Page 27 of Wish You Would

It suddenly feels like we’re the only two people on this earth.

“Holden, if you pretend kissed me right now, I’d kiss you back,” she says softly.

“You don’t think that would be a bad idea?” I whisper.

The corners of her mouth tilt upward. “Definitely not.”

My cock stiffens as I think about closing the distance between us and sweeping my lips over hers. It takes everything in me to keep from taking her face in my hands and devouring her the way I’ve been longing to do.

Briar’s breath turns shallow when I drop my eyes to her full, pink lips. Her mouth is parted, her eyes hooded. I have never been more turned on in my life and I haven’t even touched her.

But I want to. Badly.

There are only a few inches of space between us, and my cock is now almost fully hard behind the confines of my shorts. My pulse races, my body in overdrive at the thought of finally getting a taste of Briar. But I have a feeling that a kiss won’t be close to being enough.

With a tilt of her head, Briar studies me attentively. It’s difficult to stand steady under the intensity of her gaze.

“Think of it as a practise kiss for when we need to kiss in public,” she says in a soft voice. “We need to be believable.”

She doesn’t move. Briar doesn’t flinch.

Olive skin. Full, pink lips. My eyes slowly return to her mouth, and I find myself scraping my teeth gently over my bottom lip.

“Briar,” I say, my voice coming out like a feral growl. “Put down your book.”

“Why?” she whispers.

She hands the book to me, and I immediately drop it to the floor, taking the last step towards her.

“Because I’m going to kiss you.”

She doesn’t waver or shy away.

I can’t hold back any longer. I give in. I take her face in my hands, and I kiss her. A slow, lingering kiss. Simple. Soft and languid. Chaste and lingering, but my body still somehow erupts in a shiver.

Once she realizes what is happening, she goes up on her toes and flattens her hands against my pecs.

I’m kissing Briar.

Briar is kissing me back.

It’s only when we need air to breathe that we pull away.

My hands still holding her face, Briar’s eyes sparkle before they go wide as if she’s realized what just happened.

The feeling is mutual. I’m still coming to terms with it myself.

“Wow.” She rolls her lips together like she’s savoring the wetness from the kiss. “I think we’re going to be okay at this.”

Shock is painted all over her face as she lowers her heels to the floor, but she doesn’t break eye contact.

“The best fake kiss of my life,” I admit.

Her eyes close for a beat. “Holden, I know that didn’t mean anything. I know it was just practise, but… you can kiss me like that anytime you want. Anywhere.”

Nervously, she tucks her blonde hair behind her ear. Dammit, I love when she shows me this side of her. It’s so fucking hot when she’s vulnerable. “I… I’m going to check on Bear. I’ll come to bed soon.”

I nod, watching her walk down the hall then I turn in the opposite direction to the kitchen to make her a cup of tea.

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