Page 34 of Shy Girls Can't Fake Date

He digs his hands into his pockets, looking down at his shoes. “I just wanted them to believe us.”

My heart pounds so frantically I feel it in my throat. “You stole my first kiss.”

Parker lifts his gaze, sending me pity in his eyes. “Huh?”

“You have no idea how many hours I’ve spent dreaming about my first kiss.” I swallow hard, clearing the anguish in my voice. “It was supposed to be with Lewis. How could you?”

“Look, it was an impulse. I’m sorry. I didn’t plan it.”

I stomp my foot. “Kissing wasneverpart of the plan. I didn’t sign up for this.”

Parker turns away and I catch a flex in his jaw. “It’s not like it was a real kiss.”

“Lewis doesn’t know that. I hate that he saw us kissing.”

“It’s not like he’s not kissing someone else.”

My heart hurts. We take a beat, staring at each other as our chests rise with leftover adrenaline.

Parker takes a long exhale and runs a hand over his hair. “Look, he’s kissing Yvette, but he won’t know what a real kiss is like until he has you. You just have to think of our kissing as fake.”

I chew my lip, considering his words.

“It’s the only way we’ll get through this,” he adds.

I sigh, pulling myself off the wall. “Okay. I know you’re in the same boat as me. It must’ve killed you when Lewis and Yvette kissed right in front of you.”

He nods, trying his best not to frown. “I just have to keep reminding myself it’s not real until she’s with me.”

My mind rewinds to Parker’s lips on mine. Tentatively, I tap my fingers against my bottom lip.

“How much better could a real kiss get?” I whisper. “That was pretty dang good.”

A nervous laugh puffs out of Parker. “Really?”

I rub my lips together and nod. “My toes curled. I thought that was just something they said in the movies.”

“Wow.” Satisfaction flashes across his face. “Good to know. I was winging it. It was my first kiss too.”

“Are you serious?”

He nods, faint pink streaking across his cheeks.

“I just...” I pause, fidgeting in my stance. “You said you had dates to school dances. I just thought that meant you’d had kisses before.”

“Uh, no. Does that make me lame, or something?”

I giggle. “Not to me. I’m the one that’s been dateless this whole time.”

Parker smiles and pats my shoulder. “At least you can get some practice before being one-on-one with Lewis.”

My knees knock. “Yeah, right.”

His smile spreads with sympathy. “Don’t worry. The nerves will eventually pass.”

I nod despite my skepticism.

“Lewis will be lucky to kiss you,” he says, dipping his gaze. “You’re really good at it.”

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