Page 68 of Giving In

I bare my teeth, looking right into Chris’ eyes and drag the zipper down, keeping eye contact with him. I sense something shifting below his jeans but don’t even think about it. Again, it only lasts about five seconds but it’s all my body needs to melt and for pleasure to pool between my legs.

Everyone claps as I sit back in my space, pulling my zipper up. Chris keeps his eyes on me as he sits back down, and I know I must be the color of the cranberry juice bottle on the table.

“I think we’re gonna have to find a new nickname for you. Something like, ‘not-so-goody’,” Luke says in a mocking voice. Emily gives him a shove as everyone starts laughing.

“Your turn,” Jake says with a lopsided grin.

I pick a card and my heart drops. I try to put it down on the table, but Jake grabs it and reads it out to everyone.

“Blindfold yourself and have someone spin you around. Walk until you bump into a person or object and make out with it/them or finish your drink.”

He marks a pause before putting the card down. I extend my arm to grab my drink, but Jake snatches it before I can.

“It’s called do ordrink, Jake. You can’t decide for me,” I complain, exasperated at his behavior.

“We’re past that point of the game, Goody. Wedonow,” he throws back at me in a mellow voice.

I frown at him and look around the table. Everyone seems to agree with him.

“Fine,” I say through gritted teeth.

I stand up and try to look confident but it’s hard when I’m seconds away from having my first kiss with I don’t know who or what.

Jake grabs a scarf that’s been left in a corner of the room. He comes back to me, turns me around so my back is facing him, and puts the scarf over my eyes, tying it behind. It pulls at my hair when he tightens it a second time, but I don’t say anything. Emily has a whole collection of perfume and I recognize her English garden perfume on the scarf.

“Everyone spread out!” I distinguish Camila’s voice. “Don’t spin her too hard, baby. It would be a shame if she ends up making out with the floor.” I don’t miss the sarcasm in her voice. I do my best to ignore it and focus on not falling face first.

“I’ll do my best to catch you,” Jake slips in my ear before spinning me around.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four times.

I almost lose balance when he lets go. He steps away so quickly that I have no idea in which direction he went. I put my hands out, my head is spinning with a mix of the alcohol buzz, the spins, and the reverberations of Jake’s whispers in my ear.

I take a few steps forward but change directions when I don’t bump into anything.

“Not this way, you’re not my type,” I hear Beth’s mean girl voice.

I change directions again and three steps later bump into a body. I want to run my hand all over it to make out who it is exactly, but the need to cut this short takes over.

I run both my hands along the arms. They’re strong and bulgy. I reach wide shoulders, a solid neck, and finally place my hands on either side of a face. The physique and lack of long hair confirm that I’m about to have my first kiss with a boy and the consequent height difference tells me it’s not Luke. It could be Chris or Jason.

Or Jake.

My heart is beating too fast for my ribcage to handle. An arm slides around my waist helping me up on my toes and, before I know it, I’m kissing soft lips. The kiss is gentle, and I start to feel more comfortable until the tip of his tongue forces my lips apart. I let him in and part for more, lost in a tornado of feelings. His tongue intertwined with mine, I completely forget that I’m much less experienced than him. I don’t think if I’m turning the right way around, he’s completely taken over and I let him. Blush burning my cheeks, stomach full of butterflies, my hands slide from his cheeks all the way to his chest.

When we part, I have to catch my breath. I take a few steps back before uncovering my eyes. When I open them, there’s no one in front of me.

I snap around. Camila and Beth are giggling at me. Jason, Chris and Jake are right next to each other smiling at me and Luke and Emily have disappeared. I turn my head to the side, where Rachel and Rose have laid down on multiple bean bags, then back to look at the three boys not far from me.

“You looked like a fish trying to make out with air, Goody,” Camila mocks.

“You’re allowed to breathe through your nose, you know that, right?” Beth adds.

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