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The silence that settled between us was deafening. I can’t look at him. And the thought of making my escape, from this embarrassing moment, off the roof seemed like a really good idea.
“Dev,” Alec whispered. “Look at me, Devrie.”
It took every ounce of strength in my body to simply turn my head to face him. I didn’t know what to expect to see in his expression, but there was no judgment anywhere.
“Is that what you are worried about?”
“Of course,” I snapped. “I don’t want to be the one showing up to the dorms, the loser who has never been kissed.”
I didn’t go into the reasons why I was in this situation in the first place. A social life always took a backseat to studying and getting good grades so that I could go to college. But if I was being honest, that was the lie I told myself, so I didn’t have to face the real reason. I never looked like the other petite girls in my class. I carried my “baby weight” well into middle school before I grew half a foot. My body turned more into an hourglass. But no matter what I ever did, the weight was always just there. I’d been bullied by many of my guys in my class, and that wasn’t something you’d forget when they suddenly showed interest and wanted to make out with you in a friend’s basement.
“Everybody has their own time to do things,” Alec said as if I didn’t just drop that humiliating bombshell. “If you’re that worked up about it, I can be your first kiss if you want.”
My mouth dropped open slightly. “Really?”
I dreamt about kissing Alec almost as soon as my hormones kicked in when I entered my preteen years. But that always seemed like something utterly unattainable so I’d long since given up hope.
My gaze shifted from his to his lips. I gave a little nod, almost daring to call his bluff. But he didn’t hesitate for a moment. He leaned toward me. I closed my eyes as his soft lips pressed against mine. It began like a longer than usual peck, but then a slight lick on my bottom lip made me gasp, and his tongue entered, slowly caressing mine. It was everything I’d ever dreamed of for my first kiss.
He slowly pulled back, and I opened my eyes. There was an expression on his face that I couldn’t read.
I blinked once, and the dream was gone.
“Devrie, come on,” Denny’s voice pulls me back from the past and into the present. “Don’t be like this. It’s not like you two have to hang out all the time or anything. It’s only dinner. And then you’ll have somebody to check in with if you need anything.”
My fingers trace over my lips, and I swear I can still feel Alec’s against mine. “Okay, fine, I’ll meet with him.”
Will he remember the kiss? Because I’ve never forgotten.
ChapterTwo
ALEC
This is the longest meeting of my life. I swear the hands on the clock haven’t moved in forty minutes. This is the third prospective advertising firm my team has to meet with today, but there is something in the tone of this guy’s voice that is making it nearly impossible not to fall asleep.
My phone vibrates on the conference table, and my best friend’s smiling face appears on the screen. I try to pick it up before every set of eyes in the room turns to stare at me, but alas, I’m unsuccessful.
“Excuse me, I have to take this,” I say, pushing up from my chair and making a run for the door.
I don’t miss the annoyed expression on my boss’s face, but I think it has more to do with the fact that he didn’t want to be in there any more than I did.
“You just saved me from dying of boredom,” I say by way of greeting.
Denny chuckles. “One of the more excruciating ways to go.”
“What’s going on?” I ask.
Denny never calls me during the week. With my long hours in the office, we usually wait to catch up over the weekend.
“Nothing bad. I wanted to let you know that Devrie is now living in your neck of the woods.”
I knew there was talk of her moving here, but this is the first I’m hearing that she’s actually here.
“That’s great,” I say, even though I know that Alec had his concerns. But Devrie’s never been one to let his overprotective nature stop her from doing what she wants to do.
“She’s actually been there for a couple of weeks now.” Denny sighs. “She doesn’t know many people. And more importantly, I don’t know any of them.”
It’s moments like this that I’m glad I’m an only child. Denny’s protective nature heightened considerably after their dad passed. He felt like he had to step in and be the man in her life who would always look out for her.
