Page 78 of The Kiss Bet
“And if you want to stay in the club, um . . .” He swallows, looks up at the ceiling, then back at me. “What if, um, maybe I . . . uh—”
As he stumbles over his words, his cheeks transforming from pink to scarlet, it hits me.
Oh my gosh. Is Subwayboy about to offer to kiss me?
“Sara Lin!”
We jolt away from each other, Oliver’s back hitting the desk as my brain registers the new voice in the room. In seconds, we’re scrambling to our feet just in time to see Patrick halt in the doorway. He’s panting hard, like he ran up the stairs and down the hall to find us. His cheeks are flushed, but his blue eyes flash with determination.
Great, he’s probably here to gloat about how he’s won the bet. Now I’m going to have to resign from newspaper and—
“I can’t let you lose this bet,” Patrick breathes, interrupting my thought spiral.
I blink. “What?”
He steps toward me. Oliver reels back, probably just as confused as I am, taking him in.
And then Patrick’s close, closer than we’ve ever been before, and his good hand comes to carefully cup my face as he gazes into my eyes. I’d almost forgotten how blue they are. A light-blue sky on a clear day. I wonder if he’s going to bend down and whisper something into my ear so Oliver can’t hear, but that’s not what happens.
He leans in, and before I can process what he’s doing—his lips come down to meet mine.
My eyes widen. Patrick is kissing me.
Patrick. Is. Kissing.Me.
My first kiss.
Oh gosh! His lips are soft, a gentle pressure on mine, but confident and sure. All my thoughts narrow into this singular moment: my lips on his and his on mine, and then my world tips over, a dreamy shimmer blurring my vision as my heart gallops in my chest. A light thrill zigzags up my spine, because this is it.
The final kiss bet.
And Patrick’s made sure I’ve won.
