nose, and I wanted you to be my first the minute I saw you grumbling at The Draft. It’s always been you.”
He didn’t say anything at first, and I didn’t like the silence, so I dropped my gaze to the floor, feeling a little too exposed. Maybe I came on too strong or said too much but my words were the truth, and I felt like he deserved to know that.
Dash took my hand, making it feel tiny against his. Then he brought it up and rested it on his chest, right over his heart. I only looked at our intertwined hands, yearning for him in so many more ways than I would like to admit.
“Thank you for telling me,” he husked out, giving me the courage to look up at him. His thumb rubbed across the top of my palm, and then he dropped down to kiss me on the lips.
It was a different kind of kiss than all the other ones, and as crazy as it sounded, this felt like our first kiss. It wasn’t rushed. It wasn’t heated with so much lust that we couldn’t think straight. It was just a special kiss conveying something words never could, and I loved that.
As he pulled away, threats of a smile pulled on his lips. “I guess if we’re confessing crushes, I should probably tell you about the fact that I was obsessed with you in high school, and the only reason I dated Amy was because I thought she’d be a good distraction from you.”
“Wh-What do you mean?”
“Come on, Madison. Didn’t you find it strange that Amy looked just like you?”
“I, uh, hadn’t noticed.”
“Really? Because I had…all the time, and as an idiot teenager, I thought that would mean I’d stop thinking about what it would be like to kiss you. It didn’t. It just made me want you more. You were the forbidden fruit, and I was almost thankful that I left for college just so I wouldn’t be in the same vicinity as you.”
I couldn’t deny I was taken aback because I only thought the attraction started after Henry.
“The fact that we’re here talking about dating is something I never thought would happen, and I need to make sure that you’re one hundredpercent in this before we get too deep.”
“Don’t you think we already are?”
He shrugged. “All I’m saying is, you should walk away right now if you don’t want this.”
The way he was looking at me made me finally realize just how serious this was to him. “Okay. So, you want me to prove I want you?”
He nodded.
“Fine. Then I’d love to go on a date.”
A smile grew across his lips, and my heart immediately warmed because I didn’t see that often. I took a step toward him and wrapped my arms around his neck, feeling good that I could do this without anxiety riddling my stomach. Dash wasn’t going to push me away. He wanted this just as much as me. He just wanted me to prove it to him.
“I know I want you, Big Man, but clearly, you’ve still got doubts about my intentions, and you know what? That’s understandable. I have been acting a little off-kilter recently.” I’d say I almost regretted throwing other guys in his face, but we wouldn’t be here if I hadn’t. “I don’t want you to have any doubts when it comes to telling my brother that you’re madly in love with me, so I’m happy to do whatever you want to prove that.”
He narrowed his eyes, trying his best to tame an amused smirk, but he couldn’t hide it. There was something blooming between us and it was all I could ask for.
Dash relaxed his forehead against mine as his fingers gripped my hips, pulling me closer. Was I dreaming because it was impossible for reality to be this good. There was no way Dash was here, spilling his guts to me like this. I never thought making him jealous would lead to him confessing he’d always had a crush on me, but I was living for it. This was the most Dash had talked in years, and to be honest, I loved that it brought us to the same place.
“Great. So, Friday, I’m taking you out,” he reconfirmed more to himself than me.
I nodded like an overeager teenager. “I’d like that,” I said with a meek smile, pushing some of my wayward hair behind my ear. “But does that mean whatever’s happening between us right now has to end?”
Yes, I asked because I was still horny, and I could. The guy just gave methe best orgasm of my life, and all I wanted was another one.
Smiling wickedly, he dropped his chin.