Page 73 of The Problem with Falling
After docking the boat, we silently walked into the house and escaped to our rooms. I hopped into my shower and heard Theo’s shower turn on, too. The whole time I showered, I thought about his kiss. The whole time I dried off, I thought about his kiss. The whole time I applied my lotion and washed my face, I thought about his kiss.
Then there was a knock on my door.
I opened it to find Theo standing there with only a towel around his waist. Every muscle against his arms and chest was revealed as he placed his hands on each side of the doorframe.
“Hi,” he whispered.
“Hi,” I whispered back.
He grimaced for a moment before he slightly shook his head. “I have a question.”
“I have an answer.”
“As you know, I’m new to this whole friendship thing.”
I nodded. “Yes. A newborn, one might say.”
“Yeah, exactly. And the thing about it is, I don’t know all the ins and outs of friendship, you know?”
I smiled slightly. “I could understand the learning curve, yes.”
“Right, right.” He nodded as he raked one of his hands through his still damp hair. “So my question is this. Do friends…kiss sometimes?”
I wavered my head back and forth and followed it with a nod. “I mean, yeah. I’m sure some friends kiss sometimes.”
“Right, okay. Thanks,” he said, dropping his hold on the door and stepping backward. “Well, all right. Good night.”
“Good night.”
He started to walk back toward his room but paused. “Willow?”
I leaned against the door. “Yes?”
He turned to face me and raised an eyebrow. His blue eyes were packed with so much intrigue that it made my own stomach flip. “Can we be those friends who sometimes kiss?”
I bit my bottom lip. “I wouldn’t be opposed to that idea if you’re okay with—”
And again, with haste, Theo’s mouth crashed against mine, and he swept me up into his arms, lifting me from the floor. I wrapped my arms and legs around his body as I kissed him back. I felt all of him as he pinned me to the wall, his body and his tongue showcasing how much he wanted to be friends who kissed sometimes. His thickness brushed against my inner thigh as he moved his mouth to my neck and growled against me. His tongue licked across my skin before he kissed my lips again. My hips began to grind against him as my heart rate picked up and my hands rested against his rock-hard chest. I was out of breath, but breathing seemed overrated as he explored me. He lifted me higher, his hands wrapped beneath my ass cheeks, making it almost impossible for me to consider anything else in life other than this. Than us. Than his hands roaming freely all over my body.
He kissed me once more before pulling away slightly. His forehead rested against mine as he lowered me back to the floor, yet I still felt as if I were floating.
My hands stayed pinned to his chest. His hands stayed pinned to my shoulders. His eyes closed, and mine followed suit as we stayed so close. All I could hear was his exhales and my inhales. Time stopped moving as I breathed him in.
Theo ever so gently moved in and kissed my right cheek. “Good night, friend,” he muttered against my skin.
My tongue danced over my lips as I murmured, “Good night, friend.”
When I opened my eyes, he was gone.
But the memory of the kiss lingered.
Who knew second friendship kisses could taste even better than the first?
CHAPTER 22
Harry
After the anniversary party, I stayed in bed a lot more. I felt separated in some ways from reality. Everything felt exhausting. I felt tired in a way I never knew possible. Theo would come sit with me every day for a couple of hours. He wouldn’t talk much, but I didn’t mind. He didn’t seem to, either. Sometimes he’d hold my hand just as I had when he was a little boy. Then Molly would come and lie beside me. She talked a lot, but I didn’t mind. She didn’t seem to, either.
