Page 28 of Don't Puck Him
She trails off. The wind blows through the few remaining leaves of the tree, making a pleasant rattling sound. It’s an absolutely beautiful fall day.
“And what did you make of the time we spent together?”
“I didn’t really know what to make of it,” she admits. “I enjoyed it, though. I just didn’t really understand it, I guess. I was afraid that sooner or later, the other shoe would drop.”
“Spoken like someone who’s had their trust betrayed before.”
Her face clouds over for a second. “Yeah, I guess that’s true.”
I reach my hand towards her. She leans against me, and I wrap my arm around her shoulder. She’s warm and delicate against my body. I’m not ready for how good it feels to finally be holding her.
“It’s okay,” I tell her. “We’re all figuring ourselves out. We’re all carrying wounds we don’t want other people to know about.”
“You really meant that kiss, though?” she asks. “I mean, it wasn’t just a casual, party thing? It’s okay if it was. I just don’t want to think it was some deep thing when really, I’m just any girl, you know?”
“You’re not just any girl,” I say, stroking her arm. “And I wouldn’t have kissed you if you were.”
“I wouldn’t have kissed back if you were just any boy,” she replies. “That was part of what made it so surprising. It wasn’t until that moment I realized how strongly I felt about you.”
“Do you want to try again?” I ask. “See if we can unlock any more surprise feelings?”
She sits up, looks me in the eyes, and nods.
We kiss. I hug her gently against me. Somehow, the second time feels even better than the first.
“You’re a good kisser…” she says softly, pulling away.
“I know,” I answer with a cocky smirk.
She doesn’t laugh like I expect her to, instead dropping her eyes to the ground. “I’ve never really been in a relationship like this before. I hope that’s okay.”
I smile. “Well, I have been in a few, but there aren’t any rules. You have to figure it out each time with each person like it’s the first.”
“I like that,” she says. “I’m just a little anxious about it.”
“I think I told you I grew up in one boarding school after another,” I say, choosing my words carefully. “There were always fights breaking out, and people who thought they were tougher than they were. I got to thinking of myself as sort of a protector. Someone who watches out for the ones who can’t fight for themselves. I wanna be that for you. I want to make sure no one hurts you. Especially not me.”
She looks at me, with searching eyes. “That makes sense. I can definitely see that in you.”
“I promise I’ll keep you safe,” I tell her. “Whatever safe means to you. You deserve to be safe.”
And then, she kisses me again. There’s so much more to tell her, and so much more for her to tell me. But that will all come in time. Learning new things is part of the excitement.
And I can tell that the two of us are going to be exciting.
Chapter 15
15
WREN
Kissing Hunter is unlike anything I’d ever experienced before. It’s true that I haven’t kissed many people, but the second Hunter crushed his lips with mine, my body lit up like an electric wire.
It was everything I had read about in novels, learned through poetry, heard in music, like some kind of distant fairytale. I hate to feel like I am romanticizing this relationship already – to even call it a relationship is absurd – but I can feel myself being pulled in his direction. Like an imaginary wire, tugging me along.
I trace my fingers along my lips as I catch sight of Hunter sitting beneath the same tree as yesterday. My heart picks up the pace at the sight of his corded muscles bulging from his plaid button-up, and I can’t help but wonder if he chose this spot again intentionally, if he’s as hungry to recreate those kisses as I am. I know what I am going to do, yet my nerves have shaken up my thoughts like a snow globe.
He smirks, and I am being pulled in again.
