Page 17 of The Kissing Challenge
"Me, too," Dorothy said and raised her eyebrow at her friend. "I know you're good for it, Gwen. Put your money where your mouth is."
Gwen shook her head like they were all crazy. I felt the need to as well. How had it escalated this quickly? And why wasn't Captain saying anything? Maybe he was as shocked by this turn of events as I was.
"I've got another twenty," Brandon said quietly.
Liam looked to him. "And which way are you betting?"
He looked first at Cap then at me then his gaze landed back on Liam. "That it can be just as hot again."
Liam gave his shoulder a pat and turned to Gwen. "That's sixty. Are you in or not?"
This girl didn't seem like the type to back down, especially when she had her supporters in the little crowd that'd gathered. "Fine," she said. "Whatever. You have a bet. Sixty bucks says you kissing your best friend can't be anything but lame."
Captain took a few steps closer. He lowered his voice, but what he said surprised me.
"Are you good with this?" he asked.
My eyes met his. "Are you?"
"Yeah…but only if you want to, Anne."
Wow, what to say to that?
I swallowed past the lump in my throat and said, "Sure. It's just a kiss, right?"
Captain hummed low in his throat. As his hands came up to cup my face, I felt my breath catch. His touch was warm, but it was his eyes that got to me the most. They were lit with something I couldn't name and focused entirely on me. I had the urge to look away. My nerves told me a second kiss could be nothing but trouble. But at the same time, I wanted to live in that gaze forever.
His face came closer until we were only a breath a part.
"Ready?" he said.
I nodded. I was past ready.
"You're not having second thoughts, right?" Each word from Captain's lips hit mine with a little puff of air. Every time it happened it felt like a tease. His closeness made me quiver—and his lips hadn't even touched me yet. "Because if you are, it's okay. We don't have to prove anything to these people."
"Captain?" I breathed and licked my lips.
His eyes followed the movement. "Yeah?"
"Can you kiss me now?" I said. "Please?"
"I thought you'd never ask," he murmured.
Cap's lips were on me in the next heartbeat.
He didn't sit still like last time either. Captain made sure our bodies were pressed together as tight as they could be. My legs instantly turned to jelly, but it was okay because one of his arms was suddenly around my waist. The other still cupped my cheek. My fingers dug into his shirt, pulling him impossibly closer and refusing to let go.
This second kiss was just as amazing as the first. But there was no surprise, only yearning. Our lips moved together, never completely parting even for an instant. I met Captain's heat with my own, and we melted together.
Forgetting about the bet and the people surrounding us, he kissed me like he couldn't get enough. And I knew I'd always want more of him.
Catcalls and whistling finally filtered through my brain. But it took Knight touching Captain's shoulder to break us up. We pulled back at the same time, Cap still looking at me as he backed away.
"Job well done," Knight said.
Liam nodded and grasped Captain's hand, exchanging what I saw was a wad of money.
"That Gwen girl didn't even try to argue," he said. "Just handed over the cash."
