Page 22 of I'm Gonna Get You Back
He went still beside me. “Yeah?”
“Truth or dare?”
His expression didn’t change as he eyed her closely. I wished I could’ve warned him that I had a guess as to what she was up to. We had a long-standing party rule to have each other’s backs, which might have been why I let Nicole’s crush slip. A conflicted part of me trying to help. Like when Delaney liked Marcus Jones in seventh grade? I rigged it so that they went into the closet together.
Best seven minutes of my life, she’d sighed afterward.
But we weren’t in seventh grade anymore. She wouldn’t do something so middle school in front of the entire team… probably.
Reid’s deep voice cut through my thoughts. “Dare.”
Delaney pressed her lips together, trying and failing to conceal herexcitement. I remembered then that I had told her what he’d said to me at the lake:I take dares seriously.
Oh no.
“I dare you”—she exchanged the most obvious glance with Mitchell—“to kiss Clara.”
There was a thrilled murmur from the group. I kept my eyes locked on Delaney’s face, hoping she could read the absolute fury in them. She ignored me.
I slowly turned to face Reid; his expression was stark, serious. “I’m not going to do that unless she says it’s okay.”
“It’s okay,” I said, without ever giving my mouth permission to do so. I couldn’t keep my usual cool for even a second.
That’s when I knew I liked him.
“But you don’t have to,” I said quickly.
His gaze collided with mine. “I know.”
My attention narrowed to the thud of my heart and the full shape of his lips as he closed in, his woodsy scent crowding me. Was it shaving cream? Cologne? I didn’t care, I wanted to curl myself around it. Needed to be closer to him.
Around us, people were whispering and laughing.
He shifted, and the angle of his broad shoulders acted as a shield blotting out everyone and everything else. Our noses grazed, his breath hot across my lips when he said just to me, “This really okay?”
“Yes,” I breathed.
Then it was happening.
A dared kiss was supposed to be quick. Over in a second. Besides, he was shy. I figured it would be a fast peck.
There was nothing shy about the way Reid kissed.
He took quiet command, his soft lips grabbing for mine. Once.Twice. Harder. Goose bumps flew across my skin as I inhaled him, shocked at the need fueling me. I opened my mouth to his, urging him on. Still, it wasn’t enough. I wanted to grab his shirt, thread my fingers through his hair—
“Okay,we get it.”
Josh’s sharp voice shocked me back into the room. I pulled away, breathless. I was faintly aware of conversation happening around us, but in that moment I saw only Reid. Who the hell did he think he was, kissing me like that? I wasnotprepared.
But reality crashed into focus as I tore my gaze away and looked around the room, immediately locking eyes with Nicole. Though her entire face had gone red, her expression was unreadable.
“Why do you care?” Amaya asked Josh.
“I don’t, it was just getting excessive,” he scoffed.
“You sound jealous,” Amaya said.
“Babe, c’mon.”
