Like…verydeep shit.
Before her smile could make it onto her face, I stood in front of her, my hands aiming for her jaw before I could even process what I was doing.
I cupped her face gently, feeling her soft skin press to my palms. Her eyes widened in surprise, her lips slightly parted.
Without hesitating for another second, I closed the distance between us, capturing her lips with mine. My tongue traced the seam of her lips, coaxing them open.
Her taste was intoxicating, fucking with my mind like she was never supposed to.
Why couldn’t I just give her a chaste kiss? Why did I have to move in so quickly, so intimately?
I should’ve stopped and stepped back. I should’ve apologized and promised this was never going to happen again… but I couldn’t.
All I could do was try not to groan when the heat of her body pressed against mine, and the softness of her breasts crushed against my chest.
I slid my hands down from her jaw to her neck, feeling the rapid beat of her pulse beneath my fingertips.
I wanted to feel more of her, wanted to explore more of her body, but I had to remind myself that Alana didn’t like me like that. Also, my entire team was probably pressed against the windows of the bus behind us right now.
Reluctantly, I pulled away from Alana, trying my best not to linger for too long.
As soon as our lips parted, I stood there, trying to make sense of what had just happened.
It was supposed to be fake—it was, I thought… It had to be.
I’d told myself this a thousand times. I wasn’t allowed tofeelanything. And frankly, it was embarrassing that one stupid kiss made my stomach flutter in a way it hadn’t in a while.
Yes, we probably had to kiss eventually, but it was part of the act. The way her lips felt on mine just now… was far from what I thoughtactingwas supposed to feel like.
I couldn’t ignore it: the warmth, the softness, the way my heart pounded in my chest like it had never done before.
It was supposed to mean nothing, but it felt likesomething.
I ran a hand through my hair at the same time as Alana touched her fingers to her lips.
She stared at me, wide-eyed and speechless. A flush of pink tinted her cheeks, and her eyes darted around nervously as if she was trying to process what just happened.
Part of me hoped the kiss replayed in her head right now, the way it was replaying in mine. Every detail clung to me, and that was terrifying.
Perhaps I should’ve apologized, but that would’ve been weird had one of my friends or their partners heard it. So, instead, I simply tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear, giving her what I hoped was a reassuring smile before speaking. “Hi.”
Alana blinked at me rapidly, her hand still hovering near her lips as she struggled to find her voice. “Hi,” she finally managed to say, her cheeks somehow flushing an even deeper shade of pink.
I ruined it.
The awkwardness between us was palpable, the tension thick enough to slice through with a knife. And while I cursed myself out for my impulsive action, I still would’ve done it again.
Alana and I were supposed to be in love, weren’t we? We were supposed to benewlyin love, actually. The first couple of months in a new relationship were filled with everything but keeping one’s hands to themselves—at least that’s how it had always been in mine.
However, while I knew I had crossed a line, I couldn’t deny the electricity that crackled between us when our lips met.
Well, if this shit goes wrong, I’ll blame the would-die-for-my-partner adults in my family.
“Thanks for picking me up,” I said, hoping it was going to be enough to break the tension between us.
Alana nodded, her lips slightly curving into a small smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes before she cleared her throat. “Of course. I…” Once again, she cleared her throat. “I just… missed you so much.”
I knew she was lying, and somehow, I hated that.