Page 85 of Brooklyn Cupid

“You are smoking, Lu. You don’t smoke.”

“Erin seems to like you,” she says.

So, it’s about Erin?

“What does you smoking have to do with Erin?” Everything, I know.

She tosses her head. “I don’t mind you hooking up, Jace. Just not in my house. Please.”

Oh, great.“I’mhooking up?” I hold back a smile.

“It’s rude. I like you living here, but if you’re going to hook up, go to her place. I don’t need to hear you—”

“What are you talking about?”

“Erin is not that nice. She’s a bitch, actually.” Lu’s voice is irritated and unusually snappy. “Flirt with someone else.”

She’s tipsy, the cigarette sloppily hanging between her fingers.

“Lu? I wasn’t flirting with her.Shewas flirting withme.”

“Yeah, well, have some respect for this house.”

Gently, I take the cigarette out of her fingers and drop it onto the floor.

Lu’s so close, unbearably close, and I want her even closer. She’s gazing away, biting her lower lip.

“Lu? What’s happening?”

She shakes her head.

“Look at me, please,” I ask.

And now she does. She raises her eyes at me. Her eyelids flutter like she has a hard time keeping her gaze locked with mine.

Her eyes are fire. There’s hurt in them like I just betrayed her. And anger, I think. But also something that reminds me of those spicy episodes she writes, that unmistakable surge of energy.

“Did you get jealous?” I ask softly. That’s a bold question.

She flinches at the words. “Yes,” she whispers way too quickly.

That’s all I need, and I step in closer, my heart thumping hard like it’s sending an SOS signal.

“How jealous?” I ask almost in a whisper, raise my hand to her face, and gently run the back of my fingers along her cheek.

Her lips part slightly in a tiny gasp. Her face is only inches away. She doesn’t break eye contact, and I pray she won’t because I’m afraid to lose whatever is happening right now and I need to see that she is too.

“Very jealous,” she whispers.

I lean in and kiss her.

A tiny little kiss. No tongue. Just our lips touching for a second.

When I slowly pull away, Lu’s lips follow mine just an inch, like she doesn’t want to let go.

And I kiss her again.

As soon as our lips fuse together, I know nothing ever compared to this, to the way my heart booms in my chest and every cell surges toward her. I have to restrain myself from attacking her when I take her face between my palms and deepen the kiss.

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