Page 43 of You Were Invited
“C’mon. Yeah, you’re a super cutie…” Annie drawled in an upbeat baby talk tone. “C’mon, you know you wanna sniff it...”
Kitty hesitated, his eyes looking at Julian again before his attention returned to Annie. Cautiously, he crawled a few more steps before his nose connected with Annie’s fingers.
“G’boy...” She let him sniff before she slowly waggled her fingers, inviting him to run his cheeks on her hand. She scritched his chin and the cat closed his eyes in bliss.
Julian was dumbfounded. It stung that the cat was so afraid of him, but it was promising that anybody, a completely new stranger no less, was able to interact with Kitty.
“Do you ever give him treats?”
Julian shook his head. “I figured it was a waste. He acts like he’s venturing into no man’s land when he comes down for food.”
“Maybe we can get him some? I need groceries... Want to come with? I need to work tomorrow, but the day after?”
Spending more time with Annie sounded nice, and he suspected she could use some company. Again, Julian knew he was in a hard spot. It wasn’t impossible to drive with one hand, but it wouldn’t be comfortable with his stick shift.
Annie pulled her arm out from under the bed and rolled her eyes. “Just say yes, Julian. I’m going into town anyways.”
Julian remembered something. “You have to let me buy you a new coat. After I ruined yours, and all.”
“Deal.” She beamed at him. Her eyes stayed on his face. The look in Annie’s eyes then turned dreamy.
God I want to kiss her...Julian swallowed. He wanted to slip his hand around the side of her neck and feel the warmth of her mouth on his. A tingle ran up his spine.
I need to kiss her or this feeling is going to crushme...
Annie’s body at once softened and stiffened with electricity as she lay on her stomach beside Julian. Her heart did crazy things; he held her gaze, and his eyes scanned her face. Surely, taking in the rose pink tone rising in her cheeks. He swallowed hard, Adam’s apple jumping a few times in his lean throat.
Fleeing out the door had been her sole focus minutes before; now, a feeling whispered in the back of her mind.
Kiss him.
“Yass!” Serene Hallowbrew piped up. “He wants you!”
That doesn’t mean Ishouldreturn his feelings,she thought back.
Serene smirked and raised an eyebrow. “Doesn’t change the fact that you want it.”
Blushing, Annie turned her face away in embarrassment– right as Julian leaned forward.
When his lips came down on her cheek, she gasped and snapped her head back to face him. Their noses were inches apart. Julian’s face went cherry red.
“S-sorry... I meant... I hope I didn’t-”
“It’s okay.” She looked down at the floor before looking back at him. “I promise I won’t move again.”
“Ah,” he said. He licked his lips, hesitated for a second to see if she would pull away, and leaned towards her.
This time, he didn’t miss his mark.
The first kiss was gentle, almost like testing the waters. He pressed his mouth to hers a second time, more firmly, and caught her lower lip between his.
Annie sucked in a sharp breath.
Her body trembled and her senses spun.
She kissed him back, placing a hand gently on his chest. Kissing another person had never satisfied her like this before. His warm breath heated the skin of her cheek and the tip of hernose. She rolled to the side and he followed. When he tucked his good hand behind her ear, cupping her neck, she let out an involuntary, “Mmmm...”
Heaving out a husky breath, Julian stopped and swallowed thickly. “I had to do that.”
