Page 51 of How (Not) to Conjure a Boyfriend
“I’m good, yeah,” I huff. My phone is pointed toward the ground, so the light is dim, and I can just make out his long face and sharp jaw, that cute nose, but my eyes land on his lips. I intentionally hadn’t noticed them before. They’re parted, and he’s looking at me. Worried. He seems worried about me. I can’t see his eyes in this light, so I let my gaze slump back down to his lips.
Either my eyes are playing tricks on me or his lips are beginning to part. My chest tightens and my heart flutters. I’ve never been this close to a boy’s mouth. I suck my lips in and clamp my jaw. What’s happening? He leans in closer, and his eyes close and yes, his lips part. Suddenly the tightness in my chest lifts and my jaw loosens. I lean to meet him. My nose caresses his, and then the most insane thing ever happens. Our lips touch.
Reflexively I take in a deep breath and exhale through my nose as the warmth of his skin meets mine and radiates across my cheeks. My eyes slide shut, like keeping them open would be a sin. I allow my lips to part around his. I can taste him. Oh my gods, I can taste him! It’s sweet, like vanilla, maybe a little mint. They’re wet and soft. A tiny sliver of doubt tries to wedge its way between us, and I wonder if I deserve the way this feels, but I push it back. I press into him, and a rush shoots from my mouth all the way down to my toes, lifting me off my heels. It’s better than I dreamt it could be.
Oh gods! My eyes flutter open and my mouth opens wide as our lips separate and I’m looking at him. Zachary. I’m facing Zachary. His mouth is still open, his eyes gazing softly and longingly back at me. Oh my gods, I just kissed Zachary. My breath stutters. What the hell did I just…but I… Shit. I want to kiss him again, I need to kiss him again, but I can’t. He’s Hay… But before I can think, he’s moving in again. I should stop him, but I can’t. I won’t! As I lean in, the silence is shattered with a song screaming into existence. I jump back and throw my hands behind me.
“What the—” Zach yelps, and I grasp at my pocket. It's my phone. He stumbles back, and I fumble around my pocket. Everything is happening so fast, but the taste of his lips keeps blossoming on my tongue. Vanilla. Mint.
“Sorry, hold—” I pick it from my pocket and check the screen. It’s Kaitlynn.
“Uh…I’m sorry! I didn’t…uh…I…” Zachary spews as the nervous grin on my face morphs into an O of realization. His eyes dart to the old dusty floors around my feet while he clears his throat, but he refuses to look at me. “I’m—”
For a second I wonder what he’s sorry for. It was amazing. It was an amazing first kiss for me.Please don’t be sorry, but then a switch flips and I realize why his eyes are filled with guilt.
“Me too.” I jump into the cacophony of apologies. “I didn’t either. I don’t know what…uh…yeah. I, uh, didn’t mean to.”
But I did mean to. I wanted it. The thought rolls from the back of my brain to the forefront as he finally looks at me again. For a second, I forget I’m not supposed to be into Hayden’s brother, but then it rushes back in.
Zach huffs. His smile returns, but there’s a nervousness behind it, and a dose of guilt. I’m the one who should feel guilty.I’msupposed to be dating his brother, butIkissed him too. And Iwantedit. I didn’t even know I wanted it, but Idid.
Oh gods! Oh gods! What is my problem?!
“Maybe we should just go,” I suggest, and start walking.
“Yeah, that never happened.” Zachary nods spastically and follows after me.
“Right. Not a clue what you’re talking about,” I say.
14
“Seriously?” Kaitlynn swats her eyes at me. As if I’m the one who just said something senseless, not Zach.
“Yeah.” Zach shrugs.
His jacket hangs loose around his shoulders, spread open to show a thick red, black, and white plaid collared shirt. It’s cold in the middle of the woods, but the warmth from the flickering firepit has staved off most of the bite for me. I’m still not sure I can sit out here for another half hour.
After the…incident at the Harrel House I had no plans of staying. It didn’t seem Zach was keen on exploring anymore either. And I don’t think either of us needed a repeat of the incident, even if I might have liked it, because yes, yes I did and that’s the problem. We left immediately, once we found a tree close enough to get us back across the fence, hauled Zach’s now soggy and muddy project bookcase back to his truck, and got out of there. Kaitlynn, the one who got between me and my first ever kiss, noticed a sign for a nearby campground on our way down, so we stopped.
“You don’t know about the demon dog of Valle Crucis?” I lean in, digging into him with an accusing gaze. Fire flicks in his pupils. If I look hard enough, I can even see the pieces of wood in them, little worlds of their own. He grunt-laughs and throws his hands in the air.
“I’ve never heard of such a thing,” Zach says again.
“You grew up around here though, right?” I lean forward even more.
“Yeah. All my life. But I’ve never heard of it! Sounds made up to me.”
“Excuse me?” I recoil like I’m putting on a Master Class in Shatner Acting 101. A demon-eyed dog chasing all who passed their corridor of Highway 194. Surely not. “Made up? How dare you, sir.”
“Uh…” Zach falters, while Kaitlynn covers her mouth. She better be hiding amusement. I can’t deal with her not knowing either. And yes, I might be overdoing it a little to avoid anything else coming up.
“It’sveryreal, I tell you. A locallegend,” I say, flaring my lips for effect.
“Say that again, slowly this time.” Zachary grins.
I don’t. Instead, I stare him down, one brow raised, all business. Inside, my lungs are dying to burst out laughing, but I’m taking this as far as I can.
“Slowly,” he says again, but even slower this time.
