Page 48 of The Facade

Nicer.

More intimate.

And I liked it. Liked the heady sensations coursing through me and making me feel like I was drifting away to the clouds.

He smoothed his hands against my back, pressing his palms and fingers firmly against me. And since he was letting his hands wander, I decided to do a little more exploring of my own.

I let my hands move across the tightly corded muscles in his shoulders and down his chest before sliding them under his jacket to feel the muscled contours of his back.

He was tall and had the body of a basketball player, but unlike a lot of guys my age, he had also filled out in the past year. He was no longer the lanky teenager with hunched-over shoulders who was still trying to get used to his sudden growth spurt. Instead, he looked more like a man than a boy.

His fingers slid into my hair, and just as I was pulling myself closer to him to erase all space between us, his tongue slid ever so lightly against my lips.

It was so light that I wasn’t sure it had even happened, but then he did it again, and my stomach contracted and all I could think was,I like that.

I never thought I’d want something like that, but mmm, I really did like it.

He pulled away briefly, checking me for my reaction, and when I pulled him closer again, he chuckled lightly, like he was enjoying the fact that I wanted more.

His tongue flicked against mine again, and even though I’d never done this before, my instincts took over—when he deepened the kiss further, I joined him in the give-and-take. Our tongues danced together, and my entire body flooded with an exhilarating heat that I’d never experienced before.

As I got lost in the moment and allowed myself to feel everything, to feel what it was like to be in Mack’s arms and experience this moment that was more intimate than anything I’d ever shared with anyone before, I couldn’t help but wonder how it was possible that I’d been so afraid of this earlier.

Because now that I was experiencing this kind of kiss with Mack, all I could think of was that I wanted more.

More time alone with him to practice. More time to feel all the feelings this moment was causing to swirl inside of me.

More of his hands in my hair and his lips pressing hot kisses down my neck.

More moments where I was gasping for air because I didn’t want to stop kissing him long enough to draw in a full breath.

I wrapped my legs around his waist and was just pressing myself closer when Mack suddenly pulled away from the kiss, as if he only just now realized that he’d been making out with me.

He stumbled back and his eyes were slightly dazed when he said, “Okay, so um, I hope that helps you know what to do tomorrow with Ben.”

Ben.

That’s right. I’m kissing Mack like this because I wanted to kiss Ben.

“Yeah.” I tucked some hair behind my ear. “I-I think that will help,” I said, not really knowing what else to say since I’d completely forgotten that we’d only been doing this because I liked Ben.

He let out a long breath. “Good.”

We stared at each other for a long moment. And then, seeming to realize something, Mack said, “Here, let me help you get down from there.”

And when he put his hands around my waist to lower me from the railing, I was not expecting the sudden surge of electricity that came with his touch.

Or the way I wanted to stay close to him forever when he set me on my feet.

“T-thanks for your help,” I said, looking up at him, wondering if he was feeling any of the same sparks I had flickering through my body.

“No problem.” He cleared his throat, and when our gazes caught, I imagined I saw something like wonder reflected in Mack’s eyes.

Like he, too, was trying to process what had passed between us.

Was it possible that he’d also momentarily forgotten it was just a kissinglesson?

That he’d forgotten who we actually were to each other—just friends who most definitely should not be thinking of excuses to have another practice kiss before tomorrow night?

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