Page 49 of The Christmas Catch
Morgan turned her head. “If you’re worried, you only have Chris Heaton as competition. And to be honest, I only remember him as a sloppy kisser. All you have to do is beat that. Piece of cake.” The more Morgan talked, the more she convinced herself she was suggesting this as an altruistic act. Something to calm Ali down.
Not at all somethingshewouldn’t mind. Something that had flickered on the periphery of Morgan’s mind ever since last night.
Ali turned her head, eyes narrowed. Even in a snowstorm, she was still a mass of perfect angles and beauty.
“You are joking, right?” Her gaze scanned down from Morgan’s face to her lips. When they got there, Ali looked away quickly, with a small shake of her head.
“I’m really not.” Morgan stroked Ali’s thigh again. Her pulse-rate sped up. “It’ll take your mind off being stuck. Plus, we’re in a snowstorm on a Ferris wheel. It’s a story to tell, right?”
Ali stared straight ahead for a few moments, then turned to Morgan. “You don’t have to do this. I know I’m scared, but you don’t have to take pity on me. I told you, I’m over my crush.” Her cheeks blared red as she spoke.
Morgan didn’t believe her. But it wasn’t why she was asking.
She licked her lips.
Ali’s eyes followed the movement.
Morgan shifted closer. “This isn’t a pity kiss. All I’m asking is that you humour me and make my teenage dreams come true.” She moved her lips to within touching distance. Then Morgan flicked her gaze until it met Ali’s. Up close, she had a spill of freckles over the bridge of her nose. Adorable. “What do you say?”
Ali blinked, then parted her lips a fraction.
She didn’t say no. She moved her head closer to Morgan’s.
Morgan did the same. Then, with a moment’s hesitation, she pressed her lips to Ali’s.
And just like that, Morgan’s world reclined.
Ali tasted of Christmas, her mouth still warm from the mulled wine. Cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg. Snow hit Morgan’s cheeks, but she hardly noticed. Ali’s lips were taking up all her attention. The way they felt on hers. The shape of them, and how they jigsawed precisely. But most of all, the power they already had on her. Morgan couldn’t move, and she didn’t want to.
They kissed on, and Morgan melted into the moment. She closed her eyes and got whisked away to a fiery sunset beach, with sand between her toes. Her idea of romance. Although, this Ferris wheel was fast turning into her idea of romance, too. Yes, it was in the snow. But it was still a Ferris wheel.
The perfect location for a totally unexpected kiss. Morgan hadn’t got on this fairground ride thinking she’d kiss Ali Bradford. That was, in fact, the very last thing she expected. However, now it was happening, it made perfect sense. They’d wasted time not doing it earlier. This something-to-pass-the-time kiss had suddenly segued into a lip-lock far bigger than them both. Something Morgan wanted to explore further. Now she’d kissed her lips, she only wanted to kiss other parts of Ali Bradford.
Ali slid her hand around Morgan’s neck and pulled her closer. Then she slid her tongue into Morgan’s mouth.
Morgan’s breath slid away.
She and Ali were French kissing on a Ferris wheel. If her teenage self could only see her now. Chris Heaton was a distant memory, just like 12-year-old Ali. Because grown-up Ali was currently kissing Morgan into oblivion, and Morgan was here for it. She’d happily stay on this Ferris wheel forever. Kick back, relax, and offer herself up to the moment. It seemed to be Ali’s plan. This was no rushed kiss. This was a warm, slow drink of a kiss. One that made every sense Morgan owned come alive. She could taste it, smell it, touch it. It was flawless but fragile. It came with a sticker that read ‘handle with care’. Morgan was determined to do just that.
There was a jolt as the wheel cranked into gear again and moved forward.
Morgan’s eyelids sprang open about the same time as Ali’s.
They pulled apart.
Morgan’s heart thumped in her chest like it was sending out a warning signal. Her scalp pulsed under her hat. She already missed Ali’s lips. She ran her tongue over her bottom lip and tried to conjure up some words that suited the moment. She found none. Instead, she stared into Ali’s warm brown eyes, which somehow spoke a language Morgan immediately understood.
Then, before she knew it, Ali leaned back in and found Morgan’s lips once more.
It wasn’t words that were called for. Rather, it was action, and Ali was taking charge.
The wheel moved round, and Morgan’s stomach dropped for all the right reasons.
Ali didn’t miss a beat. She moved over Morgan, her lips hot and wet.
Electricity sparked in Morgan’s brain as she slid her fingers into Ali’s frosty hair, then her tongue into her mouth. Morgan groaned. She couldn’t help it. Somewhere in the distance, she heard a wolf whistle, but she ignored it. She wasn’t going to let anything disturb this moment.
This was the best kiss Morgan had ever had on a Ferris wheel, hands down.
