Page 67 of Borden 3

“Because your granny is unstoppable. She tries really hard with you, can’t you see that?”

I shrugged. “Until she won’t. She’ll stop. Everyone gives up in the end.”

He took my hand and squeezed. “Not me.”

I turned away from the river and looked up at him. It was beyond dark, but I could make out his eyes looking back at me. “As my friend?”

I caught the half smirk on his lips. “What else do you want me to be?”

I shrugged, my default response as I turned away from his penetrating stare. “Nothing.”

“Is it nothing because you think I’ll say no?”

I thought about that, settling with, “Maybe.”

Now it was his turn not to respond. His elbow touched mine as he relaxed his arms on the ledge now too. “You can just ask me outright.”

“I don’t care to know.”

“You don’t?”

“You brought it up.”

“I guess.”

“Not that I would even want anything anyway.” I scoffed, holding on tight to what little ego I had.

He chuckled. “You don’t have any feelings for me, Emma?”

“Ew.”

I felt him come closer. My heart sped. Not in that horrifying way it did at the party. This one was more of a heart in your throat feeling. My cheeks burned as I felt his fingers along my hair. He tucked a few strands behind my ears.

“Wanna sit down?” he asked.

It was a harmless question, but it didn’t sound that way with Theo. I jerked my head in a nod, but I didn’t turn straightaway. He did. He moved to the wall where our backpacks were and slid down it. I felt his stare on me. He didn’t prod.

I watched the lights of another boat approach the marina. I waited for it to completely disappear before I finally turned and joined Theo on the hard, stone floor of the look out. It was hotter up here. My skin glistened with sweat and nerves as I crossed my arms and drummed my fingers along my arm. When I chanced a look at him, he was staring back at me, his mouth curving into a soft smile.

“You ever been kissed, Emma?” he asked.

“Yeah,” I retorted, a little too defensively.

“Really?”

“I’m not a baby. I’ll be fifteen in a matter of weeks.”

Amused, he asked, “Then you know what to do, right?”

I swallowed, bravely looking back at him as I nodded. He shuffled impossibly close to me. I watched every movement carefully, almost distrustfully, as he dropped his head and brushed his lips along mine. My skin tingled. I shut my eyes at the soft brush of his lips. His hand touched the side of my face, angling me up to kiss my mouth firmly. I parted my lips for him, gripping his shirt tightly as I returned the kiss.

I’d wanted this for some time.

Theo made me feel good. His warmth and his soft mouth brought out good feelings in me. Feelings I’d never explored.

I wasn’t sure how long it was before I was on my back and he was over me, kissing me with an urgency I didn’t expect. Nor did I know, in that moment, how badly I wanted the touch of a boy until he woke my soul up with the brush of his tongue and the soft groan that left his mouth.

His hands were everywhere. Grabbing at my small curves, brushing away my hair with tenderness I didn’t expect. He kissed along my throat, and I wanted to cry from the emotions that burst inside me.

---