AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“What? You’re leaving on a tie breaker?”
Her eyes sparkle. “Well, we’ll just have to break the tie another time.”
“I’m okay with that,” I say with a nod.
She studies the floor. “Thanks,” she says before reaching her arms out for a hug. I wrap my own around her, relishing the feeling of her pressed against me.
She’s heaven. My carefully constructed platonic goals are rapidly crumbling. She smells like sugared strawberries, her body precious in my arms. She shudders, almost imperceptibly, and those goals are dust between my fingers.
I drop my head enough that my mouth is inches from her neck. I see the powdered dust of freckles across her nose. Her glossy, dark mane has moved away from her neck enough that it would be so simple, so natural to press a kiss there. With another sigh, she leans her temple close to me, and I wonder if she can feel my breath against her skin. Does she want me to kiss her? Her temple, her cheek are right there, ready for the taking, for the feasting.
I’ve long admired the planes of her face, her ballerina posture, and now? It’s so close. Does she want this?
An image of Rob comes to mind, which is ridiculous because I’ve never even met the man. I’ve only seen the one picture. But in my minds’ eye—my crazy, not thinking straight mind’s eye—he’s missing a couple of teeth and has a truly terrible mullet.
I can’t do this. There’s no way I’ll be the rebound. There’s no way I’ll even take that risk right now. Aria deserves more.
I pull away and the look of sadness in her eyes almost makes me snatch her back in my arms and kiss her.
Almost.
Chapter 18
Aria
A dash of disappointment that Theo has pulled away hits my insides and creeps out and along my limbs.
I lift those limbs—my arms at least—to his shoulders. But this time, I coil them around to the back of his neck and press my hands against his lat muscles.
He has flecks of gold in his bluer-than-blue eyes.
Wait. Flecks of gold and pinpoints of woodsy brown. What kind of a world do those eyes belong in?
A world of fairy dust and magic—of crystal springs and beckoning blue skies peeking through wooded canopies. I’d like to live there and explore every inch of that world.
Awash in sensations I’ve never known, I peck his lips.
Once. Only a dab of a kiss.
But it’s enough to spread warmth throughout my body, a skittering of goosebumps against the rush of heat.
I have to have more, so I brush my lips against his again. And again, the sensations of craving, of adoring, of appreciating everything about him flow through me.
He responds, his lips pressing firmly against mine, a grunt of surprise and something like happiness rumbling deep inside his chest.
The faint scent of mint, mixed with the essence of evergreen spice is in my nose. The warmth of his mouth is on my lips. And for only a moment, I live in it. Enjoy it. Tangle it around my memory so I never lose it.
I take a step back, still dizzy from my lips on his.
And I laugh, a gurgle of shock—both from my kissing him and from the way it upended me.
“Thanks again for the cards and the distraction. I’d better get back to my apartment.” I’m talking more rapidly with every word I say. “I haven’t even figured out what to buy for my family. And Camilla’s always so good at giving gifts, so I can’t just show up on Christmas day with a gift card or bag of candy, can I?”
I take a breath and it’s too scary to look him in the eyes, so I start talking again as I head for the glass double doors. “Not that I don’t like candy for Christmas, but I should probably give out something more meaningful, right? I love caramel at Christmastime, though. Those chocolate caramel turtles at that candy store in the mall? Insane!”
I pull at the collar of my dress. “In fact, I’m thinking about making a caramel turtle cheesecake, which I’m guessing would sell really well.”
I reach the door. I open it, needing to be free of my awkward words. Already, the uncertainties surrounding that kiss have parched my mouth. I clear my throat.
