Page 26 of Always: A Legacy Novel

“It’s not going to slip off now,” he told her.

She flipped her wrist around, admiring her new accessory. She loved it.

Catherine loved anything different and unique.

Like daisy crowns or conch shells on leather bracelets.

She looked up to thank Cross—again—but the words didn’t quite form when she found his dark gaze already locking onto hers.

Maybe it was giggling laughter from up above, or the sound of water coming in under the pier. Maybe it was the memory of a bloody smile and busted up knuckles. Maybe it was just him seeking her out for no reason at all.

Or shit …

Maybe it was just Cross.

Catherine really liked the way he looked at her.

She didn’t know what it was, but it was something. So, she leaned over and kissed him. Quick and fleeting, a fast press of her lips to his—silky, soft and over before she blinked or thought about it for too long.

Her first kiss.

Ever.

For a split second, Catherine’s mind went stupid. She thought maybe she shouldn’t have done that at all, and maybe he hadn’t wanted her to. Besides a dumb crush, she didn’t have a lot of experience with boys, and she didn’t know how to act or what to do.

She stopped thinking all together when she looked at Cross again. His grin grew a little wider.

Catherine looked down.

“Are you going to do that again?” he asked.

“I don’t know. Maybe.”

“Are you going to do it soon?”

Catherine’s cheeks heated. “Maybe.”

“Do you mind if I do it?”

Her head popped up again, and her gaze darting to his. “No, I don’t mind.”

It seemed like that was all Cross was waiting for.

Her okay.

Her permission.

Cross didn’t just lean over like she had done—no, his whole body moved toward her. His hands found her cheeks, and he pulled her into him before he kissed her. His kiss was not like hers had been. It wasn’t fast or fleeting; he didn’t pull away a quick second later, or barely kiss her at all. Where she had been hesitant, he was not.

No, she found his kiss was almost rough, but in a good way. A hard press of his soft lips to hers, and then another. His thumbs stroked the line of her cheekbones as his tongue darted in between her parted lips. She realized then that he tasted sweet and warm at the same time. Her worries and embarrassment slipped away as she found that she liked this a whole lot, too.

It wasn’t so hard to do.

And it all felt wonderful.

Catherine hadn’t realized how much she needed air to breathe until Cross pulled away. His dark eyes watched her for a moment, pulling her into a silent hurricane of feelings and wonder.

“I’ll probably do that again,” he told her, his voice low and promising. “Soon.”