Unwritten Rules (16 page)

We spent three hours skating, and by the time we were finished, I was actual y pretty good at it. I was exhausted, and though Jonah seemed like he would be able to skate for another hour, I made him sit down on the grass with me. I took the chunky skates off, discarding them near a tree and was stil as I tried to catch my breath. I hadn’t laughed so much in a long time. It was exhilarating. Jonah took his own skates off, then handed me a bottle of water from his backpack and lay flat on his back across the grass. I watched his chest rise and fal , seeing the sinew ripple underneath the cotton T-shirt. I shuffled closer to him, placing the bottle on the grass and rested my hand on his chest, as I fitted against his side. He reached around me, touching the grazed skin on my knee.

“How’s the boo-boo?” He asked, as I tried to

focus on anything but the way my skin tingled from his touch.

“Smarts a bit. It’s nothing serious. I think one scrape in three hours, isn’t too bad.”

He nodded, closing his eyes and tilting his head up toward the sun. The lines that appeared between his brows when he was concentrating faded, and he relaxed. My hand reached up of its own volition, touching the damp hair that had fal en across his forehead.

“You did great. I knew you would. Better than a run?”

Jonah opened his eyes, fixing his bril iant-blue gaze on me. Stunning. I felt my chest and face flush as he continued to look at me. I found it startling to think no one had gotten to know the real Jonah; the one that needed a friend.

“Don’t know about that,” I grinned, leaning into him. “I don’t fal on my ass when I run.”

He chuckled. Our eyes met again, and I wanted

nothing more than to kiss him. Jonah licked his lips as though he could read my mind. I leaned away from him, hoping that he would be more responsive in an open setting.

“Why did you leave home so young?”

He blinked, shock registering before he spoke,

“Wow, straight to the point, huh, Red?”

“Yup.”

I continued combing my fingers through his hair, teasing the dark strands with my fingers. I started to think he wasn’t going to answer when he exhaled.

“I was a bad kid. A real bad kid. I didn’t give a shit about anyone, certainly not my family. I made a mess of everything. There was just no way back. I had to leave.”

“Police?” I asked, wanting to gauge just how bad he’d been.”

He nodded. “Speaking of police, have they been back in contact with you?”

“No, they haven’t, but stop changing the subject. How bad?”

His hand tightened on my hip as he breathed,

“Very.”

“Is that why you’ve changed your name?”

He nodded again.

“Excuse my excessive drama. You’re not a

fugitive or anything, are you?”

He chuckled and shook his head in denial as his hand stroked my thigh.

“I don’t understand. Al of that was ten years ago, you’ve changed, right? You’re an adult now. Don’t your parents see that?”

The lines between his brows returned, and he

tried to look away. The hurt resonated from his eyes, and I wondered if I would ever understand him. Would he let me?

“I cal my parents once a year, El e. That’s as far as our interactions go.”

“How?” I gasped. “Why?”

He gave a smal shake of his head, closing his eyes to block me out. I didn’t need to look at him to know he was upset; the hurt was evident in his tone. I fought the urge to wrap him in my arms without much success, and before I knew it, I was straddling his hips and leaning over him with my arms around his neck.

“Is that why you need al the medications, have the anxiety attacks? You suffer because they don’t...want you?”

“You shouldn’t feel sorry for me,” he whispered against my neck, taking the comfort I was offered. “It was a long time ago. I deserve every bit of the distance that’s between me and my family.”

“I don’t believe you, Jonah. I don’t believe anyone deserves to be ostracized from their parents at seventeen.”

He turned his head so that he could look up at me. His lips spread into a smal smile as he lifted his hands and framed my face. “I’m not sure I deserve you as a friend.”

“I think you do,” I grinned, wanting to kiss him; desperate to make him happy. “Maybe in time you’l believe it.”

“Maybe.”

Jonah adjusted his hips, the friction reminding me of just how close we were. His thin shorts disguised very little, and my cheeks flamed in response. I shifted, intending to climb off him when his hands locked on my hips.

“I thought I was too heavy for you...” I started, trailing off when he shook his head.

“Stay where you are. I like it.”

