Page 230 of Phoenix's Fire

So I moved a little closer, feeling the water swirl around me. "So, will you tell me how to know when I should kiss someone?"

"Do you want to kiss someone?" he asked.

I nodded a little too much. "Mhm!"

Which made him give me a sweet smile. "Ayla, are you tipsy?"

"I dunno." But I lifted my chin. "Zasen said I had to do the next kiss if I want another, and Saveah said I should ask if I want to, but I don't know how."

"Mm." He nodded, then reached back to set his bottle down with the other. "C'mere?"

"Okay." I moved even closer.

Rymar snagged the bottle of wine from my hands and set it with the rest. Then he slumped down in the water so our heads were even. Gently, he hooked my chin, making me look at him.

"Why do you care about kissing, little Phoenix?"

"I don't know."

But he made a face. "That's a horrible answer. You can do better. I mean, you're at least a little drunk, because I don't think you can focus on me."

"Your face is kinda blurry," I admitted.

He grinned. "So this is the perfect time to tell me why you care about kissing."

"Because Zasen kissed me and it didn't hurt," I said. Then I grunted. "That's stupid. Of course it didn't hurt, but that's the only way I know how to say it."

"So try in a stupid way," he encouraged.

"He touched me and leaned in, and it didn't scare me," I explained. "And my heart was beating so fast, but I wasn't scared. Not even a little. And when his mouth touched mine?" I reached up to touch my lips in demonstration. "It was soft and nice. And I wanted to lean in. I wanted him to put his arms around me because I know he wouldn't hurt me."

"And it felt good?" he asked.

I nodded. "Yeah. And after the bear, he hugged me, and I thought it would be nice if he did it again."

He wrapped an arm around my back. "But just Zasen?"

I shrugged. "IknowZasen wants to kiss me. He keeps looking at my mouth."

"What if Kanik did?" Rymar asked.

I felt my lips split into a grin. "Would he kiss the same?"

"Nope."

"Kanik is very handsome," I informed him. "I like his freckles and his purple eyes. And he smiles in the best way, you know?" I hummed, just thinking about it. "And he touches me. Like my leg, or my arm when he walks by." Then I tried hard to get serious. "Once, I told him it was improper, but that was stupid. It was just because he made my heart race too, and I thought that was how women died."

"Because of babies?"

I made a production of nodding again. "Yep. But I'm on birth control now, so Iwon't die, and Naomi will make sure Meri doesn't, and I want to know how to kiss someone."

"You can kiss anyone you want," he told me.

Which made me tense. "Really?" And I put a hand out to steady myself. It landed right on his chest. "Can I kiss you, Rymar?"

"Oh, you are so drunk," he told me. "This is probably a horrible idea."

"But I trust you," I insisted.

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