Page 85 of You Float My Boat

‘They’re the way to everyone’s heart.’

His laugh was loud enough that an echo of‘shhhh’sounded out from somewhere nearby. He bit down on his lip with a chuckle. ‘Whoops. Forgot we’re in a library.’

‘Don’t get us in trouble and kicked out,’ I scolded, though there was only jest in my tone.

‘So, what flavour are we talking about here?’

‘Double chocolate chip, with vanilla frosting for the cupcakes, salted caramel brownies, raspberry doughnuts.’

Using his finger, he swiped it through the thickly swirled buttercream on the top of a cupcake and stuck it in his mouth. I really wish he hadn’t. I just about stopped my jaw from dropping, even though my chestnearly caved in from the sight of his pink tongue darting out to catch a stray blob from the corner of his lip. I would never unsee that.

Dear god.

I was still trying to regain my composure when I noticed him chuckling.

‘What’s so funny?’

‘Nothing. I just figured you’d have picked violet frosting or something.’

I dropped into the seat opposite him, determined not to smile at his teasing, ‘Not everything is violet you know.’

My forehead creased a fraction as he stood up, only for him to walk around the table, and assault me with that scent. My heart was already thudding double time, but by the time he’d pulled out the chair next to me and sat down it had kicked up to triple.

‘It should be.’ His lip quivered with a smirk as he picked up a loose strand of hair from my shoulder and wound it between his fingers. ‘What’s your favourite colour?’

‘Actually, it’s blue.’

‘Really?’ he replied, gently tugging me closer to him. And I put up absolutely no resistance. None. Pathetic. I could see my plans already floating out of the window. ‘Mine too. Though right now I think it’s coming in a close second to something else …’

He was close. Too close almost. I tried to lean back, but I honestly couldn’t tell whether it was his grip stopping me, or my brain. ‘Wh … why did you move seats?’

‘Because I can’t kiss you hello from across the table, can I?’

‘You’re going to kiss me?’

‘Yes. I think it’s theappropriatething to do right now,’ he winked.

No. Not the wink. I was not strong enough to hold off againstthe wink.

Snapping around in my chair, I glanced left and right before realizing I only had a wall behind me on one side and a stack of books on the other. I couldn’t spot anyone over his shoulder either, and come to think of it, when I walked in there were only a couple of students on the far side, and that girl who’d stopped to pick up my books.

Charlie turned around to see what I’d been looking at, but only found exactly what I had – an empty space. There was no one here.

His eyes locked onto mine, and I swear Mature Violet,stupidViolet – damn her – was trying to ruin my life because she almost pulled away before doing something like kiss him back, or worse drag him under the table.

Fuck it. A girl only lives once.

My hand snaked around his neck, my fingers spearing through the thick hair at the nape of his neck as my lips snapped onto his. They fitted perfectly, two magnets joining together. Compared to the other day, it was chaste, barely enough to taste the sweetness left from the vanilla frosting as my tongue slipped into his mouth. But, it was plenty to get my insides curling and my heart crashing around on a rush that definitely wasn’t caused by sugar.

I could kiss Charlie Masterson all day and still neverget enough. I was kind of glad I’d only just discovered how good at kissing he was, because if I’d known earlier I’m not sure I could be held responsible for my actions.

As a little moan escaped from one of us, Mature Violet made her presence known and this time succeeded in pulling me away.

‘Charlie …’

‘Yes, Violet.’

I eased back a little more. Charlie’s elbow was leaning on the table, fist propping up the side of his face making him seem even more amused with me than usual. It was only when I took a deep breath that the smile dropped a little. ‘Is everything okay?’

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