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

eyes met, did what she always did to him now. He was smiling from ear toear despite his earlier qualms. She wore his 5thStreet sweatshirt she’d claimed weeks ago. She’d mentioned making it her ownthe other day and now he saw how. She’d cut the neck a bit, so it hung off herdelicate shoulder, the soft skin of her shoulder and neck teasing and Byron wasalready having visuals of kissing it from behind.

It wasn’t even until he met her at the back of her car by hertrunk that he noticed. “Your hairs darker.”

The blonde ends were gone so it was a solid dark brown all overas opposed to her previously highlighted hair.

She nodded with a slight hesitant smile. “You like it?”

Byron touched her thick brunette tresses. It felt just as soft asalways. “Jesus, Savannah, you could have green hair and you’d still bebeautiful.”

That made her smile bigger. “Thank you.” She shrugged. “I’d beenthinking of going solid brown for a while. So, when Nena mentioned going evenlighter recently, I decided maybe this will finally help people tell us apart.”

Before she could open the trunk, he pulled her to him, and sheeagerly wrapped her arms around his neck. He kissed her, and as usual her responseto his touch so genuinely reciprocated everything he was feeling for her.

Determined to not ruin shit by getting all pushy or overthinkingher ex wanting to reconnect, Byron enjoyed the taste of her sweet mouth alittle longer kissing her deeper instead. Of course, her ex would still havefeelings for her. How couldn’t he? But how could Byron blame her forthat? She moaned then giggled against his mouth. He pulled away and wasinstantly smiling again at the sight of her bright eyes.

“Oh my God, Byron” she said breathlessly with that now familiardazed smile as she gazed into his eyes. “I don’t think I’ll ever get enough ofyour kisses.”

“Yeah, same here.” He adjusted his crotch not so subtly, whichonly made her laugh more.

“To be continued,” she murmured turning to her trunk and openedit. “You can’t look in the bags and you have to give me a moment to set up inthe kitchen so that it’s not so obvious what I’m making, okay?”

Byron wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, not caringthat there was no missing the intrusive erection that pushed up against her andkissed her shoulder. She stiffened slightly then laughed under her breath.“Tonight’s gonna be fun.”

“Damn straight.” Giving into his feelings he buried his face in herneck breathing in the sweet, sweet scent of Savannah. “I missed you,baby.”

For a moment she didn’t say anything, as Byron started to regret beingso obviously whipped, and the slip of the term of endearment. Until she turnedaround suddenly to face him with a big almost surprised smile bringing her handto his face. “I missed you too.”

Gazing deep into her eyes, Byron wondered if she could hear hispounding heart. What the hell had she done to him in such a short time? Shekissed him softly this time. Not frantically like they’d kissed earlier butemotionally it was still insanely intense.

Byron kissed her one last time before grabbing a handful of bagsfrom the trunk of her car. She grabbed a few bags and closed her trunk. “I’llcome back for my overnight bag later.”

With the shop closed now and everyone gone home they had thewhole place to themselves. Despite their hands being full the whole way up thestairs was nonstop kissing and giggling.

As expected, once they reached the kitchen and rid themselves ofthe bags, they were once again all over each other. Laughing between frenziedkisses Savannah nudged him back gently. “I need to get started on what I’m gonnamake and you need to vamoose it out of here until I’m all set up.”

After stealing a few more hungry kisses, Byron complied anddecided to take a shower and change out of his work clothes. He took a marathonquick shower and was out feeling like he couldn’t get dressed fast enough. Halfdressed, he smiled wondering how something so trivial like the bracelet she’dmade him had quickly become a safety blanket. Just like today when he’d playedwith it after her calls it helped calm his impatient heart. He grabbed it offthe bathroom sink and wrapped it around his wrist before heading out of theroom, forgoing a shirt altogether. He’d likely be taking it off soon anyway andhis anxious heart wanted his lips on her again already. As quickly as he’dbegun to make his way out into the kitchen, he slowed when he heard her hushedvoice.

“. . . because . . .” She paused for a second. “I know. Iknow but he already . . .”

Her voice lowered even more to where he couldn’t hear what shewas saying anymore, except he could definitely hear hushed talking still goingon. Byron’s heart sped up as his mind jumped to all kinds of conclusions aboutthe odd behavior. Though he glanced down at the bracelet she made him and remindedhimself this wouldn’t be the first time he’d begun to jump to the wrongconclusion.

Straining to hear more, Byron stood still just outside thekitchen door but even the hushed talking was inaudible now. Was she off thephone now? When he finally decided to walk into the kitchen, she was doingsomething—leaning over looking at her phone screen that sat on the counter—thenflinched noticeably when she heard him. She brought her hand to her chest witha gasp. “Jesus, you scared me.”

“What are you doing?”

“Oh, I was just checking my texts.”

“Who were you on the phone with?”

Her eyes widened as if his inquiry surprised her. Did she reallythink he hadn’t heard her? Byron tried not to peer at her too hard, tooaccusatory, but her unnerved demeanor really did make it feel like he’d caughther red handed. Question was, what the hell had he caught her doing?

“My sister,” she said glancing away too quickly. “We werediscussing what we’re getting daddy for his birthday.” She glanced back at himwith a more genuine, less nervous smile. “It’s his birthday next week. Nena andI told him I have finals for the next few