Page 100 of The Life She Had

“And I crushed it.”

I scrunch my nose. “Dented it.”

“You still let me kiss you.”

I put my other arm around his neck, my hands entwining. “I’m a nice person, as you pointed out. I hate to disappoint anyone. Also, I wanted to kiss you.”

“Because you liked me.”

“Mmm, no. I just wanted to kiss a boy. As a scientific experiment.”

He throws back his head and laughs. Then he tightens his grip on my hips, pulling me closer. “Well, true-confession time. My excuse was total bullshit. I was just playing it cool. I had a crush on you.”

“Did you?”

“Yep.” He moves against me, his body pressed tight, face over mine as he murmurs, “Such a crush,” and looks into my eyes with a heat and sincerity that makes me blush. “Is that okay?”

I want to tease and tell him it’s fine if he had a crush on me twenty years ago. But I know that’s not what he’s saying.

“I have a confession to make, too,” I say. “You say I needed convincing. I didn’t. But I’d been taught that I was supposed to make a boy work for it, even if I wanted it.”

“And you did want it,” he says, his breath hot against my lips.

“Yes. Also, I’m not that little girl anymore. I’m perfectly fine admitting what I want.” I meet his gaze. “And I’m perfectly fine taking it.”

I wrap my hands in his hair, pull him that last inch to me.

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