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Our eyes flew up, connecting. She seemed surprised she’d spoken out loud, and I was surprised she said it at all. My stomach was flopping around like a fish out of water. Like no way any pizza would even be able to get down there with all the aerobics it was doing.
I liked it.
I liked it a whole hell of a lot.
I could have called attention to what she said. Let the whole damn table know that I was someone’s pick.
I didn’t need to. Just hearing those quiet, surprised words fall off her lips was enough for me. It was fucking everything. I wasn’t even hungry anymore. She’d just filled me up.
Her cheeks looked warm, lashes fluttering shyly. I wanted to kiss her. I wanted to pull her into my lap and kiss the shit out of her right there. I wanted it so bad I leaned in, cupping the back of her head and holding it so I could lay my forehead against hers.
Rubbing her hair, I breathed in deep. Taking in her presence, drinking in the bashfulness but also the way she didn’t try and take back what she said.
She owned her words.
She owned me.
“Any beauty you see in me is a reflection of you,” I murmured, pulling back just enough to kiss the tip of her nose.
I started to move away, but she caught my wrist, stopping my retreat. Unexpectedly, she leaned forward and laid her lips on mine.
It was a brief kiss, a mere brush of her soft lips. It paralyzed my heart and mind. I could do nothing but sit there, flabbergasted by her ability to rob me of literally everything but at the same time fill me to near bursting with fucking joy.
She sat back, a small smile playing on the mouth she’d just used as a weapon of mass destruction, and then picked up her fork like she had no idea I was obliterated.
Still paralyzed, I watched her cut off a small bite of the pizza and lift it. Her laughter was like ripples in the stillest of waters as the cheese stretched between the fork and plate.
The bite disappeared into her mouth, and she chewed delicately before glancing at my still-transfixed form. “It’s good,” she said, the tip of her pink tongue darting out to lick her lip. “Thanks for the pizza, Ben.”
Prism grabbed my shoulder and squeezed, which restarted my body and mind. I jolted with it but then smiled.
“Eat up,” I told her, rotating to look at P.
I’m in so much shit, bro, I told him with my eyes.
Oh, yeah, he answered with his.
“You need calories.” He spoke out loud, sliding not one but two slices of pizza onto my plate. They were steamy hot and extra melty, clearly just delivered to the table while I’d been having an internal meltdown because Jess fucking kissed me. Right there at the table. In front of everyone.
I’d sell my soul to the devil for her to do it again.
Beneath the table, someone kicked me. Hard.
“Ow!” I wailed, completely snapping out of it. I stared across the table at Max who sat there smirking, a half-empty beer in front of him.
“Asshole,” I told him.
“You’re welcome.”
I grabbed up the pizza and shoved half into my face. A groan instantly vibrated my throat as the flavors exploded over my tongue. Fuuuccckkk, this was good.
I devoured it in record time and barely swallowed before reaching for the next one.
“Ben?” Jess’s voice was accompanied by a light tug on the sleeve of my shirt.
“What is it, baby girl?” I asked, turning to see her staring.
I felt myself start to slip, her gaze like quicksand. I’d let her fucking swallow me.
