Free Worth the Chance by Vi Keeland

to invent new ways for me to have you.”
    A small moan escapes my mouth and his grip tightens even more around me. “You better run now, Liv. If I hear that sound one more time, I’m going to be breaking my promise to take it slow and I’m not going to stop until you can’t walk for a few days.”
    Begrudgingly, Vinny loosens his grip around me and slowly releases me. It’s clear he’s struggling and I open my mouth to speak, but Vinny puts his hand over my mouth silencing my attempt at words. His words a stern warning, “Go. Now.”
    ***
    The sun is starting to come up by the time I finally relax enough to fall asleep. But when I finally do, I find the boy that I once knew, rather than the man I’ve just left, take over my dreams.
    I’m sitting up against the tree, my knees drawn up to my chest, arms locked around them tightly. I look down at him, lying so casually and relaxed, his toned body sprawled out on the dark green grass. Hands folded behind his head, he smiles up at me and his pale blue eyes sparkle, contrasting beautifully against his tanned skin in the afternoon sunlight.
    “Kiss me, Liv.”
    I freeze at his words. I’ve kissed a boy before, but not one like Vinny. It’s pretty much all I could think about doing for the last four months. Yet here I sit like a deer in the headlights when the opportunity finally falls right into my lap.
    “Liv .” Vinny’s voice breaks me out of my daze. For a minute, I think I must have imagined that he just told me to kiss him. I even feel a little relief that it was all in my head. But the relief is short lived. His beautiful eyes lock onto mine and this time there’s no mistaking that I have n’t imagined his words. “Come here, Liv. Kiss me.”
    Still lying with his hands casually linked behind his head, he makes no attempt to move toward me. He sees the confusion on my face. “Lean down, Liv. Bring your mouth down to me and kiss me.”
    “Why?” Finally, I find my wits and speak.
    “Don’t you want to?” he says, a knowing smile on his face as he speaks.
    My face reddens before I even speak, giving away my embarrassment before my answer. “Yes.”
    “So kiss me then.”
    “But…”
    “Liv.”
    “What?”
    “Just do it. Stop thinking for once.”
    So I do. I lean down and, hesitantly, I touch my lips to his and kiss him. Gently, with closed mouth.
    I sit back up and open my eyes and find Vinny smiling up at me. I smile back at him, feeling relief . “Now really kiss me, Liv.”
    My smile quickly disappears, replaced by worry and nervousness. Unconsciously, I bite my lower lip. Vinny arches his eyebr ows, waiting patiently.
    Slowly, I lean back down to him and cover his lips with mine. At first, I’m hesitant to open my mouth, but then I do. I force myself to push all my fears away and I slip my tongue into his mouth. And that’s all it takes. Vinny growls and hooks his hand around my neck, pulling me closer as his tongue takes over the lead. We kiss for what seems like forever, coming up only for a few seconds each time, both of us panting wildly, gasping only for enough air to allow us to continue.
    Eventually Vinny breaks the kiss, ending the passionate embrace with a series of sweet, gentle, closed mouth kisses. Loosening his grip on the back of my neck enough to allow me to pull my head back to look at him, I find him smiling at me.
    “Why?” I ask.
    “Why what?” Vinny’s thumb strokes along the back of my neck gently as he speaks.
    “Why didn’t you kiss me? Why did you make me kiss you first?”
    “I was giving you time to say no.” He smiles at me with a cocky smile. “Even though I k new you wanted to. I didn’t know if you were ready for me.”

Chapter 15

    Vince
    “You’re dragging your ass. Do I need to ask what you were up to last night, or do we go straight back to random testing?” Nico’s in the ring with me. He’s right, I’m wiped this morning, but it has nothing to do with partying for a change.
    “I was