Page 33 of A Good Book

Just his palms gently cradling my jaw, fingers teasing the nape of my neck, and his lips pressed to mine.

It was my first kiss, so without a comparison, I couldn’t say if it was slow or fast. And I couldn’t remember closing my eyes, but they were shut. And somehow my lips knew exactly what to do. I didn’t have to think about it.

My heart beat a little faster.

A tingle of warmth spread along my skin.

And I didn’t want to stop.

That’s how I knew I not only loved kissing; I was really good at it.

Then it was over, and I realized I wasn’t the one who ended it. Ben was. But that was okay. Someone had to end it.

He was the greatest friend in the history of best friends, and my grin said as much. However, he didn’t look as pleased as he averted his gaze and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

“What? Did I do something wrong? Was it bad? Too much ChapStick? Is that why you wiped your mouth?”

With a slight headshake, he brushed past me and turned on his desk lamp while lowering into his chair. “It was fine. Don’t you have a date tonight?”

“You’re mad.”

“I’m not mad.”

“Frustrated?”

“Gabriella.” He rested his elbows on his desk and dropped his head, stabbing his fingers into his hair.

I hated feeling like I was annoying him. It reminded me of my sisters when we were younger. They were too busy or too cool to deal with me and my stupid questions. That was one reason why I loved Matt. When he and Sarah were dating, he never made me feel like that, and he even told Sarah to “be nice” when she’d try to brush me off like a pesky fly.

“Whatever.” I spun toward the door.

As I reached for the handle, Ben’s hand slid around my waist, fingers splayed along my stomach, and he hugged me from behind, pressing his lips to the top of my head.

I closed my eyes and covered his hands with mine. “I’m sorry I’m so annoying.”

He chuckled. “You’re just you, Gabbs. Innocent. Honest. Kind. Don’t ever be anything you’re not. If he kisses you, don’t worry about what he thinks. It doesn’t matter.”

I turned toward him, burying myself in his embrace and the way his body cocooned me. My safe place.

CHAPTERTEN

BELINDA CARLISLE, “I GET WEAK”

Gabby

“Hey!”I skipped down the stairs toward Matt waiting for me, again with his hands in his pockets while walking in a slow circle. I knew if we lasted, I’d always think back to how innocent he looked and the smile he gave me.

“Hey, yourself. You look nice.”

“Thanks.”

“Well, let’s go,friend,” he said with a smirk while keeping his gaze in front of us as we headed toward his car. That grin said he was still thinking about the previous night; thefriendfelt like another apology for it happening.

I was okay with being friends for the time being because I liked Julianne, and I couldn’t imagine being opportunistic like Matt’s brother had been with my sister, swooping in like a vulture to take the body while it was still warm. However, I just found out I was really good at kissing, and it was better than having my hair braided, reading, writing in my journal, Air Supply, and rainbow sherbetcombined.

While I had no plans of making the first move, I wasn’t going to object to being friends who kissed. That silent confession gave me a jolt of excitement, a taste of the unfamiliar. Was I on the verge of being a rebel? Or was I on the verge of stealing the love of someone else’s life?

We grabbed Subway sandwiches, a movie from Blockbuster, rocky road, and rainbow sherbet. Then we went to Matt’s house to watchDie Hard.

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