Page 124 of Just One Kiss

“This is a bad idea.” She pushed herself back against the wall, but barely moved, and the second his lips met hers, her doubts fell away. His kiss wasn’t soft or gentle or tentative, it was as if she was filling his lungs with air. Her hands found his chest, then slid upward and laced around his neck, drawing him closer as he deepened the kiss.

His tongue grazed her bottom lip, sending a shiver down her spine, then all at once he pulled back, resting his forehead on hers. “You have no idea what you do to me.” His hand rested on her shoulder, still wrapped gently at the side of her neck, and his skin on hers awakened something inside her that had been lying dormant for more years than she’d realized.

“This is crazy,” she said.

He shook his head. “It’s just crazy enough to be right.” He kissed her again, this time softer, gentler, sweeter, as if savoring every part of her in this moment.

“I told you,” he said.

“Told me what?”

“It would just take one kiss to prove this isn’t over.”

She didn’t argue. Instead, she pulled him closer, her kisses so intent they proved his point.

She’d forgotten the way his lips tasted, distinctly and uniquelyJosh, the way he inhaled her as if drinking her in made the whole experience that much richer. She’d forgotten how it felt to rest in the strength of his embrace, and how he made her believe she could do anything simply by the way he looked at her—like she’d hung the moon.

With his body pressed against hers and his hands searching for a safe place to land, Carly took a fleeting moment to savor him as if this all made perfect sense. In her kisses, she unleashed the fire of passion she’d forgotten she held and let herself fall deeper into the warmth of him.

Were David and Jaden right? Did she still love Josh?

His kisses turned hurried again, and she responded to the height of his desire, wishing they could stop time, wishing away the pain of a past that had hung them both out to dry.

He pulled away, and in the absence of his lips on hers, she covered her mouth with her hand and watched him inhale—exhale—then inhale again, as if it was impossible to catch his breath.

He took a step back, then met her eyes. “You’re so beautiful, Carly.”

She looked away. “I bet you say that to all the girls.”

He tipped her chin up with his hand, forcing her gaze. “There haven’t been any other girls.”

She frowned, a nervous laugh escaping through her lips, but when she steadied her eyes on his she saw he wasn’t kidding. “What do you mean?”

“There’s only ever been you.”

He’d never loved anyone else?

He walked over to a small table in the entryway and picked up his wallet, opened it and pulled out a folded sheet of what looked like notebook paper. He unfolded it and handed it to her.

Her eyes fell on the page and the familiar words he’d written so many years ago came into focus through her clouded eyes. “Is this . . . ?”

“I made you a promise.”

She looked at the paper in her hand. “I don’t understand.”

“I promise to cherish you. To take care of you. To do what’s best for you and to always put your happiness before my own.” He recited the words steadily from memory. “I promise that in all things you will forever be myalways.”

She shook her head. “You mean there’s been no one serious?” That made sense. She’d dated, after all, but none of those short-lived relationships had turned into anything. Perhaps it was the same for him?

“No, Carly.” He took her hand and kissed her palm. “I mean there’s been no one.”

She pulled her hand away. “This doesn’t make sense.” Her heart pounded through her chest now. She spun around, walking toward the blue light dancing in the living room, simply to put distance between her body and Josh’s.

He made her feel things she shouldn’t feel. As if all the sleeping places inside of her had suddenly awakened, quickening her pulse, spinning her mind. And now this? What did he mean there had been no one else? How was that even possible?

Josh likely had been propositioned on a weekly basis, more so since his app took off and he’d grown wealthy—no way he’d resisted this whole time.

“It’s pretty straight-forward. I haven’t been with anyone else—” He cut himself off, folding the sheet of paper and tucking it back in his wallet.

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