Page 7 of Summer Kisses

She wiggled her finger. "What's that?"

"You said you found the ring on the floor. Why did you put it on your finger?" If she hadn't done that, Mabel wouldn't have assumed she was engaged.

She chewed her lip thoughtfully before she answered. "I wanted to see what it would feel like to be engaged."

My heart contracted. Hazel was a romantic at heart. She was afraid to tell anyone she dated that she wanted to get married and have kids. She wanted the white picket fence. The fairy tale. But she knew most guys our age would run from statements like that. So she carefully hid that part of her from everyone but me. "And how does it feel?"

She looked up at me. "I know it's not real, so it's clouding the feeling, if that makes sense."

"For a few weeks, you can let go and imagine all the ways it would feel if you were engaged, because you are."

"I know there won't be a happy ending. No wedding in our future."

It was hard to admit that. "True. But it's not about the ring or the perfect party; it's the guy you choose to spend the rest of your life with. I can't help but think of my parents whenever I wonder about marriage. They've been there for each other through thick and thin, a team when it came to raising seven kids. Yet they still made time for themselves. They prioritized a standing date night even when we were little."

"That's sweet."

"That's my example of a good relationship. So it's not that I don't want that for myself, but I want to wait for the right person."

Hazel blinked, then looked away.

What had I said to upset her? I thought if I was honest, it would help me.

Hazel cleared her throat. "What should we do about the owner of the ring?"

"We'll see if anyone claims to be missing a ring. If so, we'll have to return it," I said, hoping it wouldn't be anytime soon. I needed this ring on her finger. The only thing that would make it better was if it was the ring I bought or even a family heirloom. But as the youngest Kingston brother, I wasn't getting any ofthose. Anything sentimental would surely go to the two oldest sons. No one expected me to get married anytime soon anyway.

Hazel blew out a breath. "We're going to be okay."

I twirled her and then dipped her so that her hair skimmed the ground. "Of course we are."

This is the part when I would normally kiss the girl. But since it was our first time, I slowly pulled her to stand in front of me, cupping her cheek.

She blinked up at me. "What are you doing?"

"You said we needed to practice kissing." I dipped my head, and her breath hitched. I liked to think it was because she liked me, that she was overwhelmed by my proximity. But I wasn't naive. It would take some time to convince her to see me as something other than a friend.

But I was a patient guy. I was used to being last, and Hazel was worth waiting for.

My thumb caressed the soft skin of her cheek as I angled her so that she was in the perfect position for our lips to meet.

As soon as our lips touched, it was like fireworks erupted through my body. Her lips parted on a sigh. I dipped inside, wanting to explore every inch of her mouth. Her hand gripped my shirt as if she couldn't decide whether to push me away or pull me in closer.

With my eyes closed, I could pretend that this was real. I was kissing my best friend, and it didn't feel awkward or unnatural. It felt good. I never wanted to stop. But I also didn't want to overwhelm her. She might not feel the same way I did.

I forced myself to ease back, to check in and see how she was feeling.

Her cheeks were flushed, her lips slightly swollen, and her fingers twisted in the cotton of my shirt.

"How was that? Do you think we'll be convincing?" I couldn't help but ask.

She blinked up at me for a second, and then she released my shirt and stepped back. "I think it will be sufficient for what we need."

I frowned. How could she sound so clinical? So dismissive when I wanted nothing more than to pull her back into my body and kiss her again. Every nerve in my body was firing. My lips were still tingling, and my dick was hard.

I wanted to argue with her, to tell her it was earth-shattering for me, but it wasn't the time or the place. She either didn't feel the same way I did, or she was doing a tremendous job of pretending she was unaffected.

Hazel had always been an open book with me, so I was going with the former. Hazel wasn't into me. At least not the way I was into her. This was purely platonic for her, and I needed to get with the program or I was going to end up hurt.

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