Page 13 of Unfolding Ethan

“Do you want to dance?”

“Yeah. Dance? Hmm . . . Uhm, sure. Dancing would be great.”

She was about to stand up from the couch and I remembered my mother’s advice to always ask a lady for a dance by taking an arrow on the knee.

“Wait, stop. Sit down!” I exclaimed and stood up, shocking her as she quickly sat down. I stumbled toward her, my head swirling, and bent down on one knee, staring at her wide brown eyes.

I smiled awkwardly and asked, “Would you honor me with one dance, ma’am?”Pleasssssseeeeee?

She raised her eyebrow. “Without a song?”

“Do we need a song?”

Kiara smiled, a dimple poking her cheek. She laid her soft palm on my hand. “It would be my pleasure.”

I squeezed her hand and stood up, tugging her toward the center of the living room, exactly under the glass chandelier. She snickered when I pulled her closer to me and wrapped my arm around her waist. Her one palm squeezed my shoulder.

“This is so cliché.” She grinned and we swayed, making our own rhythm.

“And who doesn’t like cliché?”

Her chocolaty wavy hair was flowing down her back, brushing against my hand. I could see her pulse increasing on her slender neck with the little star necklace she was wearing. I noticed the mole on her left collarbone and had the sudden urge to sway her down and kiss her.

Yep, I am definitely drunk.

“Do you remember our kiss?” I slurred, lost in the beauty dancing in my arms.

Kiara bit her lip, my eyes flickering from her lips to her eyes. “Of course, E. That was our first kiss. Sloppy and awkward. How could I forget it?”

I snickered remembering it. We were twelve when we accidentally shared a chaste kiss. I was about to kiss her cheek when she turned and my lips landed on her lips instead. Thankfully, she didn’t run away after that.

When we were thirteen and stargazing on the roof, I asked her if I could kiss her because she looked gorgeous under the stars. She shyly agreed and I remembered cradling her face and kissing her softly at first. And then with more fervor. It was sloppy and awkward, but it was beautiful because we couldn’t stop grinning and clumsily kissing each other.

We were each other’s first kiss.

Leaning down, I hid my face in the crook of her neck, my warm breath caressing her bare skin. She tensed underneath me and I wondered if I should pull away, but she relaxed, laying her head on my collarbone. She couldn’t reach my shoulder. I smiled when her hand trailed from my shoulder to my neck, her thumb brushing over the pulse on my neck, and my arms tightened around her waist.

“You’re perfect, Bella.”

To my surprise, she replied, “I know.”

I chuckled and pulled away to see her smile, swaying slowly and trying not to trip.

Kiara touched my cheek, my breath hitching in my throat, and she said, “You’re not perfect, but I love you anyway. Your flaws and your imperfections make you who you are and I quite love that.”

Taking a shaky breath, I cupped her cheek and brushed my thumb over her cheekbone. She closed her eyes, leaning on my palm, a soft smile tugging her rosy lips.

I blurted out, “I took a fart on the heart.”

Fuck me.

Her eyes opened and a laugh bubbled out of her throat. She pulled away and laughed heartily, clutching her stomach, her hair falling on her face.

Way to embarrass yourself, Ethan.

She fell on the carpet, her chortle echoing in the room, and I couldn’t help but join her on the floor, snickering beside her.

“Fart . . . on theheart? Who says that?” she said, taking a deep breath. “You’resoweird, Ethan.”

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