Page 20 of Flynn

It wasn’t even a thought before the word left my mouth. “Yes.”

Flynn made a sound in the back of his throat, and I closed my eyes as he lowered his mouth to mine. His lips were soft, full, and they brushed across mine gently, once, twice.

“Part your lips, Ara,” he instructed.

I sucked in a breath, and he kissed me again, harder this time, deeper. I gasped against his mouth as he let go of my hand and slid it around my waist to the small of my back, pulling me against him. I was overwhelmed with sensation, with the feel of his lips, the touch of his hand, the feel of his body hard against mine.

At the first flick of his tongue against mine, I made a noise that caused heat to flood my cheeks again, but judging by the way he deepened our kiss, he liked it. I focused on kissing him, on mimicking his movements. When I slid my shaky hand up his chest to his shoulder and further still to link with my other hand behind his neck, Flynn moved his other hand up my neck to my hair and tilted my head back.

He kissed me long and deep, and I wasn’t sure how much time passed. I was so lost in it that it wasn’t until he raised his head—our breathing ragged and harsh—that I came back to myself a little. My gaze locked with his and I could tell he was going to stop, that he was going to talk, but I wasn’t ready to stop yet. I pressed up onto my toes to kiss him again. It was different initiating the kiss, but his instant reaction to kiss me backboosted my confidence enough that I wasn’t worried anymore.

One of his hands slid to rest low on my back and his other hand moved to cup my face, kissing me deeper so that I was sure I’d die of oxygen deprivation.

Tearing his mouth from mine, Flynn pulled away and took two large steps back. With the exception of our ragged breathing, silence filled the room as we looked at one another. When I’d agreed to him being my first kiss, I hadn’t expectedthat.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered.

“Why?”

I struggled to find the words, my heart pounding hard and fast, my body so uncomfortable and my mind a jumbled mess. “I…”

Flynn’s expression shuttered, and I watched the way his inner defenses came up again, protecting him in that way he'd done since I’d first met him.

“Flynn—”

“You should go, Ara. People will be looking for you. What will they think if they find you leaving my bedroom at a party like this?”

A stab of panic cooled my overheated body. He was right. Flynn had a reputation, and people had remarked a few times on how I was one of the few who Flynn voluntarily hung around and how strange it was. They’d all think we’d slept together if they saw me.

But the look on Flynn’s face hurt, and I didn’t want him to think I was embarrassed by him. I took a few shaky steps toward him and his gaze stayed locked on me the whole time.

“I’m not sorry we kissed,” I whispered. “It was…” I struggled to find the words and let out a heavy breath as my face heated. “Amazing.”

Something in his expression changed, a softening around his eyes. “Amazing?” he repeated with a cocked eyebrow.

Embarrassment at voicing what I felt made me squirm, but Iforced myself to keep looking at him. “It’s not the best word, but I couldn’t think of anything better. My brain is a little muddled.”

His smirk crept back onto his face and his shoulders eased their tension. “That’s certainly a compliment.”

I smiled and stared up at him, still frazzled and feeling shy, but I didn’t want him to think I was ashamed of kissing him. I was always happy to be there for Flynn in the time we’d known each other. He had always looked so miserable, fighting an invisible battle while still having to go through the motions. I couldn’t imagine losing my parents at all, much less the way he had, and my heart hurt for him to be so alone. I was glad he had his Uncle Trevor, but Flynn was always fighting, so angry at the world.

I liked being one of the few people he softened to, but it hadn’t been easy to get past his guards. I’d just been persistent and hadn’t pushed. Eventually, he’d let me in himself, and I took my role as his confidant very seriously. I saw the good beneath the troublemaker he presented to everyone else, and I wanted nothing but the best for him in life, if only he’d stop getting into so much trouble. As much as it sucked knowing he was leaving tomorrow, I sincerely hoped this next chapter of his life worked to give him the structure he needed.

We stood there staring at one another, neither of us speaking, and when my gaze dropped to his mouth once more, I wanted to kiss him again. I hadn’t known kissing someone could be so… explosive. No matter what happened next, I was glad I’d shared this moment with Flynn, that he’d been my first kiss, and that he’d made it such a memorable experience.

Slowly, his smile faded, and he sighed. “You should go, though. At least now your first kiss won’t be in front of everyone else.”

I silently wondered how any other kiss could measure up, but he was right. It was time to go. “Be careful, Flynn. Wherever you go, the military or on the road. Be safe,” I said, hating the idea of him disappearing for good.

He nodded, and I leaned up on my toes to kiss him again. I was relieved when he kissed me back, but it was gentler.

“Goodbye, Ara,” he whispered against my lips.

I pulled away and tried to find the right words, but when nothing came, I backed up to the bedroom door.

“Bye, Flynn.”

Chapter Seven

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