Page 56 of Not Fooling Anyone

“Let’s take a quick breather,” Dr. Clark says, gathering the tubes. “I’ll be back soon.”

I stare at a spot about a foot in front of me, avoiding Ethan’s eye as we’re left alone, but that doesn’t stop him from commenting, “Your face changed at the end there.”

“Hmm,” I reply, not answering him.

“What were you thinking about?”

See? Pushy. No boundaries. A reasonable person would leave well enough alone.

My first instinct is to tell him it’s none of his business. But if I know him at all, that won’t deter him.

“About the last time someone kissed me,” I reply honestly.

“Someone like five minutes ago or someone before that?”

“Before you,” I whisper.

“And based on your expression, it was… not good?”

“Not good,” I confirm.

He scoots his chair closer, until his knees are touching mine. I look up into those familiar green eyes, the patience and understanding there nearly too much to handle. “Maybe we could replace that memory with a better one.”

CHAPTERTHIRTEEN

LEXIE

My heartbeat picksup as I process his words. “What?”

“When they ask us to kiss,” he clarifies. “So now your last kiss will be a better one.”

My mind goes back to how softly he had kissed me before. No, stop thinking of that. “It’s not a real kiss,” I remind him. Needing to remind myself, too.

“I know. I just thought…” He blows out a breath, resting his elbows on his knees, head hung low. “Never mind.”

God, I’m such a bitch. He’s trying to help, and I continue to piss all over him. “No, it’s really… thoughtful of you.” I slide my right hand up my left arm, squeezing my bicep. “You’re actually a…” I swallow, the words stuck in my throat. “You’re a considerate person.”

His head tilts up, gaze meeting mine, something lurking behind his eyes I don’t quite understand. “I’m not offering purely altruistically,” he murmurs.

My heartbeat pounds louder, until it’s all I can hear. What does he mean?

“You guys ready for the last part?” Dr. Clark asks, breezing into the room.

I straighten in my seat, like I was caught doing something wrong. I wasn’t, though. Nothing even happened.

I think.

She sets down fresh supplies on the tray table on the desk. “One more swab and you’ll be out of here. You have it easy today.”

Easy? Is she kidding?

Then again, last week wasn’t a walk in the park either.

“This one is measuring your oxytocin levels after you kiss. I’ll turn my back and have you kiss for ten seconds. Don’t use any tongue because we want to minimize the transfer of saliva.”

Gross.

She turns her back to us. “Let me know when you’re ready.”

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