Page 13 of Forbidden Match

She tips her chin back to look at me, her eyes shining, her hands resting against my chest. “Then tell me what you want me to know, Levi,” she says softly.

Her fingers curl into the lapels of my jacket and she tugs, her mouth parting in invitation. An invitation I desperately want to accept. My head dips. The hand I have resting against the tree finds her hair and tugs it roughly out of the bun. Another inch closer and I could kiss her. Another inch and our bodies would be pressed together.

And we’re out amongst the trees, my favorite place to be. Something she knows all too well.

Is it possible that she wants me as much as I want her? Or is this all just a game? If I kiss her, it has to end there, but I know it won’t if she lets me keep going.

“We have to get back,” I say, pushing away from her abruptly.

“What?” she calls after me. I’m already several feet away, storming back through the trees to the hotel.

I steady myself against the hurt in her voice and force a smile when she catches up. “Don’t want to miss that five-course dinner, do you?” I tease half-heartedly.

She frowns, but there’s mischief in her eyes as she shrugs. “Sure. Even though it’s still two hours from now. By all means, let’s go back to the hotel suite.”

Oh right—the big, private suite with the gigantic bed. No temptations there at all. I stifle a groan and keep walking.

It’s going to be a long weekend.

Chapter 6

Molly

I’m giddy as I follow Levi back to the hotel. How am I having so much fun?

I have to keep reminding myself this isn’t a real date, even if it seems like one. If I’m not mistaken, Levi seems to be having as much fun as I am.

I thought he was about to kiss me back there in the woods, but now he’s trying to act all gruff. It feels pretty simple. Does he have maybe have smallest bit of attraction to me?

Or am I mistaken? Is it wishful thinking?

One of the organizers greets us cheerily once we’re back inside, pointing us to the table filled with activity suggestions.

“It’s okay, we’re heading up to the room,” I say since Levi was so adamant about getting back in time for dinner to be served.

“Sounds great,” Levi says at the same time, peeling away from me and heading toward the table.

The chirpy organizer holds up an envelope. “Never Have I Ever is a popular game to get to know one another. You can take these questions and head over to one of the private meeting rooms or—”

“Or we can play it upstairs,” I say, taking the envelope from her while giving Levi a challenging look. “While we wait for that dinner you’re so hungry for.”

He gives me a look in return that makes me shiver, but I don’t back down. “Fine,” he grunts.

He follows me to the elevator as the organizer tells us that dinner will be delivered to us at seven o’clock. So, just like I said. Two hours away.

Inside the room, I expect him to ignore me but instead, he shakes his head at me in disbelief. “Would you be this eager to get back to the room with some stranger?”

Is … is he jealous? Or is he insulting me?

I plant my hands on my hips. “You’re not a stranger, so what do you mean by that?”

“If I hadn’t come here and gotten matched up with you, would you be spending all weekend in this room with a strange guy?”

He’s got me there. I didn’t really know the logistics of the contest when I first got here, and I probably would have preferred separate rooms were it someone else.

“No, but you’renota stranger, Levi. Stop being so weird.”

“I’m not judging you. I would never. I just wouldn’t want you to be uncomfortable, you know? Which I know you would be. You hate strangers.”

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