“Yeah, the one you show the world when you’re trying not to let anything hurt you.”
Fish stares at me for a moment and then starts pacing back and forth. Oh shit, something is wrong.
“Whatever it is, Fish, you can tell me.”
He shakes his head. “I can’t.”
“We’re friends. Nothing you can tell me can change that,” I try to reassure him.
“It will change everything, and I’m not ready for that to happen,” he confesses.
My heart hurts, he looks so worried. “I promise, nothing will change.”
He runs his hand through his hair. “It will.”
“Is it because I confessed to having a sex dream about you?” I blurt out. That embarrassing moment came back when I was in the shower the other day, and I didn’t want to mention it.
“No, that was hot.” He gives me a cocky grin, which I’ll take as it’s better than the stressed-out look he’s had on his face. “Do you remember anything else from that night?”
I shake my head because I don’t. “Did I do something inappropriate to you? Is that what it is? Shit, Fish, is it me? Have I been stressing you out?”
His face softens. “You haven’t been stressing me. I just … I haven’t known the best way to talk to you about it.”
Oh shit. I did do something. “Tell me honestly. I’m a big girl, I can handle it.”
He doesn’t look convinced. “I hope you mean it when you say nothing is going to change.”
“I promise.”
“Fine. You kissed me.” I gasp. Shit. No. “And I kissed you back.”
Oh.
Silence stretches between us.
“Was it a peck?” I ask him, mortified that I did something like that. He shakes his head. “It was a full-on kiss?” He nods. Oh. Shit. Also, dammit for not remembering, it would have been the only time I could have found out what it was like to kiss the man.
“With tongue. Want me to demonstrate?” he teases.
“Yes.” The word is out before I can argue it.
Fish stills. “What did you say?”
“Show me.” I need to know what I did. I hate the fact that I have no memory of this kiss.
“Are you asking me to kiss you?”
“No, I am asking you to demonstrate what happened that night because I have no memory of it.”
He gives me a confused look. “You want to reenact the kiss.”
“Yes.”
Those blue eyes narrow on me. “Okay.” He grins as he starts to move quickly toward me.
Um. Wait. I didn’t think this through as I quickly back up a little until my back hits the wall. I swallow hard as he places a hand on the wall above my head. “Is this … what happened?” I stutter.
“Kind of. It was in the doorway, but this will work too.” He chuckles darkly as his other hand reaches forward and wraps around my neck, his fingers controlling my chin. “If I’m going to recreate that kiss, I’m going to recreate it my way.” His hand squeezes against my throat ever so carefully, making me gasp. His mouth hovers over mine, close enough that I can feel the heat of his breath, the ghost of contact that isn’t quite there yet. He’s waiting, making me feel every second of anticipation. His thumb strokes the side of my throat, and my pulse hammers against it, giving me away completely.