Page 86 of Stealing for Keeps
“We shouldn’t,” I say with absolutely no conviction in my tone. I’m not even sure why I believe that. Because of Vaughn? Because we’ve become friends? Neither of those feel important with the way he looks at me.
“I disagree,” he says. “Strongly.”
Then he leans all the way in. My lips part as his press tenderly against mine. My heart flutters, and my pulse races as a giddy sort of surprise and excitement flows through me.
His other hand comes up to my jaw and skates across my skin until he’s holding the side of my neck and guiding me through the kiss.
It isn’t my first kiss, not even my first kiss with him. It’s so much better.
His tongue sweeps into my mouth. He tastes exactly like Skittles, sweet and addicting. He’s tentative at first, matching my hesitancy, but when the shock wears off, I urge him on by opening wider. His response is immediate, kissing me in a way that makes my head dizzy.
Austin pulls back, and his green eyes pin me in place. “Best idea ever.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Claire
When I see Austin at school the next morning, my pulse speeds up, and my heart flutters.
A bunch of us are standing around our lockers, killing time before the first bell. He comes to stand next to me casually, talking with the guys like normal. To everyone else, his choice to stop beside me probably seems accidental. But I know better the second his pinkie finger links with mine.
He doesn’t so much as glance at me, and his body is angled so none of the guys can see. When the bell rings, I jump, and our fingers break apart. I gather my things for first period. Austin goes to his locker and gets his stuff, but once our friends have gone off to class, he steps back over to me.
“Hey,” he says, his stare holding on my mouth long enough that I know he’s thinking about that kiss last night too.
“Hi.”
“Can I walk you to class?”
I nod, and we fall into step next to each other. For some reason, I feel almost shy around him.
“Are you free tonight?”
“To work on art?” I ask. He already told me last night after the kiss that he didn’t have any other activities planned for us this week, since he has two away soccer games.
“That and I really want to kiss you again.”
My pulse picks up speed. I want that too.
“Wait,” I say, head spinning. We’ve reached the door of my class, and we both stop walking.
I was so caught up in everything last night and in him, I didn’t ask about one important detail. “What about Vaughn?”
The happy expression on his face falls momentarily, but then that playful, easy smile lifts at one corner. “It’ll be okay. I’ll talk to him eventually. I don’t want to keep it from him, but we have a team get-together tomorrow and then back-to-back games this weekend.”
“I understand,” I say. I can’t help but feel a little disappointment that we have to hide. Then again, if everyone knew, they’d be all up in it, asking a million questions and giving their opinions, so maybe it’s better this way. And who knows how Vaughn will react? His texts have stopped and he hasn’t tried to talk to me again, but I still feel uneasy about the situation knowing how he treated Austin last time.
“I want to kiss you so badly. Right here. In front of everyone.” The way he looks at me, I know he means it. He glances around and then back to me. His pinkie brushes against mine so fast and so soft I almost miss it.
“Me too.”
“Soon,” he promises, then hands me his sketchbook and takes off for his class.
I wait until I’m at my seat to flip it open. On the last page, he sketched a picture of a boy, presumably him based on the dark hair. In the drawing, the boy’s heart is beating out of his chest, protruding against his shirt. I fight a smile and run my fingers along the edge next to the paper.
I don’t see him again until lunchtime. I already have my food and am sitting with Lacey and Rowan.
Austin takes the seat next to me and asks how my morning went.
