Page 101 of On His Team

“Make me shut up, Laurens.”

I laugh under my breath. Then I lean down.

The first touch of her mouth against mine is softer than I expect. For maybe half a second. Then she laughs. Actually laughs into my mouth, blowing air into it. I pull back.

Her eyes go huge. She squeaks, “I’m sorry.”

I stare at her.

Then I grab her face with both hands and blow air straight into her mouth.

Gianna jerks backward with a sound somewhere between a laugh and a scream.

She looks at me in horror. “You did not.”

I laugh.

She shoves both hands against my chest.

I don’t move.

She whispers, “Rowan!”

“What?”

“That was horrible.”

I laugh and say softly, “You laughed in my mouth.”

“I was nervous!”

“You told me to kiss you.”

“That doesn’t mean—”

I grab her again and kiss her for real this time. She stops talking immediately. This one isn’t soft. Her hands stay against my chest for one second and then slide up over my shoulders, and she comes onto her toes to get closer. My hands move from her face to her waist. She fits against me differently than I imagined. I hadn’t imagined it until this week. Now I’m imagining more. A lot more.

Her mouth opens under mine, and I kiss her deeper.

She makes a small sound.

That does something violent to my concentration. I pull her closer. Her back hits the counter. Neither of us cares about the sound. Her fingers slide into the hair at the back of my head, and I get one clear thought through everything else. This is better than thinking about it.

Then Benson laughs loudly in the other room.

Gianna freezes against my mouth.

I stop.

We both listen.

No footsteps.

Benson keeps talking to Lucy.

Gianna looks up at me and starts laughing silently.

I press my forehead against hers. “Your brother is right around that corner.”