Page 73 of Fauxmance

"Maggie?"

I took a shaky inhale. "I don't think it could hurt. Kissing is an art—or so I've read. I mean, just look at the wedding dynamic. The kiss is always a huge part of the ceremony. It's like the big cherry on top or the whole cake really. And if you're good with it, I definitely wouldn't object."

Holy wow.

Did I really just ramble all that nonsense when Hayden, the guy who'd given me the best kiss of my life, was offering to do it again? Ugh, shoot me now.

But Hayden smiled.

I didn't know what it meant, but at least he wasn't running away.

"So, you're good with the kiss?" he asked.

"Yeah," I said. "I mean, yes. One hundred percent."

His thumb caressed my cheek, his gaze moving to my mouth once more, and I could barely draw breath. As he leaned in closer, I closed my eyes with only one thought.

Could a second (or technically third) kiss be as good as the first?

With Hayden, I had no doubt about the answer.

CHAPTER 14

His lips were less than an inch away from mine. We were breathing the same air—when suddenly the door to the apartment flew open.

"I told you not to park so close to the curb."

"Hey, that wasn't my fault. Gill in 4C was taking up two spaces. What was I supposed to do?"

"Find another spot."

"Wasn't that Hayden's car out front? I thought he said he had something important to do."

"He did, but maybe he got done with it and came back."

"Or maybe he brought it home with him."

"What do you—ohhhh."

There was enough insinuation in that 'oh' to make me tense. The sudden silence that followed felt like the calm before the storm. I almost didn't want to open my eyes, but slowly, I did, pulling back from Hayden at the same time.

It seemed we had an audience.

Three guys, all wearing some version of the same goofy, knowing grin, were standing frozen near the entrance.

Hayden released an exhale. "Hey, you're home early."

"We're actually not," one of them said.

"Hmm," said another, looking from Hayden to me, "guess you lost track of time. Totally understandable."

The third one nodded. "We can go back out for a while if you want."

A scoff. "Speak for yourself, Ryker. I'm not leaving, not until I meet the girl who finally made Hayden break his dry spell."

The speaker had shoulder-length wavy hair. Usually on guys, I wasn't a fan, but his hair looked shiny and luxurious. The eyes that met mine were a dark chocolate brown and filled with mischief. He stepped forward, holding out a hand.

"Hi, I'm Santino. And you're gorgeous."

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