Page 81 of Still The One

‘Sometimes I still do,’ he says, raising a single finger to his lips as if I’m not to tell a soul.

‘Me too,’ I admit. ‘Once a year with your stupid anniversary comment, and a lot more since you’ve been here.’

‘I’m sorry,’ he says, leaning in closer. ‘I wish there were a way to easilyknowif there are any true unresolved feelings.’

‘Any ideas?’ I swallow hard.

I tilt my head to the side, ready to see if we are thinking the same thing. The rum says we are.

‘I do have one idea.’

‘Lay it on me,’ I say, ready to figure this out.

‘A single kiss. No tongue. Sweet. Just to test our hearts.’

‘So, it’s sort of like a science experiment?’

‘If that helps you, yes.’

‘Alright,’ I say. ‘We deserve to at least know, right?’

‘Right,’ he agrees, leaning into me.

‘How should we do it? Count down? Ready, set, go? Or just do?—’

As his lips meet mine mid-word, electricity courses through my veins. The slight brush of his fingers against my neck would bring me to the ground if I weren’t already sitting. His lips are exactly as soft as I remember, and he tastes of the Coke he’s been drinking, as well as cool mint Listerine. An overwhelming fluttering in my chest grows, nearly taking my breath away. My God – I never felt this with Cayden. Ever. I think thesearefeelings.

Gen’s voice cuts through the chatter of the bar. ‘Heeey,’ she says in a sing-song voice, leaning over the bar and peering around Phil.

‘Earth to Eve,’ Phil says, jabbing my ribs hard enough that I pull away from Foster and glare back at them. ‘As fun as that looks –whatare you doing?’ he asks under his breath.

Genevieve approaches my bar-stool. ‘I need to use the little girls’ room, wanna join me?’

It’s a subtle question, but I know all too well it’s code for ‘follow me now’.

‘Sure,’ I reply with a coy smile, darting a glance at Foster who nods in understanding. ‘I guess I’ll be right back.’

Turning away from him, I follow Gen through the crowded bar, weaving between bodies and dodging spilled drinks. But all I can think about is how sweet he tasted and what that kiss just did to my insides – head, heart, and loins.

With a sly grin, Gen leads me into the women’s restroom, shutting the door behind us and leaning against it.

‘A kiss?’ she asks, lifting her palms to the sky. ‘What brought that on?’

I touch my lips, noticing I need to touch up my lipstick in the mirror. ‘A test,’ I say, pulling the tube from my purse.

‘Pop quiz, huh?’ she asks, shaking her head.

‘He thought it might reveal if we had any feelings left between us. I dunno, it just happened.’

‘And…?’ she asks, tapping her toe on the floor.

‘It was sosogood.’ I swoon, popping the cap back onto the lipstick tube once my lips are sufficiently painted, and sliding it into my purse.

‘As good as before?’

I shake my head. ‘Better.’ I haven’t felt like this since I was a kid on Christmas Eve. I want to run back into that bar, hop onto that man, and ride him home. But I won’t, because I’m a lady.

‘Wanna hear what I think?’ Gen asks.

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