Page 51 of Kiss Me, Maybe

“Are you still thinking about what Natalia said?” Krystal asks, concern shining in her brown eyes.Not at all.“I’m sure we can figure out an alternative. I mean, look around.” She throws out her free arm holding the cup of elote, gesturing tothe festival around us. “You couldn’t find a better backdrop for a scavenger hunt than this. We don’t even have to start over, at least not completely.”

“I don’t know.” I smash my spoon into the smooth layer of cheese, mixing until the hot sauce and corn are visible and evenly incorporated. “I’m not sure if I can go through with it anymore, no matter how many willing participants I have.”

“What?”

Krystal stops in her tracks, forcing me to look up at her.

“Remember that harmless online flirting I’ve been doing?”

“Is that something you’re still doing?” she asks, expression unreadable.

“On and off, and really it’s only been with one woman for a while now,” I tell her. “Apparently, she not only lives in town but she’s also the school’s new library assistant. She wants to join the scavenger hunt, and she’s desperate to win.”

“Oh.” Her shoulders deflate, and a flash of something like hurt crosses her features. “Not so harmless anymore, huh?”

“I… like her.” I force the words out, no matter how hard it is to admit them to Krystal, someone else I like. A whole hell of a lot more than I should. “She’s looking for a relationship too. Mostly to get her family off her back, I think, but aside from that it’s something she genuinely wants for herself but hasn’t been able to find up to this point.”

“I see,” she says, taking in a deep breath. “Have you met her? In person?”

“Not yet. We have something planned for next weekend with Marcela. Her new project has been finding people to expand our friend group. Might be kind of awkward given thatLeti and I have been flirting with this scavenger hunt idea as well as each other for a while now, but Marcela’s determined for us to see it through, anyway.”

“Why haven’t I received an invite to the friend group?” It’s hard to tell if her tone is teasing or hurt.

“That’s probably my fault.”

She’s about to ask me why, but instead of stumbling through what could barely be called a reasonable explanation, we’re interrupted by an older woman selling teresita crowns. Krystal asks me which color I prefer, insisting it’s her treat when I reach for my wallet. I wear a small smile as I point toward one with white and purple flowers. Krystal reaches for a traditional multicolored crown for herself.

Once she pays, she leads me to the grass where we’re out of the way of passersby. She smooths my hair down and sets the crown atop my head, arranging the thin trail of curled ribbons over my left shoulder.

“Now do mine,” she says, handing me her crown.

I place my arm through the wide circle and reach up to fix the strand of hair displaced by the wind. Her curls are soft and lush between my fingers. There’s just so much of it, wild tendrils falling past her shoulders. At first I thought our hair was the same color, but up close I notice hers is lighter than mine, especially at the ends. Notes of amber and copper mingled together, darkening at her roots.

The dizzying scent of her coconut shampoo wafts into my nostrils until I’m spellbound. I can’t stop myself from sinking my fingers through the thick strands, twining it around my fingers—

It isn’t until she clears her throat that I remember myself.Good lord, what the hell am I doing?She no doubt thinks I’m some sort of weirdo, playing with her hair needlessly like this and neglecting my crowning duties.

“Sorry,” I choke out before quickly placing the crown on top of her head, adjusting the ribbons to fall behind her hair. When she raises her head, she’s grinning.

“Not a problem.” She reaches out to tug an errant curl of mine between her fingers. I feel the jolt of her touch throughout my entire body. A blush heats my face, and I only hope she can’t see it beneath the dusky sky. “You’re not the only easily distracted one here.”

For a moment, I forget how to breathe. Our faces are so close, I’m eye to eye with the freckle dotting the edge of her mouth. All I can think about is the other night, her flushed skin glistening with sweat, telling me the one thing I’ve dreamt of hearing from her for years.

God, I wish I could kiss you right now.

I clear my throat to clear the tension I’m sure only I can feel, then hold out my arm for her again. She takes it, guiding us down the street.

“What do you want to do first?” she asks. “I’m guessing the Ferris wheel is out of the question, given your…” She trails off with a knowing smirk.

“Fear of heights,” I supply, smiling dryly. “You haven’t forgotten, I see.”

“If I promise to protect you, can we go?” She bats her eyes at me, biting down on her bottom lip.

“Fine.” I roll my eyes with a grumble, though I have toadmit that the idea of Krystal “protecting” me is highly appealing, despite the fact that if I need saving from anything, it’sher. This crush can’t go anywhere, but try telling my heart that. She’s heartbreak waiting to happen. “On the off chance our carriage goes careening off its hinges, I’m using you to break my fall.”

“Ye of little faith.” She tugs my arm closer, until the right side of my body is pressed against her. “Come on.”

The lines aren’t long yet. We’ve arrived at the perfect time. Perfect if you’re not like me and terrified of heights, that is.

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