Page 36 of Forever Mine
“Oh, god. I’m so sorry,” she says.
And then?—
Liz kisses me.
Okay, it’s not really a kiss. At all. It’s more an over-before-it-started half press of lips. I barely feel anything. Doesn’t stop the instant regret from consuming me. That one non-kiss slices me open with a thousand deep cuts.
Liz and I take a step away from one another at the same time.
Her nose wrinkles. “That was?—”
My face scrunches. “Awkward as hell.”
So fucking awkward.
“Like kissing my brother.” She groans with self-deprecation. “That sounded bad. Forget I said that. Thank you for being my guinea pig. You just helped clear something up.”
I’m afraid to ask, so I don’t because I’m sure it has something to do with my brother and the way she was looking at Ryder yesterday.
“You know,” she says, trying to instill some humor, “you’re my first kiss. The first one I remember, anyway.”
I laugh, allowing the tension to drain from my body. “I haven’t kissed a girl since fifth grade. I hope it didn’t suck too bad.”
“Eh.” She shrugs. “It really wasn’t a kiss, but it was nice, I guess.”
Needing things to go back to semblance of normalcy, I pick up the dessert box and grab her hand.
“No man ever wants to hear a woman say his kiss wasnice. Come on. I promised you a tour around town, then I’m taking you to Belly’s.”
“What’s Belly’s?”
“You’ll see.”
I drag her into the kitchen and put the box in the refrigerator.
“Always so cryptic,” she says.
“That’s what makes it fun.” I take my phone out. “Give me a minute?”
She waves me off. “Take your time.”
Me: Leaving the condo. Are you sure you don’t want to come to dinner with us?
The dots start dancing, so I know he’s reading it.
ForeverYours: I’m sure. Enjoy your evening.
Me: Where are you?
He should have left the natatorium by now.
ForeverYours: At David’s.
Of course he is. He’s always at fucking David’s.
Me: Miss you. Love you.
ForeverYours: XXXOOO
