Page 47 of The Facade

Because it hadn’t been.

It had been nice. In fact, it probably would have swept me off my feet if the whole purpose was just to kiss without another goal in mind.

But that was the problem I had sometimes. I sometimes focused so much on the end result that I didn’t really let myself just get lost and enjoy all the moments that led up to it. I didn’t always enjoy the journey.

“Should we just head back then?” Mack asked. “Everyone’s probably waiting for us.”

He looked over his shoulder at the direction of the mansion.

He wanted to leave?

Disappointment filled my chest as I felt this opportunity slipping through my fingers.

When he started walking back to Carter’s truck, I pulled on his hand to stop him and said, “Can we just try one more time? I promise I’ll be a better student.”

“We can try once more.” He met my gaze again. “But if it’s a chore, or if it makes you uncomfortable, I’ll stop. It might hurt my ego a little if I find out that my kissing skills don’t have a universal appeal, but I’ll try not to cry about it if you absolutely hate it.”

Okay, he was totally interpreting the last few minutes wrong because I had most definitely not hated kissing him. I’d just been focused on wanting one particular aspect too much.

But since I didn’t want his head to get too big over the fact that kissing him was the only time I’d ever actually enjoyed a kiss, I just said, “I’ll let you know if that happens.”

“Okay.” He looked behind me. “Let’s just fix one thing.”

He gently walked me backwards, and before I knew what was happening, he was lifting me up and setting me on the rail that went around the gazebo, with my feet dangling in the air.

“This will make it easier on my back, shorty,” he said with a smirk, placing my hands on his shoulders so I had something to hold on to.

Then he stepped between my knees, wrapped one arm behind my waist for extra support, and then lifting his other hand to trace a thumb along my jawline, he whispered, “Try not to think too much.” His breath was warm against my face. “Just feel.” And then he was dipping his head down and kissing me. His lips were tender and slow against mine.

And instead of overthinking and anticipating what I thought might be coming, I tried to empty my mind of all thoughts and expectations and just let myself feel.

To feel the way his thumb on my cheek sparked my skin to life.

To let myself feel his strong shoulders under my hands, let one hand explore its way down his shirt and along his chest, reveling in its muscular definition. Let the other hand travel up the back of his neck to feel the coarseness of his short, curly hair.

I’d secretly always wanted a reason to touch his hair like this, to feel the tight, black curls on the top of his head against my fingertips. It was so different from my own long hair, and I loved it. Loved that this moment allowed for this familiarity that we didn’t usually share with each other.

I moved my hand back down and rubbed my fingers along the back of his head where his hair was buzzed so short it was mostly skin.

“That feels nice,” he mumbled against my lips when my nails grazed against the nape of his neck.

And when I did it again, he moaned lowly into my lips.

Shivers of pleasure raced down my spine.

I’d never made a guy make a sound like that before. Never had a guy make my lower belly swirl with heat the way Mack and his slow kisses were making me feel.

“Still doing okay?” Mack asked in a husky voice, like he worried my trembling meant something was wrong.

But I shook my head and whispered, “So far, so good.”

As in, this kiss was so good that I really didn’t mind anymore if it took forever for him to finish the lesson.

His hand moved up my back and along the sides of my ribcage, and I liked that even though there was a layer of fabric between his skin and mine, I could still feel the warmth of his hand on me.

I’d dancedpas de deuxseveral times during my year at the ballet academy and so I should have been used to having a guy’s hands touching my sides for lifts, but for some reason, it felt different with Mack.

Warmer.

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