he knew Brad would move on. Kyle breathed a sigh of relief when the uncomfortable dinner was over. They said pleasant good-byes outside of the restaurant. He stood with Lanie, watching Brad and Cassie walk toward Brad’s car.
Lanie crossed her arms, staring at Kyle with apparent agitation. He did his best to downplay his amusement. “What the hell is wrong with you? Are you trying to get me disowned?”
“Shut up, Lanie,” Kyle said.
“Shut up? You don’t tell me to shut up. Who do you think you are?”
“Just wait.”
“Wait for what, you jerk?” she asked and actually punched him in the arm. Kyle was surprised how forceful her little fist was.
“For this.” He took her in his arms and kissed her deeply, rocking her back on her heels. He waited until Brad’s car passed them to ensure Cassie and Brad witnessed the intimate moment. Lanie’s lips were soft and full, but he was perturbed because, not only didn’t she open her mouth, she made no motion to return the kiss.
When he released her, she punched him even harder. Then she used her duffel-bag-sized purse to hit him in the chest.
He grabbed her arm and dragged her to the bench by the door. He held her tightly until she stopped struggling. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
“Me? What about you? You can’t just kiss a girl without notice.”
“Notice? What the fuck do you want? A written request? You’re acting like you’ve never been kissed before.”
All the color crept out of her face at once, making her appear ethereal. She looked down at her tightly clenched hands, shifting away from Kyle. He let go of her.
“Lanie, look at me, please,” Kyle said gently.
She barely met his gaze, but he tilted her chin with his finger until their eyes aligned. “That was your first kiss?”
She didn’t speak but nodded in response.
“I’m so sorry. I had no idea.” Kyle felt like a total jackass. He desperately wished for the ability to reverse time by a few minutes.
“It’s okay. Don’t feel guilty about it. I was just surprised. Did I hurt you?”
Kyle would have chuckled at her question. Lanie was tall in stature, but he guessed she was only half his weight. “I’m fine. Does that mean you’re a…you’re a…um…”
She rolled her eyes. “Yes, Kyle, I’m a virgin.”
“I don’t understand. How old are you?”
“I’m twenty-eight,” she answered, looking embarrassed.
“But…there was never anyone? Like anyone in high school or college?”
“No, I was too busy studying, and then I was very career focused. I never met the right person either.”
“Until Brad?” Kyle was surprised by the bitterness in his voice.
“I guess so,” she replied.
“Are you saving yourself for him?” Kyle thought it sounded absurd, but then again, everything about Lanie was peculiar to him.
“It’s nothing like that. I just never wanted to before. It never appealed to me.”
Kyle’s mouth dropped open. “Sex never appealed to you? Are you listening to yourself, woman?”
“I know it sounds strange to someone like you who needs sex like most people need air and water.”
“I guarantee you I’m not the only one who would find your admission odd.”
“Kyle, I know I’m kind of a freak, but you’re looking at me like I belong in a zoo,” Lanie replied before biting her lower lip. He cursed himself for making her feel worse.
“You’re not a freak. I don’t mean to make you feel that way. I’m sorry I fucked-up your first kiss.” Kyle did feel very contrite.
“Don’t be. If I weren’t so shocked, I bet I would have enjoyed it.” She looked up at him with those big hazel eyes and a halfhearted smile. Kyle found it was difficult to breathe. She smelled good too, sweet and citrusy. Like lemons and roses, two things that shouldn’t go together, but on Lanie it worked.
“Would you let me have a do-over? At least make it memorable?” Kyle asked hopefully, moving closer to her.
She looked thoughtful for a moment
Lanie crossed her arms, staring at Kyle with apparent agitation. He did his best to downplay his amusement. “What the hell is wrong with you? Are you trying to get me disowned?”
“Shut up, Lanie,” Kyle said.
“Shut up? You don’t tell me to shut up. Who do you think you are?”
“Just wait.”
“Wait for what, you jerk?” she asked and actually punched him in the arm. Kyle was surprised how forceful her little fist was.
“For this.” He took her in his arms and kissed her deeply, rocking her back on her heels. He waited until Brad’s car passed them to ensure Cassie and Brad witnessed the intimate moment. Lanie’s lips were soft and full, but he was perturbed because, not only didn’t she open her mouth, she made no motion to return the kiss.
When he released her, she punched him even harder. Then she used her duffel-bag-sized purse to hit him in the chest.
He grabbed her arm and dragged her to the bench by the door. He held her tightly until she stopped struggling. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
“Me? What about you? You can’t just kiss a girl without notice.”
“Notice? What the fuck do you want? A written request? You’re acting like you’ve never been kissed before.”
All the color crept out of her face at once, making her appear ethereal. She looked down at her tightly clenched hands, shifting away from Kyle. He let go of her.
“Lanie, look at me, please,” Kyle said gently.
She barely met his gaze, but he tilted her chin with his finger until their eyes aligned. “That was your first kiss?”
She didn’t speak but nodded in response.
“I’m so sorry. I had no idea.” Kyle felt like a total jackass. He desperately wished for the ability to reverse time by a few minutes.
“It’s okay. Don’t feel guilty about it. I was just surprised. Did I hurt you?”
Kyle would have chuckled at her question. Lanie was tall in stature, but he guessed she was only half his weight. “I’m fine. Does that mean you’re a…you’re a…um…”
She rolled her eyes. “Yes, Kyle, I’m a virgin.”
“I don’t understand. How old are you?”
“I’m twenty-eight,” she answered, looking embarrassed.
“But…there was never anyone? Like anyone in high school or college?”
“No, I was too busy studying, and then I was very career focused. I never met the right person either.”
“Until Brad?” Kyle was surprised by the bitterness in his voice.
“I guess so,” she replied.
“Are you saving yourself for him?” Kyle thought it sounded absurd, but then again, everything about Lanie was peculiar to him.
“It’s nothing like that. I just never wanted to before. It never appealed to me.”
Kyle’s mouth dropped open. “Sex never appealed to you? Are you listening to yourself, woman?”
“I know it sounds strange to someone like you who needs sex like most people need air and water.”
“I guarantee you I’m not the only one who would find your admission odd.”
“Kyle, I know I’m kind of a freak, but you’re looking at me like I belong in a zoo,” Lanie replied before biting her lower lip. He cursed himself for making her feel worse.
“You’re not a freak. I don’t mean to make you feel that way. I’m sorry I fucked-up your first kiss.” Kyle did feel very contrite.
“Don’t be. If I weren’t so shocked, I bet I would have enjoyed it.” She looked up at him with those big hazel eyes and a halfhearted smile. Kyle found it was difficult to breathe. She smelled good too, sweet and citrusy. Like lemons and roses, two things that shouldn’t go together, but on Lanie it worked.
“Would you let me have a do-over? At least make it memorable?” Kyle asked hopefully, moving closer to her.
She looked thoughtful for a moment
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