Page 159 of Tell Me I'm Enough

“Tell me.”

“I can’t.”

“Why?”

He looks almost pained. “It’s just…too complicated.”

That’s an understatement when it comes to us.

“So? I still wanna know.”

He shakes his head slowly, and the silence that he lets linger kills me. I just sit there, waiting for him to give me more, to tellme this thing between us isn’t all in my head. I need to know if that’s what he’s been running from. If he doesn’t want it…or if he does…or what the hell any of it means.

“I…I just…I want you too badly sometimes, Simone.”

My breath catches, not expecting him to actually admit it. I’m caught off guard, even though deep down, I knew that was a possibility.

I don’t know where my bravery comes from, but the alcohol slowly starts to take over and do the talking for me.

“Why don’t you do something about that then?”

I watch him back up a little, putting space back between us that I hate.

“Simone, don’t.”

I stand up, leaning against the bed frame. “Don’t what?”

“Don’t say things you don’t mean. We’re both pretty drunk.”

“Don’t they say alcohol makes youmorehonest?”

He studies me for a moment, weighing the lines he wants to cross.

It feels like forever before he finally says something.

“Come here.”

I pause, shocked by the boldness, but also too engulfed in the fire that’s starting between us to stop myself.

I walk over, closing the space between us, and he takes the side of my face in his hand, slowly moving his thumb along my jaw.

“So if I were to kiss you right now, you wouldn’t freak out?”

“I might,” I tell him honestly.

He smirks down at me. “Tell me what you want.”

“I want you to kiss me,” I whisper.

“Then I’m gonna kiss you now, okay?”

“But we shouldn’t.”

“I know.”

“This isn’t—”

“Sure.”