Page 30 of Where the Darkness Goes

“Fine. No. I’m not sorry it’s me in here with you and not him. If you want to know the truth, there it is.”

It’s impossible he just said that, isn’t it? Unless he just didn’t want me in here with Brendan because he doesn’t want me doing anything at all. I’m starting to think he’s more overprotective than WillandMom. “But you…don’t want to do anything.”

“I never said that.”

My fingers are ice cold, and I wring them together in my palms. “You said we don’t have to.”

“Unless you want to.”

“Doyouwant to?”

“Do you?”

I press my lips together, thinking. “I don’t know. I mean, it’s a game. It’s just a game, right? And you’re just a guy.”

“And you’re just a girl,” he agrees.

“And it would just be a kiss.”

The breath he releases is loud, like he’s been holding it in for a while. “Do you want me to kiss you, Tessa?”

“Are you just going to tease me about it with Will later? Say I don’t know what I’m doing, or I have chip breath or something?”

His hands come to my sides, holding me so gently it’s like a whisper against my skin. “I wouldn’t do that.”

I know it. Despite the question, I know he wouldn’t. “Okay.”

“Okay?” His fingers flex against my skin, and I can see him a bit better now. “Okay what?”

“Okay, we probably just have a few more minutes, so we should get this over with.”

“What a ringing endorsement. Is that how you woo all the guys?”

“Just the ones I like.”

He steps closer until I can feel his chest against mine, each rise and fall of his breath pushing us closer together. “I meant what I said earlier. And I know you heard me.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You look pretty tonight. You always do.”

I don’t know what to do with my hands—this is Garrett we’re talking about—but I can’t keep holding them in between us, so I put them on his shoulders like we’re about to slow dance. “Are you nervous?”

“Kind of,” he admits. “I, um, I haven’t, I just want you to know I haven’t, I mean, I don’t, like, I haven’t done this with a ton of girls, you know? I don’t want you to think it doesn’t mean anything.”

“Seven minutes in heaven?”

His hand lifts to my face, thumb caressing my cheekbone. “Kissing you.”

“You haven’t kissed me yet.”

“I’m aware.”

“Why haven’t you kissed me yet?”

“Have you…kissed a lot of guys?”

“You’re seriously asking me that right now?”

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