Page 50 of Last First Kiss
Clara’s lips twitch into a soft smile as she lies on her side. I lie in front of her and I try not to think about how close we are or our kiss earlier, because this is the most tender time we’ve shared, and I don’t want it to turn into something we can no longer do because I can’t control myself having her so close.
Clara throws her leg and arm over my waist, pulling me in until we’re in our usual position—face-to-face, noses so close they touch, and our eyes fixed on the other while Clara wraps me in her arms. A restless flutter stirs deep, rising fast, but I fight it, desperate to keep my cool.
“How are you feeling?” she asks, looking effortlessly cool, but I know her too well. There’s a hint of nervousness in her voice, which makes me feel more at ease.
“I—I don’t know.”
“You don’t know?”
“No, I do, it’s just ... we kissed,” I whisper. “We kissed,” I say again, trying to make sense of my own words.
“I thought you wanted to,” she says, and her voice cracks. She starts to back away, eyes full of concern.
“No.” I pull gently on her shirt to keep her close. “I wanted to, Ireallydid. I think, even though I wanted it, I’m still processing.”
Clara nods as the tension in her shoulders eases, and her thumb starts to rub calming circles on my waist.
“So am I,” she says, nudging her nose against mine, soft and sweet.
“What now?” I ask, my eyes locked on hers.
Clara studies my face before biting her lip. “I’ve never lied to you, and I don’t want to start now,” she says, her voice catching as she struggles to swallow.
She takes a massive breath, and I brace myself.
“I can’t stop thinking about kissing you and ... I want todo it again.” A shy smile tugs at the corners of her lips. “Preferably ... often.”
The moment those words leave her lips, I realized how badly I wanted to hear them. My chest feels lighter, and I can finally catch my breath after holding it. I try to say something, anything, but the words get stuck in my throat, and I can’t seem to push them out.
“I mean, we don’t have to,” Clara says, body tensing.
“No, no.” I snap out of my daze. “I want to. I really,reallydo.” The second those four words leave my mouth, I realize I’ve never spoken anything more true.
“Seriously?” A wide smile crosses Clara’s face.
The butterflies in my stomach don’t just flutter—they riot. All I can do is nod because this emotion feels too big for words. I want this. I wanther.
I lean in, my hand sliding to the back of her neck, fingers threading into her hair. The moment our mouths touch, everything turns electric. Our kiss is deep and slow, her lips parting under mine. A breath catches in my throat as her hands slide to my waist, fingers pressing through the fabric like she needs to anchor herself. I pull her closer, our bodies fitting together perfectly. Her fingers curl at my sides as she leans in, giving herself over to it completely. Slowly, we pull apart, foreheads resting together as our breaths mingle. And in that silence, I sense it, the beginning of something real and beautiful between us.
It feels like nothing could ever spoil this perfect moment. The night passes gently, wrapped in that warmth and each other. But the next morning, a low ring cuts through the calm, and the call that comes along with it pulls me back to reality.
“Hello?” I answer groggily, not really looking at the number.
“Hi, is this Alejandra?” a woman’s voice asks.
“This is.”
“Hi Alejandra, this is Mazzie, lead recruiter at Limon Creative Studio. How are you?”
My heart leaps into my throat as the sleep lifts at the mention of the studio in New York I applied to blares in my ear. Clara, who still doesn’t know I’m thinking about moving, nuzzles into me.
What if she wakes up? What if she hears?
“I’m ... I’m good, thank you,” I manage, trying to steady my voice and keep it low. Carefully, I slip out of bed, trying not to wake her.
“Great! I wanted to talk about your application. Do you have a few minutes for a quick interview?”
“Absolutely.” I slip into my room and quietly close the door. Once it clicks shut behind me, I let out a shaky breath. But I don’t even have a second to steady my racing heart before Mazzie’s voice comes through clearly again.
