Page 104 of Sex Positive

She shivers. “Keep that up, and I’ll give you more access to it.”

“Deal.” His breath is warm on her neck, his voice soothing. It runs over her skin like aloe on a burn. His body shelters her, comforts her, the solidity of it a salve on her heart.

“Wes?”

He kisses her neck. “Yes?”

“Thank you,” she says.

His palms glide over her shoulders and down her arms before he laces their fingers together. “For what?”

“For making me feel safe.” It’s easier to say this when she’s not looking at him.

He tightens his arms around her, his lips pressing to her hair, her neck, everywhere he touches striking a match on her skin.

“I dream of a world where no one feels ashamed about their desires or how they choose to have sex,” she explains, “or when or where or with whom. I wanted to choose my first time without regrets.”

“And do you?” His lips crest over her temple. “Regret anything? Feel ashamed?”

“Not at all,” she immediately replies. He holds her even tighter to him. “You made it easy to choose you. I—” She swallows. “It always feels right with you. I always wanted it to be you.”

He rests his chin on her shoulder, his fingers tracing circles over her waist and stomach.

Twisting to face him, she peers up into his eyes. “It was neverjusta kiss, you know.”

His eyes flicker with surprise before he smiles. He pulls the completed braid over her shoulder and presses his mouth to hers.

“And it was never going to bejustsex with you,” he whispers. And then, “I never slept with Mia.”

She draws back, startled by the admission. “I don’t care if—”

“I need you to know.” He grasps her chin between his fingers. “It’s important to me that you know that.”

Charlie nods. “Okay.”

“I looked for you. At the party.” He drops his hand, linking their fingers together. “I texted you.”

She glances down at their interlaced fingers. “I know.”

“I tried talking to you.”

She nods. “I know.” She lifts her gaze again. “But you hurt me by what you said. You know that, right? You broke my heart.”

He squeezes her fingers tighter. “I do know. I’m so, so sorry. I wouldn’t be able to look at me either after hearing that.” His eyes shine with regret.

“It was a giant slap in the face when I thought we were friends,” she continues. “Friends don’t say things like that even behind their back. Especially if you cared about me.”

He exhales, his breath fluttering a few loose curls, his lips tracing a line from her shoulder to her jaw. He presses his lips to her knuckles once, twice, three times.

“I never meant to hurt you,” he whispers, raw sincerity in his voice. “I don’t ever want to hurt you again. You are the most important thing in my life, Charlie.”

Her heart clenches at his confession, the clear vulnerability carved on his handsome face.

“I’m so sorry, and I know words only go so far, but I’ll prove to you how sorry I am every day if you’ll let me. I wasted so much time trying to be someone I wasn’t. God, I’d give anything to go back to that day and kick that asshole in the fucking mouth.” He shakes his head, studying their clasped hands. “Sometimes when I’m callous or selfish, I’m afraid I’m turning into my father.”

Her heart clenches at his confession, the clear vulnerability carved on his handsome face.

His thumb traces over her knuckles, the back of her hand, before repeating the pattern. “He’s so ruthless and cold. He’ll do anything to the people around him to get what he wants. Ineverwant to be like that, but sometimes it’s all I think about because I’m afraid it’s inevitable.”