Page 27 of Mended Hearts

“At least the ending would be swift.”

“Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

“That I’ve never bothered with a man when silicone can do the job?”

“Not Anakin VibeWalker?”

She burst out laughing, hands flying up to cover her mouth. Of everything that just came out of it, that was the thing that embarrassed her?

Fuck, I needed to see what shade of pink painted her skin when she wasreallyriled.

“Hold on,” I said, nudging her out of my arms and pausing the movie. I just couldn't move past this.

Hell, I didn’t know girls that made it through high school with their virginity intact.

And here she was—twenty-three, drop-dead gorgeous, a mouth like a sailor—and somehow…

“Leighton, what are you saying right now?”

“That between fighting for my life and getting Tillie out of the water after the accident, I had the terrifying realization that I might die a virgin? Yes. Yes, I did.”

Fuck. Me.

“You’re joshing me.”

“Rude.”

“You’re telling me the woman who marched up to me at a crowded party and gave me the hottest kiss of my life is?—”

“A little Virginia. Yep.” She blinked, as if challenging me. As if every snap of those lashes said: what of it?

“Jesus Christ, Trouble.”

“That’s two.”

I couldn’t come up with a single damn thing to say.

I just sat there, staring at her. Studying her. All tan skin, dark features, and those gunmetal-blue eyes that drove me fucking crazy. Gradually, her amusement carved deep dimples into her sun-kissed cheeks.

“You gotta stop looking at me like that, Ollie.”

“Like what?”

“Like you’re about to say something life-altering. Frankly, it’s terrifying.”

I cleared my throat. Still, no words would form. “Youkissedme.”

“Yep.”

No regret. No hesitation. No second-guessing.

“Why?”

“I wanted to.”

“That simple?”

For the first time, she looked almost...perplexed. “Do you not kiss the people you want to kiss?”

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