Page 25 of Deception
“Uh, no. It became clear he only asked me out because he heard I had a kid at seventeen. Thought I was easy.”
It never ceases to anger Kent how many people have false opinions of Gracie. He winks at Nolan laying in his crib with a bottle. “Night, kid.”
“Night-night,” he says with a smile.
They walk out into the living room, and Gracie opens up the streaming app. “What are you in the mood for? Oh, who am I kidding? You’re a guy. Action all the way.”
“I’m not really picky. As long as there are no subtitles. I like to understand the language,” Kent says, his arm resting along the back of the couch.
Sitting beside him, she leans slightly against his side. The way they sit could be either just friends or more than friends, and he wonders if he should drop his arm to rest on her shoulders. Test it out to see her reaction.
“How about a comedy? I’m not really in the mood for explosions.”
“Works for me,” Kent says.
“How aboutStep Brothers? It’s a classic.”
He smiles when she looks up at him, and he doesn’t say anything. It feels like there’s more here than just friendship. Unless he’s just reading what he wants into the situation.
“You don’t agree?” she asks. “I thought you liked that movie.”
Dipping his head, he kisses her. She freezes for a moment, clearly surprised, but it’s Kent who ends up surprised when she kisses him back. In fact, her hand reaches up to cup his cheek as his tongue slips into her mouth.
He wraps her up in his arms and pulls her onto his lap to help bring them closer to the same level. Until Gracie pulls back and blinks at him, her fingers on her lips. “What was that?”
“Uh… Pretty sure it should be self-explanatory.”
“Kent—”
“I like you, Gracie.”
Her eyes stay locked with his. “I like you, too. We’re friends.”
“You know what I mean. I’m the dumb one, remember?”
“Wait, seriously?”
“Seriously.”
She covers her mouth with her hand, but she doesn’t climb off his lap. She just stares at him as she processes everything, and he knows she’s freaking out in her head.
“I don’t want to ruin our friendship. You’re honestly my best friend, and it would kill me if you didn’t want me around Nolan anymore. If you don’t want this, or you don’t like me the same way, that’s okay,” Kent says.
Her lips crash against his, and he runs his fingers through her hair. The way her body presses against him makes him want her even more. No matter how much he would love to take things beyond kissing, he knows she’s not ready.
She places her hands on his chest again and pulls back. Her tongue slides over her lips as she pants. “Just to be clear, you’re not seeing anyone, right?”
“No. Just you. If you want.”
A shaky breath slips from between her lips. “We should slow down.”
“Okay.”
“Wait, seriously?”
“Uh… yeah?”
Climbing off his lap, she sits on her shins and looks at him with confusion. “It’s okay that we stopped?”
