Page 47 of Choosing Her
“What do you think are the chances that they’ll figure out those fireworks before midnight?” Crossy asked.
We were lying on the beach now, the cool sand under our backs. The place had transformed in the last hour, with people pouring in from every house lining the shore. Somewhere done the way, someone was blasting music that was carrying softly through the air to us and there must have been a bonfire, because I could smell the smoke intermingling with the smell of salt from the ocean in the air.
A group of college boys were a little down the way on the beach and arguing as they tried to set up some fireworks. I glanced at my watch. Four minutes to midnight didn’t give them much time to figure out.
“Not happening,” I said with a laugh. I tried to look further down the beach to see if anybody else seemed to be setting up fireworks, but between all the groups of friends running about and the darkness, it was hard to make sense of anything.
“Can I tell you a secret?” Crossy asked. His squeezed my hand as he saidsecret. I turned from looking down the beach to looking at it, our noses brushing from the close proximity. Icouldn’t remember the last time I’d sat this close to a boy. Had I ever?
“Of course.”
“I actually hate fireworks.”
I pretended to gasp in horror. “You’re kidding.”
“They’re loud, they’re not that pretty, they’re annoying, they make dogs go berserk.”
I laughed. “Have you been holding this opinion in for a long time?”
“Forever. I’m so glad I could finally tell you. It’s nice to have a confidant.”
“So, I guess this means we can’t go to Disney World while we’re both here?”
“Definitely not. Pretty sure not liking fireworks is a crime there. Unless your ultimate plan is to get me thrown in Disney World jail and this has all been a long con.”
I hated that he made me laugh so much, but I loved it a little too. I just wish that I didn’t give in so easily. I didn’t want him to know that I found him funny. I didn’t like to give people that sort of power. But he brought it out of me so easily.
“So what happens at midnight?” I asked.
His brows scrunched together. “”You mean because there’s no fireworks? I guess we’ll all just yell ‘Happy New Year’ together, without anything bright in the sky.”
“No, I meant like normally people at midnight…” I flushed red as I realized the words I was about to say, but I had already started the sentence and if I tried to stop now, he wouldn’t definitely press me until I gave in and told him what I was going to say. “It’s a tradition to kiss someone at midnight. You know, like New Year’s kiss. And I thought while I was here, I might…”
I swallowed thickly. It wasn’t like it had been a strong plan or anything. In fact, I’d barely even thought about after Naomi said in the Uber ride over that she was planning to find a NewYear’s Eve kiss tonight. But I’d never been kissed before, unless I couldn’t that time in third grade when I got pretend-married on the playground, and since I seemed to scare off most of the guys at school, I thought maybe it would happen tonight. Of course, that was before I realized that I would be spending most of the evening hiding in a laundry room, but now that I was out here with Crossy, I thought the idea was worth revisiting.
Crossy looked like he was silently laughing at me. “Is that an actual tradition?”
“Yes,” I said firmly, even though I wasn’t sure. I’d seen some of the couples do it the usual New Year’s Eve parties I went to with my parents, but all of them were already together. I wasn’t sure it was a tradition for people who weren’t in a relationship with someone, but if I was already this in deep, I might as well keep going.
“Okay, well, if it is…” His gaze drifted down to my lips and then back up to my eyes. “I guess we’ll just have to kiss each other.”
The words alone sounded unromantic but the voice he said them in, so deep and soft and sexy, made me let out a shuddering breath. I glanced at my watch again.
“Sixty seconds,” I murmured.
His fingers trailed up my arm, barely a touch, but enough to send a wave of goosebumps over my skin. My breath caught. Any second now, people would start counting down.
A buzzing kind of panic settled under my skin as I started to think about the logistics of this. Was I really going to have my first kiss laying down on the beach? And was my breath okay? He’d given me that drink earlier and suddenly, I couldn’t remember if I’d had a mint after it. Was my lip gloss fresh? Should I put some on just in case or would that just made it sticky?
“Ten! Nine! Eight!” A chorus of voices began around us. I swallowed hard as my heart began t race in my chest. It was like everyone in the world was counting down to our first kiss. I wondered if he was as nervous as me or if this was just one of many kisses he’d had in his life.
“Three! Two!”
I barely had time to think before his hands found my waist, fingers curling lightly around my sides. And then?—
“One!”
His lips met mine.
