Page 22 of Perfect Chemistry

[Have you eaten dinner yet?]

Kitkat ??:[Just finished. Why?]

Shit. Dinner date was out of the question. I had to find some reason to see her. Anything. I was laying on my bed, and bit the bullet. We promised honesty.

[I want to see you.]

Kitkat ??:[Ok.]

I sat up. She said, ‘ok’?

[Can I pick you up at seven?]

Kitkat ??:[I’m with Andie. Can we meet somewhere?]

Of course, she was with Andie.

[Just tell me where.]

Kitkat ??:[So eager, huh???]

[Honestly? Yes. I have been thinking about you all day.]

Kitkat ??:[We are at the mall. I can meet you at the theater?]

I didn’t waste another second. I grabbed my wallet and convinced my brother to let me borrow his jeep.

[On my way]

It took everything I had not to break every speed limit crossing town. I parked and walked toward the theater. I saw her before she had a chance to notice me. Watching her made my chest tight and I couldn’t breathe for a second.

What if this wasn’t what I hoped it would be? What if I wasn’t enough for her? What if she didn’t feel for me the way I felt for her?

My head was filled with thousands of doubts every second that passed. Then she looked up and saw me, and my brain shorted. She was smiling at me. I watched her say something to Andie, and the two hugged before Andie left Katie alone to wait for me.

“Hi,” she whispered as I finally got close enough.

I pulled her into my arms, wrapping my hands around her waist. “Can I kiss you?” I asked. My stomach knotted with nervous energy.

She nodded, and I didn’t hesitate. I brushed my lips against hers and sucked on her bottom lip. I tried to keep it PG13, figuring that any public affection would make her uncomfortable.

I pulled away from the kiss and saw her face flushed crimson. I couldn’t help but smile at her. She was so cute.

“Did you want to stay here? Or, we can go somewhere and talk,” I offered.

I didn’t need to guess what she was thinking because her face immediately turned bright red. It made me laugh and I hugged her against me.

I tucked my face into her neck and whispered against her skin, “I really just want to talk, Kitkat. I need to make sure that I’m not dreaming. I feel like my heart is about to come out of my chest. My stomach is all kinds of twisted up.”

I felt her melt against me, “Me too.”

We went to the park on the riverside and found a bench to sit on. She laid her legs over mine, and I pulled her body into my side so her head rested on my shoulder.

“Are you comfortable?” I asked.

“Yeah,” she whispered.

“I really like you, Kat. A lot,” I confessed.

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