The XOXO New Adult Collection: 16 Full Length New Adult Stories by Heidi McLaughlin, Wendy Owens, Kimberly Knight, Brina Courtney, Raine Thomas, Bethany Lopez, A. O. Peart, Amanda Aksel, Felicia Tatum, Amanda Lance Page B
Authors: Heidi McLaughlin, Wendy Owens, Kimberly Knight, Brina Courtney, Raine Thomas, Bethany Lopez, A. O. Peart, Amanda Aksel, Felicia Tatum, Amanda Lance
Tags: Coming of Age, Contemporary Romance, new adult, alpha male romance, new adult romance, College romance, coming of age romance
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pulls away. He sits forward and pulls my hand into his. He links his fingers with mine and sets our hands down between us on the bench. No one can see the connection we are sharing at this moment. I can’t see it either, but I can feel it. Our bodies are in tune with one another. Mine wants his to touch me, to feel him pressed up against me in the most intimate way. My skin, it feels scorched from his touch. How can a simple kiss make me feel like this? When the ride stops, he gives my fingers a squeeze before helping me out of the car.
My steps are shaky. He puts his arm around my waist, steadying me. His lips brush against my ear. I feel like my skin is about to catch fire. “I hope you enjoyed the ride.” He steps away and waits for me to lead the way out.
“How was it?” Both girls ask at the same time.
“It was great,” I say and that’s not a lie. What I felt in there, what I’ve been feeling since earlier this morning... no man should be able to elicit those types of feelings from me. They are only for Mason, whether he’s here or not.
CHAPTER 13
Harrison
Walking down the ramp from the Haunted Mansion, I try to eliminate the big ass grin that has taken over my face. Taking Katelyn on this ride was a total ploy because I wanted a chance to hold her and knew by listening to her talk that this would be the perfect opportunity. But making out with her twice, within a ten-hour span, definitely ranks high on my list of accomplishments. After she left my room in the early hours of the morning, I thought her walls would be up. That she’d be closed off and attached to Josie all day. So, when she started walking with me – when she would touch me without thinking about it – I knew she was letting her feelings come through.
I don’t know if she realized what she was doing. She’d brush her hand down my side after giving Elle water or the she’d grab my shirt to change my direction. I caught every single moment. These weren’t friendly gestures, at least not in my book. Most important, though, was the way she asked if I was hungry and that was the only time I couldn’t hide my reaction. She knew I caught the underlying meaning and I tried to play it off for her sake, but inside I was rejoicing.
I purposely chose a table that sat five. I wanted to see what we’d look like as a family and the picture in front of me was one any man would be proud of. Now that I’ve seen it, I want this even more.
Liam is standing at the exit when I come around the corner. I look over at Katelyn, who is now back to completely ignoring me, fucking perfect. I reach for my sunglasses and realize that I had turned my baseball hat backwards. I’m damn lucky that I didn’t lose them on the ride. Not that it would’ve mattered, kissing her is so worth the cost of replacing them. I turn my hat around and stop in front of Liam who’s watching Katelyn as she walks by and up to Josie and the kids.
“What’s with her?”
“She got scared.”
Liam laughs. “I can’t believe she even went in there. Mason could never get her on a ride during the fair. He tried enough times though.”
“Yeah, it was fun,” I say, rubbing my cap back and forth.
Liam and I walk behind the girls. Noah and Quinn are a few steps ahead of them. Josie is holding Elle’s hand and Katelyn has Peyton. The picture from earlier – the five us – holding hands like a family sticks in my mind. No one balked. Not even Peyton, who I thought for sure, would refuse to be silly. It felt good to be like that.
“Are you serious about her?”
My steps falter with Liam’s questioning. We’ve never discussed women before, except for Quinn’s oven, but he knows that I’m interested in Katelyn. I’ve not exactly hidden how I feel.
“I am,” I reply confidently.
“How serious?”
This time, I stop so I can look him in the eye. I know I don’t have to answer to him, she has parents for that, but he’s her friend and he’s fiercely protective of
My steps are shaky. He puts his arm around my waist, steadying me. His lips brush against my ear. I feel like my skin is about to catch fire. “I hope you enjoyed the ride.” He steps away and waits for me to lead the way out.
“How was it?” Both girls ask at the same time.
“It was great,” I say and that’s not a lie. What I felt in there, what I’ve been feeling since earlier this morning... no man should be able to elicit those types of feelings from me. They are only for Mason, whether he’s here or not.
CHAPTER 13
Harrison
Walking down the ramp from the Haunted Mansion, I try to eliminate the big ass grin that has taken over my face. Taking Katelyn on this ride was a total ploy because I wanted a chance to hold her and knew by listening to her talk that this would be the perfect opportunity. But making out with her twice, within a ten-hour span, definitely ranks high on my list of accomplishments. After she left my room in the early hours of the morning, I thought her walls would be up. That she’d be closed off and attached to Josie all day. So, when she started walking with me – when she would touch me without thinking about it – I knew she was letting her feelings come through.
I don’t know if she realized what she was doing. She’d brush her hand down my side after giving Elle water or the she’d grab my shirt to change my direction. I caught every single moment. These weren’t friendly gestures, at least not in my book. Most important, though, was the way she asked if I was hungry and that was the only time I couldn’t hide my reaction. She knew I caught the underlying meaning and I tried to play it off for her sake, but inside I was rejoicing.
I purposely chose a table that sat five. I wanted to see what we’d look like as a family and the picture in front of me was one any man would be proud of. Now that I’ve seen it, I want this even more.
Liam is standing at the exit when I come around the corner. I look over at Katelyn, who is now back to completely ignoring me, fucking perfect. I reach for my sunglasses and realize that I had turned my baseball hat backwards. I’m damn lucky that I didn’t lose them on the ride. Not that it would’ve mattered, kissing her is so worth the cost of replacing them. I turn my hat around and stop in front of Liam who’s watching Katelyn as she walks by and up to Josie and the kids.
“What’s with her?”
“She got scared.”
Liam laughs. “I can’t believe she even went in there. Mason could never get her on a ride during the fair. He tried enough times though.”
“Yeah, it was fun,” I say, rubbing my cap back and forth.
Liam and I walk behind the girls. Noah and Quinn are a few steps ahead of them. Josie is holding Elle’s hand and Katelyn has Peyton. The picture from earlier – the five us – holding hands like a family sticks in my mind. No one balked. Not even Peyton, who I thought for sure, would refuse to be silly. It felt good to be like that.
“Are you serious about her?”
My steps falter with Liam’s questioning. We’ve never discussed women before, except for Quinn’s oven, but he knows that I’m interested in Katelyn. I’ve not exactly hidden how I feel.
“I am,” I reply confidently.
“How serious?”
This time, I stop so I can look him in the eye. I know I don’t have to answer to him, she has parents for that, but he’s her friend and he’s fiercely protective of
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