I stared at him, searching his expression. “Jonah, where are we going with this?” I asked, my voice softening. As he broke eye contact, I was certain he would shut me out. However, he exhaled, smoothing his hands up my back until he held my face and spoke just as gently as I had, “I don’t know, Red. But I’l be honest and say that I’m liking it.”

I sighed, then nodded and turned my face into his palm. I kissed the center of it, reveling in the texture of his skin against my lips. It was moments like this that I could forget the secrets he kept from me and just enjoy our time together. Here and now, we were like any other couple; we were learning and enjoying each other.

“I am too. Maybe more of this,” I breathed,

gesturing between us, “and less of the skating.”

His skimmed his thumb across my lower lip,

dipping the tip into my mouth a little and smirking.

“More of this?” He crooned as he brought my face down and nuzzled my jaw. “This? Or this?”

His lips ghosted across mine before ful y

connecting with them. It was a gentle, delicate kiss, but one that left me gasping and wanting more. Jonah’s tongue entered my mouth with caution, sliding against mine before retreating. His hands smoothed down my back, stal ing on my ass and cupping it as he tugged me closer. I relented, al owing my body to sag against him. Jonah hummed as my breasts connected with his chest. I was aware of tittering from passing teenagers when he gave my ass a squeeze. I didn’t care. Whenever his lips teased mine the world around us disappeared, as did my wil power.

In the midst of our kiss, Jonah’s shorts vibrated. I had become so lost in the moment that I failed to realize I was gyrating against it. Jonah pul ed it out of his pocket, blushing and clearing his throat as I looked at him in confusion.

“Um...it’s my cel ...” he croaked.

“Oh, my God!” I exclaimed, rol ing off him onto the grass.

I stared up at the sky and attempted to regulate my breathing. As he spoke into the receiver, I made every effort to calm down. How could a simple kiss make me forget myself every, single time? I couldn’t remember one time Nathan left me as weak-kneed as Jonah did. He was toxic, addictive.

When he raised his voice I began to feel

uncomfortable. It sounded like a private conversation, and even though we’d been intimate, I wasn’t sure he’d want me listening in. In order to avoid an awkward situation, I stood and wandered across the grass. I rested against a tree, watching two smal boys play bal . I zoned out, recal ing the time I’d spent with Jonah today. I wasn’t aware that I was giggling until he stood before me smiling.

“What’s so funny?”

I blinked, taking note that his smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Nothing. Are you al right?”

“Sure. Are you ready to go?”

I nodded and moved to pick up my abandoned

skates. I could feel him behind me, his body almost flush against mine. Something in that cal had stirred him up, whether it was good or bad I had no clue.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” I questioned.

“I wil be once I get you alone.”

He whispered the words so seductively that I felt them float across my skin. My heartbeat increased. I gulped as he backed me up into the tree. I was about to ask what had happened in the cal to alter his mood, when he slid his hands up my neck and cupped my face. His fingers tickled the hair at the nape of my neck, and my toes curled in response.

“Do you want to be alone with me, Red?” He

questioned.

“Yes,” I breathed.

His lips touched mine only momentarily, before he pul ed away and looked into my eyes.

“Oh, El e,” he uttered. “Do you know how amazing you are?”

I gasped, unable to absorb his response before he kissed me. This time it was ferocious and needy. The skates dropped to the ground, forgotten. He pul ed my head closer to his, and tilted it, al owing his mouth to connect with mine. It was aggressive, rough, and ful of need. It was arousing me more than any other kiss I’d ever experienced. I tentatively explored his mouth with my tongue. I slid it against his, feeling a rumble of appreciation rol up from his chest, through his mouth, and into mine. The noise coursed directly to my nipples, making them taut in their demand to be touched. I was being carried away on a wave of arousal, not real y paying attention to where we were, or the people around us. Though I could stil hear them in my periphery.

In the back of my mind, I wondered exactly what it was that Jonah found amazing about me. He knew my body but not much more. I should’ve stopped him from kissing me, but his lips felt good moving across mine. The sensation of his hands, as they slipped under my top and tickled my torso, and his knee pushing between my thighs felt perfect.

