Not Even Close (A New Generation) by Elizabeth Reyes (books to read in a lifetime txt) 📗

Xochitl had since secretly recordedmore of the outrageous flirting Mrs. Diaz was still doing. Even that, Nena saidshe could edit to blur out faces but add to what she said might turn into alittle soap opera. One that would play out right on their channels.

Glancing down at her phone, she tapped on the shortcut to theirchannel. Clearly people loved juicy gossip because the footage with anexplanation of how it related to the video of the screaming match had beenuploaded weeks ago, and it too was now getting a ton of hits.

“Hey.”

Clutching her chest, Vannah practically jumped out of her skin.She glanced up to a weirdly smirking Byron standing outside her door. “Sorry,didn’t mean to startle you.” He glanced down at the phone in her hand. “Gotcaught up texting?”

“No.” She shook her head gathering her school bag and laptop fromthe passenger side seat. “I was checking our channel to see how many hits andlikes a certain post has gotten.”

Byron helped her with her things as she got out of the car, buthis lips were on hers as soon as he got the chance. Savannah smiled feeling thenow familiar tingling her insides did any time he touched her. “I can come backfor my bags later. I’d like to get started on that paper. I hate having stufflike that hanging over my head.”

They walked hand in hand into the shop, and up to his apartment.There was no shortage of kissing, groping, and fondling each other, even asthey’d walked up the stairs but more so, the moment they were behind closeddoors.

Vannah attempted in vain to calm her pounding heart. She’ddiscussed this in length on more than one occasion now with her mom, Nena andwith Xochitl. They were all in agreement that the subject of virginity had verylikely been brought up by Byron that very first week when they’d spent so muchtime video chatting, and on the phone, because of her age. She’d been honestwith him and told him about being active with her boyfriend during her senioryear of high school. But she’d been vague. She now knew Byron’s intensity whenit came to things of that nature was the norm and it’d been instantly ondisplay even back then. Because he’d quickly moved onto another subject altogether.Clearly, he hadn’t been anxious to hear any intimate details about herrelationship with her ex. Especially about that in particular. But she’d known whenthe time came, she’d be more specific about just how much experience, or lackthereof, she actually had. Each time they were together now, she knew it wasjust a matter of time. Today she’d even come prepared and worn the brand-newsexy panties and matching bra.

Except thinking about moving their relationship to the next level,made Vannah nervous. Byron was proof she’d never been in love with her ex. Notonce in the entire relationship with her ex had she felt anything even close towhat she felt for Byron in just a month. The crazed frenzy her body felt fromhis kisses alone, didn’t even compare. She also knew sleeping with Byron would exceedany expectations she’d been imagining for weeks. The little experience she hadin that department, was no doubt laughable in comparison to anything Byronmight have to offer. Already even the things he had done to her had her tinglingjust thinking about them sometimes at the most inappropriate moments—like inclass. Not only was she nervous about living up to the standards of a manlike Byron, but of falling even harder than she already had this quickly.

But her mother was still of the adamant belief that completehonesty and openness was the only way to go. Vannah agreed, especiallysince it seemed to be Byron’s thought process as well. Only putting herfeelings out there like that so soon was scary. Despite how much she felt forhim already, it still felt too soon. For now, she’d play it by ear.

After more marathon making out, Byron finally let her be so shecould get her paper done. As if it weren’t hard enough to concentrate onanything else in the past month, being here in his apartment, knowing whatmight be happening when she was done, proved so much harder.

A couple of hours later, when she was finally done going back andforth between thoughts of Byron, and obsessing with her paper, Byron stuck hishead into his bedroom where she was working on it. “You wanna take a break sowe could go grab lunch? Or if you still need time, I can order something. We caneat here.”

The question alone, had her insides whirling with excitement already.Chewing the corner of her lip, she thought about how best to word it without soundingtoo obvious. “I’m actually getting ready to wrap it up. But I think I’d ratherstay in anyway.”

He gazed at her in a way she was certain he’d picked up on whatshe meant—not just for lunch—but all day. Feeling her face heat, she knew she waslikely blushing over just that. Without saying anything, he walked over to thebed where she sat, and kissed her so profoundly, she thought she might swoon.

When he finally pulled away, he looked as enthralled as she felt.“I’d rather stay in too.”

His kisses always did things to her she’d given up trying tounderstand, but this one felt different somehow. Hearing him say he’d ratherstay in too, but mostly seeing how genuinely rapt he seemed, she wondered nowif he was feeling it too.

Licking his lips, he cleared his throat as he glanced awaymomentarily. “Anything in particular you feel like having?”

“Anything but Mexican,” she said trying to shake off her dazeddemeanor. “We’ll be having that all weekend I’m sure. Surprise me.”

Leaning in again, he pecked her softly. “Got it. I’ll go order inthe kitchen so you can finish up.”

She nodded staring at him the whole time as he walked out.Inhaling deeply when he was finally out of sight, she exhaled a bit exaggerated,feeling silly suddenly. Going back to her paper, she tweaked it a few moretimes before she forced herself to stop obsessing and just send it already. Shemet him back in the kitchen where he was tapping at