Until You (Until #1)

by Briar Prescott

“You’re something else, Jude.” “Stormy nights on rooftops give me mystique. Trust me, in daylight, I’m as average as they come.”

A slow smile spreads over his face, and my stupid stomach gives a jolt. Blake smiles with his whole body. It’s not just tilting the corners of his lips for him. It encompasses his whole being. I bet even his soul is smiling.

“Good in bed?” Nora lifts her brow. “Now there’s a pointless question to ask. It’s not like anybody’s going to say, ‘Oh, you know me, below average stamina and a small dick. Lower your expectations accordingly.’”

nearly jump out of my skin when my phone starts ringing. Who the fuck calls people? What kind of weird social experiment is this?

I don’t know how to do this. I don’t know how to trust people. I don’t know how I’m supposed to hand over the keys to all the places I’ve locked up inside me.

you never get to say goodbye to most people. They’re there, and then they’re gone, and nobody cares that you’re left behind with all those words you never got to say that are now trapped inside you for good.”

“Stay?” he whispers into my skin. “You stole my shoes. I kind of have to stay, don’t I?” I glance at him, gaze catching his. “Stay because you want to,” he says softly. In the end, the decision isn’t that difficult. “I’ll stay.”

Whatever Blake and I have… I don’t think I can say it’s temporary. Not anymore. I don’t think I can keep away. I don’t have enough self-control.

He’s everywhere. All around me, inside me. Just him and me. I’ve never felt this way before, because I’ve never done this with anybody who mattered.

“Blake?” I murmur softly. “Hmm?” he mumbles against my neck. “Remember how you said you weren’t really the dating type?” He lifts his head and studies me curiously before he nods. “Well, I was wondering,” I say. “If, maybe… you’d make an exception for me?”

“Okay.” “Yeah?” I ask. His smile grows even wider. “Yeah.” He looks down at where his thumbs are playing on my skin and then up again. Serious now. “You already are my every exception.”

“He’s pretty great,” I say, eyes locked on Blake’s back and the wild hand gestures he’s executing in the middle of Central Park. The words are surprisingly easy to say. They’re even easier to mean. I’m starting to suspect I could watch him forever and not get bored, and isn’t that a terrifying development?

He presses another kiss to my lips. Like he can’t stay away. I’m addicted to being wanted like this.

I want you to love me just the way you love me. Just make it forever. That’s all I need.”