Page 57 of One Little Kiss
“You didn’t answer my question,” she says. “Were you going to kiss me?”
Her eyes have gone dark and fierce. Fiery, almost. And for the life of me I don’t know what answer she wants to hear. So I give her the truth.
“Yes.”
Her nostrils flare, her mouth working to the side. “Why?”
“Why what?” For a moment I’m so caught up in watching her reactions, in letting myself see her like this. Not as Noelle my untouchable friend, but as the girl whose every reaction, every flicker of emotion, and every breath holds me captive.
“Why did you want to kiss me?” She sounds annoyed, and for some reason that makes me laugh.
I let out a huff of laughter, because…seriously? Does she have to ask that?
“Why?” Her tone gets sharp and impatient.
“Because…” I throw my hands up, my mind useless. There are so many reasons, and I can’t put a single one into words right now. So, I settle for, “Because I wanted to. Because you’re beautiful.”
I know I’ve made a mistake the second the words come out of my mouth, flippant and irritated, because I don’t know how she doesn’t understand what I’m feeling.
I’m terrified she doesn’t feel it too.
Her lips quiver and I want to take it back. I’m not sure why what I said was so horrible, but I see her hurt, and I feel it like it’s my own.
“So that’s it.” Her voice quakes as she looks away from me. “You got a little drunk, realized ‘hey, my best friend is a hottie,’ and so you thought you’d make your move?”
I jerk back, more than a little stunned by her harsh accusation. “No, that wasn’t—”
“Just a pretty face, right?” she mutters, crossing her arms and shivering. “What, did you run out of nameless girls from other schools? Was I the only hot girl left who’s not dating one of your friends?”
“Noelle, that’s not what I meant.”
But she’s already brushing past me, shrugging off my jacket as she reaches for the door.
My heart threatens to go with her. Panic has me reaching for her wrist.
She can’t leave like this. We can’t end things like this.
I don’t grip her hard, but she whirls around, her eyes blazing with anger…and pain.
Crap. I did that. But as much as I feel sorry for causing her pain, I’m angry too. She’s pushing me away, and she’s doing it on purpose.
She does this whenever she’s scared or hurt or vulnerable. So instead of letting her go, I pull her closer, wrapping one arm around her waist as I cup her face in my palm, forcing her to meet my gaze.
“I didn’t almost kiss you because you’re hot, Noelle.” It comes out low and gruff. “Although, I’m not gonna deny that I’m attracted to you.”
Her eyes widen and her whole body stiffens.
My heart is pounding like it’s trying to escape, but I’m in it too deep. I’ve gone too far. And holding her like this, I know I can’t go back.
There is no going back.
I lean down, close enough that we’re sharing the same air, and I can read every conflicted, confused emotion in those gorgeous eyes of hers. “I didn’t almost kiss a pretty face or a hot body. I almost kissedyou. The nerd who quotes bad movies and does terrible impersonations. The badass who’d go to hell and back to protect her friends. The sweetheart who’s not nearly as tough as she lets people believe…”
Her breath catches as my thumb brushes over her parted lips.
“I wanted to kissyou, Noelle. I wanted to kiss my best friend.”
Her eyes are wet with tears and I can’t hold back a second longer. I close the distance between us and press my lips to hers.
