Page 86 of The Surprise Play
“When I first met you…” A shaky breath tumbles out of her. “I thought you were gonna be just another big, dumb jock who used me for my brain and didn’t give a crap about me. I mean, I was expecting this to be a frustrating experience with someone who didn’t really care. But…” She starts squeezing her index finger, her voice getting soft and muffled as she dips her chin and talks to the floor. “You’re really not like that at all. You’re funny and interesting and sweet, and you do care about stuff.” Her gaze flicks back up, landing on me with this bright intensity I can’t look away from. “You care about graduating, and you care about your team and your friends. You’re not just some self-centered, pretty-boy, brainless jock.”
I snicker and shake my head. “I’m not exactly the smartest guy in the room, Satch.”
“But youaresmart.” She grabs my wrist, staring up at me, her eyes so big and beautiful that I can’t do anything but drink them in. “You’re so many wonderful things, Wily. You’re so full of life and this contagious energy. No wonder you have so many friends. You’re so incredibly popular, and I’m probably the last person you’d ever like back, but… you…” She bites her bottom lip. “You just kissed me. And you seemed to want to, so… for just a fleeting second, I thought maybe the impossible might be possible. And it totally freaks me out.” Her voice drops away to a barely there whisper.
I have to strain to catch what she said while I watch her teeth scrape over her bottom lip before sinking into it again.
“Hey, stop that.” I gently coax her lip free, then brush my thumb over the red spot she left behind. Gazing down at her, I try to process everything she just spilled. I’m sure she didn’t mean to let it all out like that. Panic obviously took over, and she unleashed all this stuff she’s been hiding away.
And thank fuck she did, because… whoa.
I wonder how long she’s been feeling this way.
Does she really think I’m all those things?
I cup the side of her face, drinking in that open expression of hers, and holy shit, she really does.
And for some reason, it means… so much.
She’s not some girl trying to sweet-talk me into kissing her so she can say she got with Wily Wilson, the star football player.
She doesn’t know how rich my family is. She may have guessed, but it probably doesn’t even come close, so she can’t be after me for my money, right?
That look in her eyes… she seems completely genuine in what she’s saying.
And that… that’s why…
“I wanted to kiss you.” My voice comes out husky and raw. I end up smiling because I’m sounding like a sap here, but I can’t seem to help myself. “I really wanted to kiss you.” Lightly caressing her lip with my thumb, I gaze down at her and give her this cringing smile. It’s my sorry-not-sorry face, and I really need to stop that, because I should be remorseful for what I did.
Rubbing a hand over my mouth, I let out a soft sigh and try again. “Satch, I’m sorry that I stole your first kiss. I didn’t even ask, I just took it because I couldn’t stop myself and… well, that was wrong. I shouldn’t have done it.”
“No, that’s okay.” She rests her hand lightly on my chest, tracing the outline of the Cougar logo on my sweater. “If I’m honest, I wanted you to kiss me. But being the complete novice that I am, it probably didn’t register in my conscious mind until after it was happening, and…” She winces. “I’m not sure I’m very good at it.”
“You are.” I grin, giving her a reassuring smile. “You were really good, and those lips of yours are… mmmm.” I wink. “And you smell so good.”
“I do?” She blinks, then touches her mouth. “They are?”
“You do. And they are, Satch. They definitely are.” I brush my nose against hers and sense her lips quivering with a smile. “Think it’ll be okay if I kiss you again?” I whisper.
“Um…” She breathes out a soft breath that tickles my chin. “I… I mean, if you want to.”
Leaning back, I look down at her, my eyebrow arching. “Doyouwant to?”
Her mouth trembles open as she squeaks. “I think so?”
I move away from her, leaning back a little farther and rising to my full height. “I want you to be sure.”
She gives me a weak smile, and I can’t go pushing it. Shit, I’ve never seen her so vulnerable, and it doesn’t matter that I want to press my mouth to hers and drink her like she’s my favorite brand of beer.
This isn’t about me right now.
“Hey, you know what?”
“What?” she breathes.
“I want to take you out on a date.”
And then she stills. In fact, I think she just stops breathing. Her eyes go even bigger than they were before, and did she just whisper, “A date?”
