And there's the punch to my gut. And my ego. Of course, the boys erupt with howling laughter so loud it pierces my ears.

I stare at Allie, wondering if this is really how it all ends. Slowly, her smile fades and her eyes lock with mine. Her eyes shine like they're filling with tears. “I'm sorry, Tyler,” she says quietly into the mic, and the house goes quiet. “I'm sorry that I couldn't respond to you at the restaurant. I'm sorry that I've pushed away. I'm sorry that I had to do all of this so I could tell you how I felt.”

I stop breathing.

“I'm sorry that I just told everyone the secrets you shared with only me. I did it because I wanted everyone to understand that even though I know all of those stories and more, I'm still that ten-year-old girl quietly sitting next to the cutest boy I'd ever seen. And I'm still that twelve-year-old girl that tried so hard to get you to notice me that I wore a Poison Ivy costume for Halloween three years in a row. And I'm still the girl that said no to everyone that asked me to senior prom, because I so wanted to be the girl that made your jaw drop when you picked me up. And it did. I swear I saw it, Tyler—your jaw drop when you saw me. And I told you I loved you that night. And you said the same. But we lied to each other and pretended it was said as friends. And we've lied to each other every day since.” She inhales deeply. “And I'm done lying, Ty.”

Troy's the first to clap—tears streaming down his face. The rest of the house follows. I try to get to her, but my hands are still tied. “Allie…”

She drops the piece of paper on the stage and looks over at Chase. Then she nods once and the next thing I know I'm being lifted off the ground, chair and all, by four of my brothers. Allie leads the way into the house, up the stairs, and into my bedroom, where the boys place me roughly onto the middle of the floor. “Have fun, cum-fart!”

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

With bated breath, I watch as her eyes move from the bedroom door to me. “Hi,” she says.

“Hi,” I say back.

She doesn’t respond, just takes a step forward. And then another. She keeps doing this until her legs are on either side of mine and she’s sitting on my lap. Not close enough that she can feel my premature hard-on, but close enough that I can sniff her hair—which I do. Because, fuck. I’ve never missed a smell so much in my entire life.

She places her forearms on my shoulders and leans forward slightly, pushing her tits under my nose. My gaze drops to her cleavage. Slowly, she starts to unbutton the dress. I’ve never hated buttons as much as I do right now. Stupid buttons. I try to help her—speed it up a bit—but I almost squeal like a girl when the ties around my hands tighten and I’m even more restrained to the fucking chair.

“I have a question for you...” she says.

“Goddammit, Allie. They’re buttons. Just put those little fuckers through the holes and move to the next one!” I say to her breasts.

“My eyes are up here, Playboy.”

“I’d care if I was interested in your eyes, Tease.”

She laughs and her hand freezes on the half freed button. She’s undone enough that I can see the middle of her bra.

With a desperation I didn’t know existed, I dip my head and try to rip the buttons off with my teeth.

Her laugh makes me angry—and now I’m hard and she’s not even close enough to be impressed by it. Because it is impressive. And I want her to know that. She grasps the back of my head and tilts my head up. She raises an eyebrow.

“Fine,” I mumble, “Quit teasing me and ask your stupid question.”

“In a minute,” she whispers, and then her mouth lowers and covers mine—fulfilling the majority of my teenage fantasies. Her lips taste like strawberries. Like heaven. Her tongue is even better. Her kisses are soft, but her fingers are still curled around my hair and she’s in full control. She opens her mouth wider, her breasts against my chest. I try, in vain, to get my arms free when she lets out a moan that makes my cock twitch. Then I pull away, gasping for breath. She moves from my mouth to my jaw, and to my neck, where she bites gently. “Untie me,” I pant, trying to decide what of her I want to touch first. Hair. Face. Ass. Tits. I look down at her cleavage again. Tits. Definitely tits.

She doesn’t respond.

I dip my head so I can take her mouth again, but she pulls back.

“So...” she says casually like my dick isn’t about to explode in my jeans. “What were you thinking about when you jerked off so hard you chipped a tooth?”

“Jesus Christ. That’s what you want to ask. Seriously?”

She just nods.

“I was thinking about the color of your nipples. So you owe me for chipping a tooth and for your little game earlier. Hurry up,” I almost spit, indicating to her breasts.

“If I untie you right now, what are you going to do?”

“Rip that dress in half.”

“Good!” And then she makes fast work of untying me.

And the first thing I do is make it rain buttons. Everywhere. Allie laughs hysterically at my desperation and I don’t even care because I’d been waiting for way too many years for this moment.

I reach behind her and effortlessly unclasp her bra.

“I don’t even want to know how you can do that so fast,” she mumbles, but I’m too busy staring at her nipples.

Pink.

She said they were but holy shit. “Your tits are phenomenal,” I say.