Page 118 of Not So Very Sensible

He shook his head, removed his glasses, then popped them on the mantlepiece. “I can see just fine. Especially this close.”

Her head tilted, her skin prickling as he lifted a hand and tucked a chunk of magenta hair behind her ear. “Did I mention I like this colour on you?”

“No.”

“I like this colour on you.”

She smiled. “Do you now?”

He nodded. “Now. And forever.”

Then he drew closer still, and she was very glad she had just brushed her teeth as his face lowered to hers. And while she’d never kissed a guy before, it was like her body knew what to do, her eyes drifting closed, as she felt his hush of breath on her face, before his lips tentatively brushed over hers.

Oh. She sighed, then slid her hands up his shirt, and he hummed deep in his throat and wrapped her more securely in his arms, his mouth finding hers again. Then again. Again and again.

Then his lips were clinging to hers as heat rushed up from within and passion took over, forcing her to wrench away, surprised at such intensity.

His eyes were half hooded. “Was that too much?”

“That was just right.”

His lips curved on one side, and then he leaned in to kiss her again. But this time with feather-light kisses.

“I don’t want to stir things too much,” he murmured against her mouth. “Not when I’m enjoying this with you.”

She had to know. “So … am I kissing okay?”

“Oh, Ellie. Kissing you is like when a parched man in a desert finds a glass of ice-cold water. Perfection,” he mumbled, before diving in again.

She pressed in closer, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, sliding her hands up to his head, tugging him lower. She might never have kissed before, but it seemed she knew exactly what to do.

His gaze was hazy as he looked at her, and she suddenly remembered how her sister and Jason had looked, and realised just what kind of kissing they must’ve done to look this way. Which made her realise the kind of kissing she was doing now was probably not helpful if she didn’t want to go astray.

She leaned back, studying him. “I think it’s fair to say I quite like you.”

“How strange. I quite like you too.”

She giggled—she, who never giggled! “In fact, I quite like you an awful lot.”

“I feel exactly the same.”

“Is that so?”

“One hundred percent so. One thousand percent, even.”

She stroked his slightly stubbled jawline. “Thank you for not giving up on me.”

“Thank you for not letting yourself be given up on.”

She laughed. “I don’t know if what we’re saying makes a lot of sense right now, but I don’t care.”

“It makes sense to me. I think you are amazing, and I’m so glad that you’re letting me show you that. Just a little.”

She bit her lip. “And your family won’t mind?”

He shook his head firmly. “Like I said before—they’ve treated me in a way that is not loving, so I am trying to be wise and set some boundaries with them.”

“Good.” And she snuggled close to his chest.