Breathe Me - C.R. Jane Page 0,40

comes into the tent. He looks me up and down with his dark eyes, and I squirm in my seated position. Maybe I should have asked for a time out. Lord knows I’m not sure if I’m ready to kiss Carter right now. He hands me the list, and I bow my head to read what he's put down and hopefully buy me some time to gain my composure back. However I’m not so lucky, since there is only one sentence written on it.

Kissing Valentina is my only goal.

Angry that he didn’t write anything else, I shoot my gaze back up to him. But before I'm able to call him out on it, Carter grabs me by the nape and kisses me. With his eyes wide-open, he takes my breath away with how well he kisses. I might have been Logan's and Quaid's first kiss tonight, but I'm positive I'm not Carter's. Not by the skillful way he's playing with my lips. His kiss is dominant and sure, precise and exquisite. As much as I want to keep my eyes open to stare back at his dark abyss, my lids close shut, and my mouth takes over. His forceful hold to my neck only heightens the kiss.

Every move Carter makes is assertive and controlling, and when a little moan passes through my lips, I feel every part of my body blush. I'm about to pull away so I don't humiliate myself any further, but his grip on me won't relent, urging me to keep going. His tongue peeks out, and lavishes my lower lip with care, trying to create a small breach. I'm tempted to open up and release my own tongue just to touch his, even if only once, but something holds me back.

Or maybe not something, but someone. Two someones, to be more precise.

Reluctantly, I push him away, my breathing hard and my heart beating even harder. I stare at him as he rubs the pad of his thumb against his lower lip.

"You lied," I utter shakenly. "You've kissed before."

A cocky grin takes over his face, not denying it.

"I never said I didn’t. But they didn't count," he admits, breaking my heart and speeding it up at the same time. "This was the only kiss I actually wanted."

I maul at my lip nervously and snap my head away from him so he doesn't see how he's affected me.

“You’re angry,” he hushes, as he pulls on my shoulder to face him once more.

“Why would I be angry?” I clip back.

"Don’t have a clue. I didn't mind that I wasn't your first kiss either, Val. So why are you upset that you weren't mine?"

"I didn't say that I was upset."

"You didn't have to."

I roll my eyes and start crawling out of the tent to get some distance from him, just to have Carter stop me before I’m able to make my getaway. He holds onto my shoulders and straightens me up, his features unyielding.

"Listen to me. You might not have been my first, but you were the first to mean something.”

"Whatever," I mumble, shaking his grip away so I can try to pass him by again.

"Not whatever. And just so there is no confusion, this will not be the last kiss I give you either. I can promise you that."

"Ha!" A choked laugh leaves me. "What if I don't want to kiss you again?"

"Oh, you want to, Valentina. I know you do. But we have time. We have all the time in the world. And next time, you'll be the one asking me for a kiss, not the other way around."

"I wouldn't bet on it," I tell him through gritted teeth, not really understanding why I’m feeling this way.

"I’ve never bet on anything in my life. But if I had to, I’d bet my life, Valentina. One day, we will finish what we started right here. That's how sure I am."

He lets me go, and I rush outside, thankful there is a small breeze to cool me down. But as my eyes fix on Logan, then to Quaid, and finally land on Carter, a burning question pops into my head.

Just what have I started tonight?

Chapter 7

Now

________________________________________

Valentina

"I got sick again," I blurt out, watching their faces closely.

Logan takes a step towards me, and I shoot out my hand to stop him. "I got sick again, and it put everything in perspective. For the last ten years, I've been living half a life. I've been just going through the motions. And getting