“That’s how you do it,” Theo explained. “Of course, when you do a real kiss, you’re actually supposed to touch lips. And tongues, if you’re feeling frisky.”
I blinked stupidly, not understanding what had just happened.
“You didn’t kiss me,” I said blankly.
“No, but I showed you how. That’s what I meant.” He grinned. “Why, did you want me to?”
This suddenly felt like a dream that I’d been abruptly woken from. My sense of reality was distorted and disorienting, like my brain had transformed into lumps of cotton.
Theo had almost kissed me, but didn’t. He’d fallen ever so slightly short. Painfully short.
And now he was asking me if Ididwant to kiss him.
“Maxwell?” Theo prompted when I didn’t reply.
Yes. Yes, I do.
“I--”
A knock came at the door before it slowly opened. I shut my mouth and fought the urge to childishly scramble away from Theo to prove we weren’t doing anything.
Pierce stood in the doorway.
“Theo, I know you’re here,” he said, his voice gentle but firm.
The smile on Theo’s face disappeared. He shut his eyes as if trying to escape the situation. “Yeah.”
“Come on.” Pierce gestured for him to join him. “Let’s give Maxwell some time to decompress.”
I wanted to open my mouth and speak, to tell him that Theo wasn’t bothering me, and in fact that it was completely the opposite--but by the time I worked up the nerve, Theo was already across the room. Pierce shot me a glance that was almost sympathetic. Theo met my eyes sadly, and disappeared behind the door.
I was left alone in my room, trying to process what the hell just happened.
