Kiss King - Mickey Miller Page 0,26

of a girl. Well, here’s a question. What about you, what did the kiss do for you?”

Something coils in my stomach when he says this, and I get angry all of a sudden.

All summer and fall, I did my darndest to forget that kiss, and to no avail.

That kiss was like nothing I’d ever experienced, and I can play back every single detail in my mind about Maya that night.

The taste of her wine-stained, soft lips on mine. The sound of the tiniest moan she let escape. The feel as her body melted against mine. When we kissed, I felt an arousal deeper than anything I’d ever experienced.

It wasn’t just surface level let’s fuck turned on. The inner depths of my mind, parts of me I never knew I could feel, deep down, came alive all of a sudden.

And then she hit me with the “I don’t know how I feel about that kiss.” A part of me died in that moment.

Though my stomach sank, I knew right then and there I was every loser from every movie who’s playing out of his league with the girl who’s just not that into him.

“Grant?” Luke bites out. “You there?”

“Hey, sorry, I’m here,” I say, brushing snow off of my jacket and stomping my feet. “Just had you on mute for a second. Hang on, I’m going to order a coffee and sit down.”

For no particular reason, I decide to order a mocha latte today. I’m not a latte guy, nor do I usually drink coffee for the pleasure—I just want the caffeine. But during the dark days of winter, a little sweet pick-me-up can’t hurt.

I set my backpack down, take my coat off, and grab a seat at a table.

“Kiss was good,” I finally say, a typical understatement. “How did we get on this topic, anyway?” I ask. “I called to ask how I can get Coach Johnson to finally put me in the starting rotation. You were the only Alpha Z who he had as a starting pitcher all year.”

“Yeah, I was the only starter from all four years I was at Greene. He hates us, man. He thinks the fraternities should be done away with. I admit we’re not perfect. But no one is. Basically, he had to start me. I hold every record at the school.”

“So how do I charm him?”

He snorts. “Dude, there’s no charming Coach Johnson. You’ve just got to be so good he can’t ignore you.”

I sigh and whip my head around from the cold darkness outside, and my eyes widen when I see a tiny figure in a huge coat staring right at me.

I pull one earbud out of my ear as Luke continues talking, and I can’t help but stare.

There’s a fresh complexity in her blue-green eyes. Her blonde hair is longer now, falling down past her shoulders onto her green coat.

Her eyes widen too, as she recognizes me.

“Luke, I gotta go. Call you later,” I say, then hang up.

Maya steps toward me, a sheepish smile slowly lighting up more of her face, moment by moment.

“Grant!”

“Hey!”

She breaks into a run toward me and practically leaps into my arms for a hug. I wrap my arms tightly around her for a few moments before I let go.

Desire like I haven’t felt in ages flushes through my body. Damn she smells nice. Like soft, ripe peaches that I’d like to…

I grunt, clenching my whole body and putting a stop sign up for my desire.

Fuck my life. You’re friends with her, Taylor.

“It’s so crazy to see you!” she says, looking up at me.

“I know. Since June. Wow. That’s like seven months.” She steps back. “Have you grown?”

I laugh. “Maybe, I don’t know. Maybe it’s the boots.”

“No, your arms…” she reaches forward and touches my right bicep, then looks up at me. “I don’t remember them being so…big.”

I smirk. “That’s what she said.”

She grins, and punches me in the shoulder, lightly. “‘That’s what she said’ jokes at seven a.m. on the first day of classes? You jerk.”

The barista calls out two drinks. “I have a mocha latte. And a regular coffee with cream.”

She glances around, then fixes her eyes on me. “You’re having a mocha? I thought you weren’t a ‘mocha guy’.”

“You’re having coffee with cream? That’s usually my drink.”

“Just felt…right.”

“I’m getting some eerie déjà vu right now,” I say.

“Me too.”

We both take a sip of coffee and stare at each other.

“Take a seat. Let’s chat!” I say, pulling out a chair.

I can’t help but continue staring