The pounding gets more erratic, and I realized it’s my heart trying to break free of my ribcage. “Because…” My voice warbles, causing his head to jerk in concern. “I don’t know if it means anything to you, but I’ve never kissed anyone else.” I sniff as he looks up, meeting my eyes. “It means something to me. You mean something to me.”
His bottom lip moves down, and then up, as if he’s figuring out what to say. I don’t care that he’s speechless. The way his bottom lip pouts and shines makes my heartbeat ease.
“Jamie.” His voice is soft and cautious. “I’ve… I’ve liked you for so long. Like, a forever kind of long. You’ve never seemed to notice me before. I figured you kissed me because you were bored or something.”
I laugh out of surprise. “Bored? I’d never have the guts to do something like that. How many guys do you think I’ve kissed?”
He shifts on the bed. “I dunno. You’re really pretty. I don’t get how no one’s ever kissed you before.”
My face flames red. “You think I’m pretty?”
He scoots to the edge of the bed. “You’re beautiful.”
My mind rewinds to the day he called me beautiful in the school halls. It was after he witnessed the Miss Perfects ridiculing me. I called him a brown-noser and never gave it another thought.
He meant it for real?
All this time I was fantasizing about him during our tutoring sessions, he was thinking about me too?
“I never wanted to say anything because I didn’t want to push you away,” Milo says. “I really like how close we’ve been getting. I was afraid you’d wake up and realize you were with me. A loser.”
Hurt runs through me like a hot blade through cold butter. “Oh, Milo, I’m sorry. You already told me you didn’t feel good enough. I didn’t mean to makeyou feel worse.” I leave the chair and sit on the floor in front of him. “I have these reactions around Kai that make me say impulsive things.” I kneel and touch his thigh. “When I’m around you, my body reacts in ways it never has. I don’t want to ruin what’s happening between us because I like it. I’m just scared of what Kai will say or do if he finds out.”
His hand brushes against mine. “Me too. He can be nasty without even trying.”
I stand on my knees, pressing myself against his legs as my face nears his. “I don’t want to do anything that will hurt you. Tonight sucked, knowing you were mad at me.”
“I wasn’t mad at—”
I place a finger over his lips, shushing him. My index finger rolls down his lips, falling to his chin. My hand cups his jawline as I edge my lips closer. His gulp pricks my ears, and my eyes close as I lightly kiss him.
He grasps my hips and kisses me back. His tongue slides between my partially open lips, and the sensation sends a thrilled shiver down my spine. My hands slide around his neck and play in the thick hair behind his head.
As our kiss increases in friction, our noses rub together. I can’t help giggling the third time I knock his glasses. We pull apart and I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand as he straightens his glasses.
I’m grinning at the sparkles behind his frame. His smile is adorably crooked, and his hands pull around my back to hug me. My waist pushes between his legs, and I flop onto his chest. His soothing heartbeat plays against Alfie’s purrs.
Milo chuckles. “Sounds like he approves.”
I reach down and scratch behind Alfie’s ear. “He’s not so bad after all.”
“Wow,” Milo murmurs. “Will you tell Kai that?”
I nod at him. “Yep. I don’t want him scaring Alfie anymore.”
Milo smooths a hand over my hair and kisses the top of my head. “Thank you.”
My eyes fall shut, and I let out a happy sigh.
“Kai’s already snapping at me for moving clothes and books into his room. I rearranged a space for myself, and he’s still whining about me touching his stuff.”
“I’m sorry my moving in has caused so much friction.”
“Don’t be.” He brushes the back of his hand against my cheek. “We wouldn’t be this close if you hadn’t moved in. Maybe if Kai knew about this, I could stay with you for longer.”
I shake my head. “Nope. If your mom found out we weren’t just studying, she’d never let you in here. Remember her ‘no girls in your room’ speech?”
“Well, that settles it then. I want to get away from Kai, and I want to keep kissing you. That means we’re keeping this a secret.”
