Page 52 of A Little Bit Extra

“It was never meant to get this far. You’re better off without me,” Cassie says. Dropping my hand, she turns around to face the opposite direction. She peeks back at me, giving me a slight smile, which I can’t help but return.

I grab her left hand and pull, twisting her back around to face me. This time, she’s mere inches from me instead of the original two feet. I wanted, no, needed, her closer to me.

It’s time for me to deliver the closing line. I take a step closer and place my left hand on her cheek. “Don’t you understand? You’re it for me. There is no one else.” She leans into my touch, as if we’ve done this before and it’s now muscle memory.

A single tear falls from her face. “It’s always been you for me, too,” Cassie replies, and with that, I lean in and press her lips against mine, sealing a single kiss.

If this was a Disney movie, fireworks would go off in the background and there would be romantic instrumental music playing right now. That’s how this moment feels. It sure as hell doesn't feel like we’re acting.

I take two steps back, dropping her hand, to give us space. It’s clear she’s as affected by the kiss as I am. It felt overdue. We’ve been dancing around each other, pulling at the tension between us, and flirting on the edge of pushing the boundaries for weeks.

“That was incredible, Cassie. Did you want to run it again?” I just wanted another chance to kiss her.

“Um, I have another scene we can do. If that’s okay?” She glances down at the folder, opens it, and takes the next scene out. I can see her read the scene from left to right, skimming the words on the page.

I copy her, taking out the scene and doing the same.

Once I get done reading the page, I look up to see her already looking at me, studying me. She bites her bottom lip. She still has a slight flush on her cheeks from our first kiss. Our first kiss. It’s not how I expected things to progress between us, but if I need to pretend with Cassie to show her we can be more than friends, I’ll do it. I’ll do whatever I need to do to show her I’m not the same as the other guys she’s been with. I won’t screw her over.

My mouth turns into a smile, and she responds with a small smirk back. The next scene is more intimate, with a little more touching and romantic lines.

“Okay, let’s do this,” I say, hoping that by the time we finish rehearsing lines, the wall Cassie built up will shatter and disappear.

15

Cassie

Last week I hadn’t considered running lines with Emmett, but after spending a few hot minutes in the elevator, I knew I needed more time alone with him.

My body craved his presence. I longed for his small gestures, like touching my arm or lower back, and holding my hand. I couldn’t see him in the studio and not think about what it would feel like to have his lips against mine. Every time he winked at me from across the set, a blush would creep up my cheeks and my stomach would flutter with butterflies.

I know I shouldn’t pursue Emmett. That’s not what I’m doing. Even thinking about it complicates my plan. I wanted to rehearse scenes with him, knowing they have intimate moments, and just hope the lust and tension disappeared. I figured if I knew what it felt like to kiss him, it’d leave me feeling satisfied, content, and able to go about my day, no longer daydreaming about Emmett’s head between my legs.

Fuck.

I was wrong.

So wrong.

It made me want him more.

The instant our lips touched, it was as if I lit the grand finale of a fireworks show in my belly and it’s still going off. It’s sending electric rhythms throughout my body and my brain is having a hard time deciphering what I should do versus what I want to do.

What I should do is not rehearse another scene that I know will probably lead to me saying something foolish. I should leave. I should say thanks for the help and this means nothing and I promise I won’t be awkward tomorrow.

Except I’d be lying. Sure, I’m thankful for his help, but for selfish reasons. I picked these scenes on purpose, knowing it would force him to either say yes, and kiss me, or no. If he said no, I’d at least know he didn’t like me. Or want me. Is there a difference? Or maybe our kiss would be terrible and I’d be able to forget about it even easier.

Also, this means everything and I will definitely be awkward because now that I know what it’s like to kiss Emmett, I don’t want to do anything else. I want to kiss him more.

So, we’re rehearsing a second scene. A scene that I threw in on a whim, in case I wanted an excuse to pretend for a little longer. To pretend we are two people who are madly in love and alone at last. We are alone, but not in love. It’s just a… I don’t know. I like him. More than I want to admit to myself.

Especially as he openly stares at me, with the deepest of brown eyes that suck me in and hold me captive.

Without breaking his stare, I mutter, “Okay, I’m ready.”

Emmett nods and smiles. He takes a seat on the couch and holds out his hand toward me. I raise my eyebrows and wait for him to explain what he’s doing. I thought we were standing to run these scenes, as this scene doesn’t call for anything different from the other one we just did.

“Sit on my lap.” Emmett pats his leg with his left hand, waiting for me to make a move.

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