Page 127 of Friends Like This

Trevor laughs and shakes his head. I know he was kidding. He’d never do that to Sarah, so my reaction was probably over the top.

Mackie and Hyla look around the bowling alley. I follow their gaze.

A few guys getting hot and heavy with girls. A few who look like douchebags with a capital D. A couple who look like they’re high as well.

“Slim pickings,” Jesse says, giving me a flirty smile.

I raise my eyebrows at him.

“Oh boy,” Trevor says. “Joel’s gonna kill you. Both of you.” He shakes his head and puts his hands out in front of him. “I want no part in this. Come on, let’s go play a round of pool,” he says to Mackie and Hyla.

They wander over to the pool table, and I narrow my eyes at Jesse. “You being serious?”

He rubs his thumb over his lips like he’s thinking about it, his eyes dancing.

“You said you want to make out with someone. You also said you want to have fun. Something about good kissing. And I have it on good authority that I’m a good kisser. From actual girls. Plus, you can say you kissed a college guy. All I’m saying is, whatever kind of fun you want to have tonight to cheer yourself up, I volunteer to, uh, take one for the team.” He grins at me.

I’m trying to figure out if he’s even a little bit serious. I mean, Trevor is right. Joel would kill us.Ifhe knew. Jesse is a flirt. He’s romantic, like Joel, but also a bit of a player, like Miles. It’s a combo I’m shockingly into at this moment. Mostly because it sounds like fun. And I desperately want fun. I want Davey’s lips to not have been the last ones that touched mine. I want to let loose and stop thinking and worrying for a little while. Plus, he did offer to kiss me back in Charleston.Why not?

I cock an eyebrow at him. “You know we could never tell Joel. Andnothing, I mean, nothing more than kissing.”

“I agree to those terms,” he says, his tongue sliding over his bottom lip. Then he shoves himself off the bench and sits down next to me, leaning in close as his breath hits my cheek.

“Tell me if you want to stop,” he says, serious for a moment. Maybe that’s why this sounds fun. I know with certainty I’m safe with Jesse.

I nod and his playful grin comes back.

He slides an arm around my waist, pulling me closer and then his lips find mine.

He kisses me slowly at first.

I don’t think Jesse knows how experienced I am at kissing. I decide to play innocent for a moment and kiss him back slowly. When he thinks he’s in control, I trace my tongue along his bottom lip.

This catches him by surprise, and he tightens his grip on my waist.

I move a little closer as he slides his tongue inside my mouth.

I need to take a moment to say that Jesseisa great kisser. Like, I would never kiss Joel, so I have no idea if it’s genetic, but if it is, no wonder so many girls are crushing on Joel. This isgoodkissing. No, actually, it’sgreatkissing.

Our tongues sync up, wrestling and sucking and playing.

I’m thoroughly enjoying myself.

Jesse pulls me onto his lap, and I realize that even though there’s no emotional connection—which, let’s face it, there wasn’t a big one with Davey—it’s still crazy sexy. Sexier than kissing was with Davey—at least at the end.

If I wanted to hook up with a guy tonight, I’d totally consider doing it with Jesse. You know, on the down low. Cause I’d never hear the end of it if I did.

Was I actually thinking that? Sleeping with Jesse?

Now I am.

No.

No.

You just broke up with Davey. You might have some sort of something with Aaron. You are not going to be this girl.

But apparently,I amthe girl who’s getting hot and heavy with a guy in a booth in the middle of the bowling alley.

---