Right Move (Clean Slate Ranch #6) - A.M. Arthur Page 0,52
was sweet. “How come you didn’t stay to watch a movie?”
“I’d much rather talk to you about our walk earlier.”
His stomach dipped, and George used the excuse of sitting on his bed to curl his now-trembling fingers into a ball on his lap. Levi sat on his own bunk, his expression so open and kind that some of George’s fear of this conversation dimmed to a less disruptive level. When Levi didn’t speak, George drummed up his own courage to start. “I meant what I said about wanting you to be my first kiss.”
“I believe you. I wanted to kiss you, George. Still want to kiss you. But that also scares me a little and for a few different reasons.”
Levi was scared? The man road horses sideways for a living, and he was scared of a kiss. That seemed impossible but this wasn’t George’s truth. It was Levi’s. “What scares you?”
“How young and inexperienced you are. That I’m way more experienced than I’m comfortable telling you until we know each other a lot better.”
“I may be sexually inexperienced, Levi, but I’m not oblivious to how sex works or how infinitely unique it is depending on the participants. In the last seven years, I’ve probably watched more porn than you have in your entire life.” Shit. He hadn’t meant to say that and his face went hot.
Levi quirked a single eyebrow. “That sounds like a challenge, Thompson.”
“It’s the truth.” Might as well explain himself so Levi didn’t think he was some sort of horny homebody who whacked off for hours a day. “It’s my job. Not porn, but that’s what I write captions for. Porn sites.”
The other eyebrow joined the first briefly before settling. “I have to admit, I would have never guessed that you captioned porn, but deaf people should able to enjoy it too, right?”
“Right.” George eyeballed Levi, surprised by his calm reaction—and he really shouldn’t have been. Levi didn’t seem like the type of person who was quick to anger or judgment. “I’ve seen some pretty hardcore stuff, and maybe I’ve never done any of that stuff, but I know it exists. And since you’re probably wondering and are too polite to ask, no, I don’t sit around all day with a boner. It doesn’t affect me much at all, even the gay stuff. I can compartmentalize sex from work.”
“Okay. Thank you, George. I hear and accept your truth.”
“Um, thanks. I’ve also got life experience. Maybe I’ve spent the better part of a decade locked away from other people, but I went through stuff when I was a teenager. Stuff that sticks with you.”
“I know you did. I don’t want to play a comparison game about our pasts. We both have darkness. Things that I hope, even if this thing between us never goes beyond a kiss, we can share with each other one day as really good friends.”
George’s heart gave a funny lurch at the idea of things not moving further than a kiss. He trusted Levi, was attracted to him, and wanted to explore those feelings. Badly. He stood. “Does that mean we’re going to kiss?”
Levi bit his lower lip in a way that was both sexy and shy. “You still want to tonight? We sort of lost our perfect romantic moment in the woods.”
“No, we didn’t. This is better because it isn’t in the moment. We talked and now we’re positive we’re both on the same page.” He drummed up the rest of his courage and finally said what he needed. “I want to kiss you. Please, Levi Peletier, be my first kiss.”
“How can I say no to that?” He stood and walked a few steps to stand in front of the window. Held his hand out.
George took it and held tight, already a bit out of breath from the simple touch. Levi stepped closer until only the smallest breath of air remained between their bodies, and an odd flush heated George’s skin from head to toe. With his free hand, Levi stroked the backs of his knuckles down George’s cheek and that internal flush intensified. George licked his lips, needing this kiss now more than he needed air to breathe.
“Please,” he whispered.
“Your trust means everything to me.” Levi brushed his lips across George’s forehead briefly before pressing a warm mouth against George’s. Instead of tensing, George relaxed even more, melting against Levi’s taller, broader form, his own free hand grasping at Levi’s shirt. Levi’s lips whispered across his, a delightful pressure that George carefully