I adjusted my stance, al owing him to settle it between them. He hummed and moved his mouth to my neck, devouring the flesh. His teeth nipped at the thin skin, making me purr and push my chest closer his. My body had memorized his divine touch. It longed to be taken to the pinnacle of arousal before giving me the most intense completion once again.

completion once again.

His knee began to rock against my core, pushing at my shorts until the seam gathered between my folds. The material pressed against me, making me hiss. At the same time, Jonah swirled his tongue down my neck, leaving a pattern of slow circles with his saliva. He blew across it, causing goose bumps to break out across my skin, and my breasts ached with need.

I pushed my fingers roughly into his hair and

grasped. He gave a low growl and began to nose the swel of my breasts. He licked his way across the skin, and my knees almost gave in. I should have been embarrassed about the way I was riding his thigh, acting so wanton in such a public place; but I didn’t care. The world dissipated when I was with Jonah; my need simmering, awaiting his touch.

“We need to go home,” he said.

“Uh-huh,” was the best I could manage.

His hand moved to cup my breast, easing his

thumb across my now pert nipple. I moaned as he teased the hardened peak. I wanted more. I always wanted more. I tried to focus on our surroundings; it was futile. His talented tongue lapped at my skin and scattered my thoughts.

“Jonah,” I said breathlessly, but he didn’t stop. My hands trailed down his back on a quest of their own. I circled the edge of his shorts with my fingers, incited by his moan. They tickled their way to the front of his shorts. He gasped as I teased the elastic trim. My fingers walked down his skin toward his arousal. He moaned, verbalizing how close I was to his erection. The tips of my fingers itched. I wanted to push my hand further down, but he wrapped his hand around my wrist, stopping me.

“Not here.”

I wiggled my fingers, stil wanting more. The look in his eyes cautioned me. I lifted my head and blinked, trying to get my bearings. I could hear our heavy breathing as it floated around us, mixing with the shouting of the people in the park. My pulse drummed against my wrists. I swal owed hard as mortification flooded my system.

“I can’t believe we did that. Here.”

Jonah looked at me through hooded eyes, a smal smirk teasing the right side of his swol en lips. His thigh was stil rocking against me, teasing me and keeping me aroused.

“No one saw us, Red. You have nothing to be

ashamed of,” he rumbled.

“W-we should go,” I stuttered, trying to move away. He sighed heavily and stepped back, al owing me freedom. I felt instantly bereft without his heat, without
him
.

“I don’t want to, but I suppose we should.”

He bent to retrieve his skates from the grass and linked his pinkie in mine as he stood up. I stared at him, grinning, because I found his pinkie hold adorable.

“I want to spend more time with you, although I have some work to do. Wil you come and see my band tomorrow night?”

He sounded uncertain, as if he expected me to

say no. Didn’t my response to him show how much I wanted to be with him? He obviously needed the reassurance, so I balanced on my tip toes and kissed the tip of his nose.

“I thought you wanted me alone.” He winced, so I answered his question. “Yes, but you might have to stop a cat fight if those girls start drooling over you.”

“Trying to defend my honor?” He asked, wiggling his eyebrows.

“Those girls were vicious! They’d stop at nothing to get you naked and panting for them.”

He snorted, pul ing me across the street and back to the store where we’d rented my skates. My heart was stil hammering against my chest from our interlude in the park. I hadn’t wanted it to end, and in some ways, I wished we’d been somewhere else so that it could have gone further. Except sex wasn’t what we needed right now. Sex would only complicate us further.

So with the express purpose of trying to open the lines of communication between us, I stopped walking and turned to him. “Who were you on the phone to? You sounded angry.”

He frowned and let go of my hand. I thought I’d blown it, but he pushed his hair back from his forehead and spoke. “A friend. There’s an issue with a check I gave him. I asked him to take it to someone...” He exhaled sharply, scrunching his face up as if he was battling the truth. I was shocked when actual y continued. “My parents. I asked him to give the money to my parents. They refused it. They never refuse it.”

“Never? You send them money a lot? Even though they want nothing to do with you? Why?”

He shrugged, “I owe them. They need it.”