"By showing you what it feels like to choose something for yourself. Not because someone told you to. Not because it's expected. But because you want it."
"What if I don't know what I want?"
"You do." His hand slid from my face to the back of my neck, fingers tangling in my hair. "You're just afraid to admit it."
"I'm not—"
"You are. You've been afraid your whole life. Afraid of disappointing people, afraid of making mistakes, afraid of being anything other than perfect." His voice dropped to a whisper. "But you're not afraid of me. And that terrifies you most of all."
He was right. God, he was right about everything and it made me want to run and stay in equal measure.
"You're very sure of yourself."
"I know what I want." His grip tightened in my hair. "And right now, I want you to stop lying to yourself."
"About what?"
"About this." His mouth was so close to mine now I could feel his breath. "About the fact that you felt it the second our eyes met across this room. About the fact that you've been thinking about what would happen if you just let go for once. About the fact that you want me as much as I want you."
My heart was hammering so hard I could hear it in my ears. "You're insane."
"Probably." His lips brushed my temple. "But I'm honest. I'm not going to play games with you, Aria. I'm not going to pretend this is something it's not. I saw you tonight and I knew I had to have you. And I think you knew it too."
"That's—"
"True." His hand slid from my neck to my waist, pulling me flush against him. "Tell me I'm wrong. Tell me you're not feeling this."
I couldn't. Because he wasn't wrong. From the second our eyes had met, something had clicked into place. Something inevitable and terrifying and absolutely undeniable.
"This is crazy. We just met."
"And yet here we are." His hands were on my hips now, thumbs brushing against bare skin where my shirt had ridden up. "Still talking. Still touching. Still pretending either of us is going to walk away."
"Maybe I want to walk away."
"Do you?" His eyes searched mine. "Because all you have to do is say the word and I'll disappear. I'll let you go back to your friend, go home, forget this ever happened."
It was an out. A clean escape. All I had to do was say yes.
"I don't want you to disappear."
His entire body went taut. "Say that again."
"I don't want you to walk away." My hands found his chest, fingers curling into his shirt. "I want—I don't know what I want. But I know I don't want thisto end yet."
"Careful, Aria." His voice was strained. "Because if you keep talking like that, I'm going to kiss you. And once I start, I'm not going to stop."
"Then don't stop."
The words were barely out of my mouth before his hand tangled in my hair, tilting my head back. His eyes searched mine for one last second, giving me a final chance to change my mind.
I didn't take it.
His mouth came down on mine and the world caught fire.
I'd never been kissed before. Never felt someone's lips on mine, never tasted another person, never experienced this overwhelming rush of sensation that made my knees go weak.
His tongue swept against my lips and I opened for him on instinct. The taste of him—whiskey and mint and something uniquely him—flooded my senses. His hand tightened in my hair, angling my head exactly how he wanted it, and I let him. Let him take control because I had no idea what I was doing and he clearly did.
