Page 91 of Eye of the Beholder
“Yes,” she says. “How to kisswell.”
I grin. “That’s the only kind of kissing I do.”
“Not self-conscious anymore, I see,” she says, smiling slightly.
“No,” I say, my eyes falling to her lips. My voice is hoarse.
She swats my arm, the corners of her mouth twitching. “Come on.” Her voice is lighter now; more casual. I’m glad for the change. “Instructional purposes only. Lydia’s advice was to practice on the back of my hand.”
I snort.
“Exactly. My hand can’t kiss me back. Are you going to help me or not?”
I step closer to her, and her eyes lock on mine. “Instructional purposes only?” I say.
“Yes,” she says, her eyes darting to my lips.
“It might feel real,” I say, my voice rough. “Kissing is like that.” I slide my hands into her hair again. She can’t know how many times I’ve imagined this moment.
“Not real,” she says, a catch in her voice. “Got it.”
“Are you sure about this?” I say, my desire warring with my hesitance. “What if we get weird around each other after this?”
“We just won’t let that happen,” she says.
I lean in and brush a kiss against her cheek. “I don’t think it works like that,” I murmur. But I press another kiss just beneath her ear. Another to her temple. I feel her hands slide around my waist, and my pulse speeds up.
She clears her throat and then says, “So, the face. And the ear. Both good.”
“Yes. Anywhere on the face, I would think,” I say, letting my lips trail down her cheek to the corner of her mouth. “It’s personal preference. You smell good.” I brush another kiss to the edge of her lips.
Her breathing is more shallow now. I can feel it against my skin. “And what do I do with my hands?” she says.
“They’re good where they are,” I say. “But just feel it out. What feels instinctive?”
She hesitates. Then, trembling slightly with what’s possibly nerves, she slides her hands up to rest on my chest.
I nod. “That’s good—”
But I break off, because her hands are still moving. One comes to rest on the side of my neck; the other threads through the hair at the base of my neck. I swallow, my breath hitching. “That works too,” I say, my voice rough. I move my hands to her back, pulling her closer.
I take a deep breath, feeling suddenly nervous. “I’m going to kiss you now.”
“Are you telling me that as a heads up, or is that something I should announce when I kiss someone?” Her voice is teasing.
“Heads up,” I say, feeling inexplicably drawn closer to her. “Just…so you know it’s coming.”
“I’m paying attention,” she says. Her words are barely audible.
“Good,” I murmur against her lips.
And then I kiss her. I press my lips to hers softly, angling my head slightly.
My knees go weak. My heart stops. My mind short circuits.
And the kiss has barely evenbegun.
I’m about to tell her to move her lips, but then she does it on her own; one arm tightens around me, and the other comes to my face.