“Daniel,” I began softly, not knowing exactly what I’d saynext.
In the end it didn’t matter, because he leaned forward and brushed his lips against mine. My stomach lurched and my breathing hitched as I felt myself fall toward him and my lips parted on a tiny puff ofair.
My only conscious thought was that there wasnoawkwardness. None. Clearly, we needed to greet each other this way all the timebecause…
Daniel lifted his hands, framing my face as he slanted his mouth more firmly over mine. I wrapped my arms around his neck and gave myself over to it, to the firm slide of his tongue against mine and the weight of his hands on my face. I wanted to stay like this forever. I wantedto…
Daniel pulled back all at once. One second there, and the next second two feet away. He looked at me and nodded once, and then again several times. “Good,” he said. “That was…helpful.”
Helpful was not the word I would have used. Life defining. Soul crushing. But I couldn’t say any of those things, not unless I wanted to make him uncomfortable around me for the rest offorever.
And it was apparent that I’d already freaked him out with myenthusiasm.
So. Fucking. Awkward,Julian.
“Helpful,” I echoed, trying to hide my upset behind a teasing grin. “I’mglad.”
Daniel cleared his throat. “Think that the, ah, pie is coolnow?”
I nodded. “Definitely. Yes. Pie.Cool.”
“Then no more distractions, fake boyfriend,” he said, smiling as he ushered me in front of him down the path. “Let’s goeat!”
Fake boyfriend. Fake kisses. Fake flirtation. Fakeaffection.
I was such anidiot.
