Page 56 of The Confidant
I quickly glanced around to make sure Pastor Caldwell wasn’t hiding behind the bushes just beyond the gate.
“Is something wrong?” Scarlett asked.
“I’m just making sure your dad isn’t out here.”
“Oh, good idea.” She pulled her head back so she could scan the area as well.
“I don’t see anyone,” I said, releasing the breath I’d been holding.
“Me either,” she said, sounding as relieved as I felt. “And if he or Megan did look through the windows, I don’t think they’d be able to see us inside the arch.”
“And he wouldn’t have a reason to walk over to the church this late at night, would he?”
“No,” she said.
“Okay, good.” I sighed, feeling less anxious about that, at least.
“So if we were to stand here a little longer,” she said, her voice going higher, “I don’t think he would notice.”
Okay, she was definitely hinting that we should be kissing right now, right?
We both looked at each other for a moment. I was just trying to remember if I was supposed to turn my head to the left or the right when she whispered, “Unless you think I should go inside…”
“No.” I tightened my arms around her waist before she could assume I didn’t want to be here. “Don’t go in yet.” I pulled my head back so I could meet her eyes. “Sorry I’m—” I sighed. “I’m just nervous. It’s kind of been a while and…”
“I’m nervous, too,” she whispered.
“You are?” I asked, surprised since she’d always been so much better at things like this than me.
She nodded, her gaze seeming to go to my lips before she met my eyes again. “I just don’t want to mess anything up or…”
“Have things get weird like they did last time?” I finished for her.
She nodded.
And I was reminded again of just how fragile relationships could be if you weren’t careful.
Or if you were keeping secrets from the other person.
Don’t think about that right now.
This was just one night. One date.
One kiss.
We weren’t promising each other forever tonight, so I didn’t need to worry about whether she could see herself ending up with someone like me yet—if she was willing to navigate life with someone who saw the world in a different way than she did.
We could have that conversation later.
When the time was right.
So before we could losethismoment, I slipped my hand to the back of her neck and whispered, “Do you want this right now?”
“Yes.” She said the word quietly as she searched my eyes.
“Then how about we stop worrying about any obstacles in the future and just enjoy this moment tonight?” And without overthinking anything else, I leaned my face back down and kissed my best friend.
The kiss was slow and careful at first. Like we both needed a moment to get used to breathing the same air and sharing the same breath again.
