Page 22 of I Can't Help It

“I’m sorry.” She gives me a sympathetic look. “I shouldn’t have laughed.”

“It’s okay,” I verbally wave her off. “That was years ago, and I eventually skated at the rink again once the humiliation went away. What’s the next question?”

She peers at her phone. “Ooh! Do you have any pet peeves?”

“When people chew with their mouths open!” I exclaim without hesitation. “Or when they talk with food in their mouths? It’s so freaking annoying!”

“Oh no!” Her eyes go wide. “Did I do that with the muffin you got me? If I did, I’m so sorry because it wasn’t on purpose. I promise!”

I mean, I guess she kind of did?

But I was too distracted by her moaning to care.

Dang it.

I clear my throat some. “Nah, you were okay. So, any pet peeves?”

I don’t need to focus on the way it sounded when she moaned, or how I was jealous of that lucky muffin for being the culprit behind her reaction.

“Bad internet,” she says with a nod, “and I hate it even more now since I started working at the office. Oh! When people take up two parking spaces for no valid reason.”

We both share a few more pet peeves as I follow the next directions from the maps app, and then Ava announces that it’s time for another question. But instead of reading a question out loud, she just stares at her phone and looks almost…uneasy? Have I ever seen an uneasy Ava before?

No, I haven’t. And I don’t know how I feel about it.

“Is the question something terrible?” I attempt a light, teasing tone. “We can pass on it altogether if you want.”

I might die from wondering why, but I’ll manage.

“It’s not something terrible…” she trails off, tucking some hair behind her ear. “I’m just not exactly sure how to answer.”

Interesting.

“Well, what’s the question?”

She hesitates, and I’m holding my breath as I wait. And wait. And wait. And—

“Best kiss you’ve ever had?” She offers a shrug. “I just don’t know how to answer that because—”

Because she’s probably had too many Earth-shattering kisses with Wyatt to only choose one “best kiss.” The realization shouldn’t sting, but it does.

It stings worse than finding out you have a paper cut AFTER using hand sanitizer.

“—because I don’t think it’s happened. I don’t think I’ve had the best kiss of my life yet.”

My heart clenches as her answer sends a rush of relief through me, and I have the strongest urge to pull this car over so I can make sure the best kiss she’s ever had is with me.

And only me.

It’s not going to happen, though. I can’t kiss Ava while knowing Wyatt wants her back.

“Anyway…how about you? What’s the best kiss you’ve ever had?”

I’m not a gambling kind of man, but I’d be willing to bet the best kiss I’ll ever have is the one kiss I’ll never have. Tasting Ava’s lips would be like eating the forbidden fruit, delicious but deadly.

The price to pay would be too high.

As much as I want Ava, I don’t want to lose my friendship with Wy.

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