side, his own gaze dropping to my lips.
I can’t believe what I’m doing. It’s so not a good idea.
Every instinct I had kept me from backing away, though. I wanted his kiss, I realized before leaning in to meet him. I had been waiting for him for such a long time, even if I hadn’t known it sooner.
The contact was soft, like a butterfly caress, and it lingered for a couple of never-ending seconds. My heart hammered in my chest and my breath hitched, and it felt like the first right thing I’d done in my life.
Even if it had been only a kiss on the cheek.
When he pulled back, I forced myself to smile, hoping that it wouldn’t look as nervous as it felt. His own expression was serious, but soft around the edges. A tiny voice in the back of my head dared to wonder whether that was how love might look in Keith’s face, but I smothered it without remorse—it was stupid to think about love so soon.
There was caring in there, though. Gentleness and caring.
I giggled, self-conscious, and reached up to sweep my bangs to the side, even though they were firmly in place already. Anything to break the moment. He hadn’t even touched me beyond the mere brush of lips against skin and there I was, turning to mush.
His hand beat me to my faked fussing, tucking the longest strands behind my ear and brushing against the side of my face when he pulled back. It was the opposite cheek from the one he’d kissed, and now both of them felt equally tingly and warm.
It scared me. Again. More than the realization in his kitchen had.
“Tomorrow, I’m going to town with Anna. There’s this café with the best mocha ever. Do you like mocha?” The words spilled out without conscious thought once more.
“Yeah, I do,” he said, softening his intense look with a small smile. It wasn’t much, but it allowed me to think things through.
“Would you like to come?” Okay, perhaps I wasn’t thinking that much yet.
“Would you like me to come?”
I had an urge to roll my eyes, but that would have been out of place. “I wouldn’t have asked you if I didn’t.”
He sat back, all the way to his previous position, and took a deep breath. “Are you sure? It could get really ugly, really fast.”
“If you don’t want to come, just say so.”
He snorted a dry, humorless laugh. “Of course I want to go. I’d give anything for this chance, but I still worry about you.”
“I can take care of myself, and I can make my own choices,” I said, choosing to be offended over being floored by his honest answer. “You just have to make yours.”
“Then, yes. Always yes.”
“Good. We’ll meet in front of the mall, and then go to the café. I think you’ll like the place, very cozy. Wait, do you have a car?”
“Don’t worry about it. I can walk.”
“No, no way, I’ll tell Anna to…” I bit back my words. “Anna usually picks me up, but she’ll probably go with Ray in his car.”
“As I said, it’s okay. We’ll meet there. What time?”
“Five. But I’ll call you, in case we’re late. Never rule out that possibility.”
He nodded. “Fine. Can I have your number as well?” He pulled out his cell and I realized that we hadn’t exchanged numbers. I had been disappointed because he had chastely kissed my cheek instead of ravishing me, and I hadn’t even talked on the phone or texted him, ever. We had never had a conversation longer than the one we were having today, either.
It was crazy, and I didn’t want to dwell on it. I gave him my number and a shiver ran down my spine when he smiled wickedly and said “Gotcha” in that deep voice of his.
He noticed and stood up, holding out a hand to help me. “It’s getting cold. Sorry, I shouldn’t have kept you out this late.”
I took his hand and said nothing about how warm I was actually feeling.
CHAPTER 13
I called Anna as soon as I arrived home and filled her in. She liked the idea and told me she would pick me up the next afternoon and that she
I can’t believe what I’m doing. It’s so not a good idea.
Every instinct I had kept me from backing away, though. I wanted his kiss, I realized before leaning in to meet him. I had been waiting for him for such a long time, even if I hadn’t known it sooner.
The contact was soft, like a butterfly caress, and it lingered for a couple of never-ending seconds. My heart hammered in my chest and my breath hitched, and it felt like the first right thing I’d done in my life.
Even if it had been only a kiss on the cheek.
When he pulled back, I forced myself to smile, hoping that it wouldn’t look as nervous as it felt. His own expression was serious, but soft around the edges. A tiny voice in the back of my head dared to wonder whether that was how love might look in Keith’s face, but I smothered it without remorse—it was stupid to think about love so soon.
There was caring in there, though. Gentleness and caring.
I giggled, self-conscious, and reached up to sweep my bangs to the side, even though they were firmly in place already. Anything to break the moment. He hadn’t even touched me beyond the mere brush of lips against skin and there I was, turning to mush.
His hand beat me to my faked fussing, tucking the longest strands behind my ear and brushing against the side of my face when he pulled back. It was the opposite cheek from the one he’d kissed, and now both of them felt equally tingly and warm.
It scared me. Again. More than the realization in his kitchen had.
“Tomorrow, I’m going to town with Anna. There’s this café with the best mocha ever. Do you like mocha?” The words spilled out without conscious thought once more.
“Yeah, I do,” he said, softening his intense look with a small smile. It wasn’t much, but it allowed me to think things through.
“Would you like to come?” Okay, perhaps I wasn’t thinking that much yet.
“Would you like me to come?”
I had an urge to roll my eyes, but that would have been out of place. “I wouldn’t have asked you if I didn’t.”
He sat back, all the way to his previous position, and took a deep breath. “Are you sure? It could get really ugly, really fast.”
“If you don’t want to come, just say so.”
He snorted a dry, humorless laugh. “Of course I want to go. I’d give anything for this chance, but I still worry about you.”
“I can take care of myself, and I can make my own choices,” I said, choosing to be offended over being floored by his honest answer. “You just have to make yours.”
“Then, yes. Always yes.”
“Good. We’ll meet in front of the mall, and then go to the café. I think you’ll like the place, very cozy. Wait, do you have a car?”
“Don’t worry about it. I can walk.”
“No, no way, I’ll tell Anna to…” I bit back my words. “Anna usually picks me up, but she’ll probably go with Ray in his car.”
“As I said, it’s okay. We’ll meet there. What time?”
“Five. But I’ll call you, in case we’re late. Never rule out that possibility.”
He nodded. “Fine. Can I have your number as well?” He pulled out his cell and I realized that we hadn’t exchanged numbers. I had been disappointed because he had chastely kissed my cheek instead of ravishing me, and I hadn’t even talked on the phone or texted him, ever. We had never had a conversation longer than the one we were having today, either.
It was crazy, and I didn’t want to dwell on it. I gave him my number and a shiver ran down my spine when he smiled wickedly and said “Gotcha” in that deep voice of his.
He noticed and stood up, holding out a hand to help me. “It’s getting cold. Sorry, I shouldn’t have kept you out this late.”
I took his hand and said nothing about how warm I was actually feeling.
CHAPTER 13
I called Anna as soon as I arrived home and filled her in. She liked the idea and told me she would pick me up the next afternoon and that she
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