Her entire body fizzed and crackled from the contact on her lips. Jade stepped closer and wrapped their entwined hands behind April’s back to pull them closer together. That’s the moment April felt her entire body melt against Jade’s. If she wasn’t being held up by Jade at that moment, her knees would undoubtedly have given way beneath her.
Jade’s lips were even softer than they looked. And warmer, even after the recent gelato. The feeling of Jade surrounding her and all of her senses, made April feel energized and completely relaxed all at once.
Jade pulled back from their kiss but kept their bodies close. “Was that, ok? Areyouok?”
April lifted her free hand and gently touched her fingertips against her lips. “Mmm, yes. That was more than ok, Jade. Definitely more than ok.” She smiled, before sliding her fingers into Jade’s hair at the nape of her neck and pulling her in for another kiss. This one was different, more confident.
A moment later, April pulled back, moving apart from Jade, yet their fingers lingered together.
They didn’t move. They just stood facing each other flushed cheeks and knowing smiles before Jade took charge and started walking down the street together again.
“So, whose turn is it? I’ve lost track.” Jade said with a grin, breaking the silence and making April laugh.
“I think it’s yours, but I’m not even sure of my own name right now, so be careful what you ask, or I could be liable to disclose national secrets.” April felt her skin flush, but at least it wasn’t as obvious as it had been earlier in the evening.
“Interesting,” Jade said with a sly look on her face that quickly crumped into a laugh, “staying on topic then: first kiss?”
April froze.
“April? Are you ok? Did I say something wrong?” Jade’s face was full of panic and concern.
“No. You didn’t. You’ve beenamazing.” April gave Jade’s hand a reassuring squeeze. “It’s just that, well. My life is complicated, and busy, it always has been. It’s also not quite my own to run, so there hasn’t really been an opportunity, with someone of interest, to...” April trailed off, staring into the distance.
“Oh,” Jade said, trying to contain the surprise in her voice, “I see. So, that was...?” Jade didn’t need to complete the thought for April to know that Jade understood what had just happened.
“Yeah,” April said with a sheepish nod, then took a deep breath, “my first kiss.”And what a kiss it was. April couldn’t believe that the wait was finally over. For years she’d imagined what it would feel like, where it would happen, what the womanshe’d eventually kiss would look like. But in reality? It felt incredible, and on a night like tonight with Jade? It was beyond her wildest dreams.
She exhaled slowly before continuing as they resumed walking again. “Without telling you my family and job situation, I’ve known my whole life that I was gay. I never even wanted to try kissing a boy to test it out because that wouldn’t have been fair to himorto me. I wasn’t lying when I said nobody knows I’m gay. That includes no teenage girls whom I kissed in secret growing up. I’ve never met anyone that I wanted to risk the consequences of people finding out about it.” She threw a side-glance toward Jade as she continued. “Until I looked over in the bar tonight and saw you laughing with your friend. And somehow, I just knew: if nothing else happened, I knew I wanted to kiss you tonight. So, thank you, for making tonight memorable in more ways than you had previously known.”
“April, everyone must experience their first of everything. For you to choose me to be your first kiss, believe me when I say it was my honor. Not to mention, I think it was as memorable for both of us.” Without breaking eye contact with April, Jade raised their clasped hands up and placed a soft kiss on the back of April’s hand. “Your turn,” Jade said with a wink and a smile.
April was grateful that Jade broke the tension so easily. A trait that not many people around possessed. “Ok then, right back at you: first kiss?” April asked as they turned a corner and were met with a playground, where they walked over to each sit down on a swing in opposite directions to face one another.
“Sarah Clarkson, at the cinema, in the dark, we were 12, and both had braces.” Jade grimaced as she continued, “Let’s just say it didn’t end well, and that’s one waynotto come out to your parents.” Jade shook her head in embarrassment at the memory.
April’s eyes nearly popped out of her head, “Nooooo, you didn’t!”
“Yeah, they had to call our parents who ended up taking us to the hospital to untangle our braces. It was awful. We were the talk of the school for months. She ignored me from the next day onwards, she went back into the closet, and I stayed out and proud. It didn’t matter who knew; it wasn’t going to change who I was,” Jade said with a tone that resembled confidence but still had the shadows of hurt behind it.
“Well, I’m glad your last kiss didn’t end up with a trip to the hospital, so that’s a plus,” April said, catching Jade’s eye and smiling.
“There is that, yes.” Jade grinned.
Before they realized, hours had passed. The air had cooled, but it wasn’t cold. They had walked for what felt like the entire length of the city and had not had a single moment of awkward silence. It was the most perfect impromptu first date that April could have ever dreamed of.
“Thank you,” April said as they turned the corner onto the street of Dani’s apartment. “I’ve had an incredible night” April looked up at the sky beginning to lighten and smiled as she added, “And morning, with you.” Her face fell slightly as she continued. “I’m staying at my friend’s apartment tonight. It's the third one down on the left, but,” April stopped, her head dropping, “I’m just not ready for you to walk me to the door in case she sees. I’m sorry, Jade.” Shame flooded April’s body at the admission. She’d had a great time with Jade, so why wouldn’t she want to share this happiness with her best friend?
“Hey, look at me,” Jade said softly as she reached up and gently hooked a finger under April’s chin to slowly lift her head up and waited on them making eye contact before continuing. “Don’t dare feel a single ounce of shame over not feeling ready. You have nothing to apologize for. I’m a big girl. I’ll be fine. It’syouwho has to be ready when the time comes, ok? I had the best time with you, April. Seriously, I can’t remember the last time Ispent so long getting to know someone in a single evening...and morning,” she winked. Urgh, April melted a little more every time Jade winked at her.
April leaned in and kissed Jade one last time before they parted ways. She turned around once she was at Dani’s door, and her breath caught seeing Jade standing with all the confidence in the world, waving at her, before climbing into a waiting taxi and driving off.
Damn, I forgot to get her number!
Chapter 9
Jade
Jade felt the grin on her face before she opened her eyes.What a night!She called over to her Smart-Speaker and turned on music throughout her loft apartment. Nothing like some Samba music to get the blood flowing on a Sunday morning. She reached over to her phone and saw a message waiting.
