Page 17 of Faking it For Summer

“What? I’m just being honest. I’m sure you feel the same way.” She grins and leans back into the wall and brushes her hair back behind her ears. She’s got a dark blue headband on, and she’s got her bikini top on under her blouse. “Can you imagine your lips on mine?”

“Ew.” I pretend to gag as well. “Not at all. I’m pretty sure you suck as a kisser.”

“I’m pretty sure you suck as a kisser too, Luke.”

“I’m pretty sure that Beatrice—who I kissed a couple of weeks ago—thinks I’m a pretty fine kisser.” I smack my lips together. “In fact, she moaned like I?—”

“Gross, Luke.” She blinks rapidly. “And who the hell is Beatrice?”

“No one important. So, who have you kissed recently that thought you were a pretty fine kisser?” I don’t know why I ask the question, because I don’t really want to know who her Barbie-pink lips have been smooching.

“Well, I wouldn’t say anyone recently.” She runs her fingers through her hair. “So, maybe I’ll go to Cocktails & Chaos tonight, and I’ll practice with a hot tourist. That way, it can’t get back to Rex, but I can get my flirting skills on because, honestly, I’m not really good at flirting and pretending I’m in a relationship because it’s been so long.” She takes a deep breath. “So, maybe tonight will?—”

“Really, Mia?”

“What? It’s a good idea. I’m going to get all dressed up tonight, and then Juniper and I are going to flirt up a storm with two hot surfers, and I’m going to make out and?—”

“I do not want to hear this story. You’re going to go and pimp yourself out just to practice for when I get to town?”

“I’m hardly pimping myself out, Luke. That’s rude.” She shifts the phone closer to her face, and I see her glowing skin. It must be a hot day in Coconut Beach. “We also need to figure out the parameters of this contract.”

“Of what contract? What are you talking about, Mia?”

“I mean the contract between us—obviously not aFifty Shades of Greycontract or anything,” she says, giggling. “Thatwould be disgusting. But we need to figure out exactly what we will and won’t do to sell this story.”

“I kinda wanna know what aFifty Shades of Greycontract would consist of, but you can tell me that in person.” I wink at her. “You tell me, Mia, what are some things that you will do to sell our love story?”

“I guess I’ll allow you to kiss me on the cheek.”

“I already kiss you on the cheek.”

“Yeah, but not in a passionate way.”

“There’s a passionate way to kiss on the cheek?”

“Maybe not.” She giggles. “Maybe I’ll allow a quick peck on the lips.”

“Ooh, salacious. Are you sure you can handle being that scandalous, Mia?” I smack my hand to my mouth. “We’ll be on the front page of the newspaper.”

“Shut up, Luke.”

“I’m just saying, if we’re going to sell this, we’re going to need more than a peck on the cheek or on the lips. We’re going to need some making out.” I pucker my lips to the phone. “No slobbering though.”

“No way.”

“I’m just saying, have you ever been around a couple that’s never made out?”

“No, but I’m also not around couples when they make out or are groping each other.”

“I’m not talking about groping you. I’m not telling you to go without a bra. I’m not telling you that my hands are going to be down your pants.” I stiffen slightly as I think about touching her in those ways. I cannot allow my mind to go into the gutter.

“Ew, Luke, really?”

“Mia, we need to discuss these things. Because if we’re doing this, then we need to figure out our boundaries and exactly howfar we’re going to go.” I pause. “And how far we want people to think we’ve gone. Have we as a couple had sex?”

“Ugh, I didn’t even think about that. Okay, you can kiss me on the lips. I don’t want tongue though. Tongue is a step too far.”

“No tongue it is.”