him. My dress is around my waist but I can’t make myself care to fix it. His body feels so good, and I promise myself that I’ll stay here forever.
Kyle shakes his head . There’s something in his expression. Like he’s trying to make a decision. His movement spins my head on a merry-go-round.
“ It’s been too long.” He pushes some hair off my shoulder, sending tingles over my skin. His hands are so tender, and I can’t help but imagine them everywhere. Against my hip, dragging along my thighs.
I shudder. “Kyle.” I close my eyes, tilting my face toward his. “Kiss me. I’ve waited so long.”
He inhales. Touches my lips with his fingers. “When I kiss you, I want you sober enough to remember it.”
“My first,” I say and giggle. “You’ll be my first. We made a pact.”
He lifts me onto the bed. I feel a blanket cover me, and I want to be sad. I’m no longer in his arms. But I can’t keep my eyes open. Too tired to be mad at myself.
This doesn’t seem very kinky . It’s more heavenly.
Kyle
My heart’ s pounding, and I’m at a loss. Maddie is here, in my bed. Her hair lies across her face like a silk scarf. Her hands are tucked under her cheek. She mentioned the pact we made. A long time ago. When we barely understood what we were promising each other.
“Why is my dad such an asshole?” I wipe angry tears off my face. Stare up at my boring white ceiling. Watch the light flicker. The bulb’s been about to die for weeks.
Maddie shuts my window and plops next to me on my bed. “I watched him leave. He seemed… um, grouchy.”
I snor t. Rub my jaw in the spot where my dad hit me. “That’s an understatement.” But that’s Maddie. Always kind. Always tries to see the best in people. Including me.
She pats my stomach , and I tingle. Maddie has a way of making me feel better, no matter what’s happening. “I’m sorry, Kyle.”
“Yeah, me too.” I shrug. Push the pillow behind my head into a ball and lean against it. “But what can I do?”
She rifles around in her bag , pulls out an ice pack, and hands it to me.
I’m su re shock is the expression plastered across my face. How does she always know exactly what I need? I press the cool pack against my jaw, and sigh. It feels good. “Thanks.”
“ Wanna listen to my new CD?”
I smile. Because despite my ass-of-a-father, being around Maddie makes it impossible to be sad. “If it’s a song about bringing sexy back, Freckles, I swear I’ll snap it in half.” I laugh, and she smacks me on the arm with the case.
“Rude! I guess I’ll just put it away.” She goes to stuff it back in her bag, and I grab it from her hands.
“The Fray?” I ask, looking at it while holding it above her head so she can’t reach it.
“Give it back.” She giggles. One of my favorite sounds.
I stand on the bed, holding the CD out of her reach. She stands too. Tries to get it back. Her hands pulling on my arm as we jump. She trips in the covers and falls into me. We both go down, and she ends up on top of me. Our faces are inches apart.
“Give it,” she says again, her voice quiet.
I can feel her heart beating rapidly against my chest.
“Kiss me first,” I say .
Her gaze takes in my lips . Focuses on my eyes. I’m mesmerized by the way her features change so I can almost always tell what she’s thinking. Like right now she’s thoughtful. And just as turned on as I am.
“Like on the mouth?” she asks. A finger absently strokes her bottom lip.
I grab the finger and kiss it. “Yeah.”
It seems like a perfectly natural thing. She’s my best friend. The person I care about most in this world. Kissing her would be awesome.
Her eyes find my lips again. “Um,” she says, climbing off me and the bed. I sit up, waiting for her response. Hand her the CD. She walks to the player, puts the disc in. Turns up the volume. When she turns back, she’s smiling. “I—Okay,” she says, tucking her hands in her
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