Page 31 of Maybe We Can Fake It

“Do you have any boundaries as far as physical contact that you want to discuss?”

I shake my head. “Right. No. At least, I don’t think so. I need this to look believable between us, because if Elise and Grant find out I lied and did something this crazy...”

Remembering exactly why we’re doing this whole thing makes me shudder. It’s way too late to call it off.

Travis shifts so he can face me easier, and his knee presses into my thigh again. “We’ll make it believable. So you’re okay with hugging, holding hands, light touches?”

“Yes,” I answer quickly. Probably a littletoookay with it.

“And what about...” He hesitates, and for the first time in this conversation, he seems to be the one who’s nervous.

“About what?” I prompt.

“What about kissing?”

My whole body goes tense, shocked at even hearing the word “kissing” coming out of Travis’s mouth in regards to me.

Wow, I really threw both of us into this mess without thinking it through at all, didn’t I?

“We don’t have to,” he says. “I’m sure they won’t think it’s weird if we don’t kiss in front of them.”

“No, we should!” That comes out sounding a bit too eager, and I blush. “I mean, we can. If it seems appropriate. I don’t think we need to be making out in front of them or anything, but yeah. A simple hello or goodbye kiss occasionally will help sell it.”

His knee nudges into my thigh a little harder, but I don’t know if it’s on purpose. “I think so too. So if it feels right, we’ll just go for it. We need to look like we’re fully comfortable with each other, and then they won’t question anything.”

I’ve always been fully comfortable with Travis. Until now. When we’re sitting here talking about things like holding hands and kissing. Now my mind is shooting off in all different directions. Up until recently, I didn’t even know he swung this way. Can I picture him kissing a guy?

I go tense with the realization that yes, in fact, Ican. And the guy I’m picturing him kissing looks an awful lot like me.

I shift a little, trying to ward off the effect that sudden mental image has on me. But I’m not very successful, and before I can stop myself, I blurt out, “Maybe we should practice.”

Whoopsie.

Travis blinks at me a few times, and I resist the urge to shout out,Haha, just kidding!

Because even though I might have said it for entirely unscrupulous reasons, it’s not a terrible idea. If we kiss for the first time in front of May’s grandparents, who knows how awkward it will look. We should get used to it first.

“We can do that,” he finally says.

Which makes the reality of the situation set in. If he and I kiss, there’s no going back after it. Not that I think one kiss will makeme fall in love with him or anything. But it would be foolish to assume that nothing will be different.

I just have to hope our friendship can survive this.

“Okay,” I say.

“Okay,” he repeats. “Uh.” He scoots closer to me, and I find myself holding my breath. “So I’ll just...”

He leans in, bringing one hand up like he’s going to cup my face, but then he lets it fall down to rest on my shoulder instead. Using that connection, he gently guides me forward until our lips meet.

It’s soft, hesitant, brief. The barest of grazes before he pulls back. But I felt it.

Sweet lord, Ifeltit.

And I want to feel it again.

So without stopping to consider what that means, I lean in this time and press my mouth to his. He exhales sharply, like I took him by surprise, but then he kisses me back, moving his lips gently against mine. His fingers curl tightly around my shoulder for a second, then his hand drifts down my biceps before it falls away. But he’s still kissing me.

The kiss probably only lasts about ten seconds, but when we stop, my head is spinning like I lacked oxygen for much longer than that.

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