make it perfect, ‘cause Brody, it doesn’t have to be. I want it to be you ‘cause you’re friggin’ fantabulous and I like you so much and I didn’t mean to, like fall so hard for you. It just happened and now I have no idea how this is supposed to go and if you even feel the same way you felt last week when you told me you were, like falling for me too or if you just feel bad ‘cause of my mom and all that junk. I mean, you haven’t even given me any reasons yet and I’m not sure if it’s ‘cause you couldn’t think of them or if you were just trying to be nice or—”
“Hayles!”
She stops her blabbering, snapping her lips tight together and getting a little flushed. I’m smiling so she is too, but this girl needs to put on her perception glasses.
I take a deep breath, wrap one arm around her waist so she doesn’t go anywhere again, and brush her hair back with the other.
“Give me five numbers between one and twenty.”
“What?”
“Just do it.”
She cocks her head and lets out a tiny laugh. “Okay, one, three, eight, fourteen, and, um, fifteen.”
Okay…
“Reason one…” I smile. “You know how to sign the word balls.”
Her mouth splits open, letting out a beautiful laugh.
“Reason three. You know how to make awkward, less awkward.”
She cocks her head to the side. “How do I—”
“Reason eight.” I’m cuttin’ her off before she has any other chance to get away from me. “You slaughter me at Ghost Recon.”
Another laugh. And she’s gettin’ closer to me. Her lips are almost against mine.
“Reason fifteen.” I pull her shirt down a little to touch her shoulder blade. I feel her skin rise with goose bumps as I trail my finger tip across her tattoo. “That’s a sexy tatt. And you know it.”
She lets out another puff of air I can taste. “You missed fourteen.”
Her smile is so huge and so beautiful, I want to push my lips against hers now, but I give her the last one. She needs to hear it, no matter how cheesy it comes out.
“Reason fourteen.” I press my forehead against hers, locking her in my gaze. “You are so beautiful. Inside and out. I don’t just need you. I crave you. Everything about you. You are the only person I’ve felt this way about. You’re my best friend.”
She lets out a small laugh, then runs her tongue across her bottom lip. “Brody?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m in trouble.”
I chuckle. Her nose is touching mine again.
“Why is that?”
“I’m pretty sure I’m falling in love with you.”
Holy hell. She beat me to it.
“I’m pretty sure I’m falling in love with you, too.”
She smiles and tugs the sides of my shirt to pull me in. I don’t need the hint though. I’ve been waiting for this moment for what seems like forever.
I make sure the first touch is soft, in case she wants to pull back, but when she doesn’t, I lean into it so the kiss is harder. She’s gotta know just how much I’m falling in love with her.
Better be careful though. I know she said no tongue, and I’m trying real hard not to taste her, even just a little bit. But I want to. I want to open my mouth to let her in. I want her to open hers to let me in. But I have to make this perfect for her. Exactly what she wants, and what she needs it to be.
She’s still smiling, even though our lips are pressed tight. It’s so awesome ‘cause it’s still Hayles. Even her kiss is full of life and just… awesomesauce.
Her hands haven’t moved from my shirt, but they keep tuggin’ on it, like she wants me closer. I can’t get any closer than I already am. Bodies together, one hand cupping her face, the other… oh, I’m pulling her waist closer to mine too.
She starts to giggle a little bit through the kiss, her mouth opening enough for me to taste her, but I hold back. I’m not going to ruin her first kiss by doing what she told me not to. Don’t even care that she’s laughin’ during this. It’s just Hayles. Who she is, and it’s perfect.
Then the tip of her tongue touches my bottom lip. Did I imagine that? Oh no, I didn’t, ‘cause she does it again. And again.
Dammit, what is this girl doin’ to me?!
I open my mouth and meet her tongue with mine this