His voice drops lower.
"I’m not gonna be the guy you awkwardly freeze up in front of, in public, like some teenage crush. So if you’re gonna fuck it up, better you do it now."
My whole body locks up. I step closer to him.
"Gio, wait—"
"No one’s watching," he says. "No evil parents. No Sophia. Just me. And you."
I should say no. I want to say no. The room feels too small suddenly, too hot. Every breath is too loud. "Just kiss me and get it over with," I mutter.
He laughs. "Oh no," he says, stepping in with that infuriating look. "You don’t get to rush me now."
I glare at him. "Gio—"
He tilts his head, pulling me closer to him. "Go on, Weston. Beg for it."
My stomach twists. "I’mnotbegging."
"Mm." He circles me.
Not touching, just orbiting, like a goddamn heat source. "You sure? You’re standing there like someone pressed pause on your body."
"I’m not—"
"I can hear your heart from here," he murmurs, lips ghosting close to my ear. "She’ll never believe it unless you sell it."
"Iamselling it."
"Please." His breath warms my neck. "You look like you’re being held at gunpoint."
He finally stops pacing. Stares at me, like he realizes what he just said. "If it helps," he murmurs, "if youactuallyfreak out, we stop. You say the word, we’re done."
Okay. That’s... comforting. Kind of.
"But if youdon’tfreak out..."
His hand comes up, and he lets his thumb drag under my jaw. "I promise," he murmurs, eyes dropping to my lips,
"I can make it worth your while."
I swallow hard. Still looking at him. "I’m not freaking out," I snap. "Just do it."
"No." He grins. He leans in, hand curling in the collar of my shirt. He’s not pulling me in. Not exactly. Just holding me there. Making sure I can’t go anywhere. Making sure I don’twantto go anywhere.
"Come on," he whispers. "Just once. Say you want it."
My throat’s dry. My face is burning. My legs feel like jelly. He’s too close. "I want—"
"Yeah?" he breathes. Our lips are nearly touching.
Then he pauses, smiling. "Too slow."
And he kisses me.
He kisses me nothing like I expect.
He kisses me slowly. Painfully slowly. Almost hesitant. Like it’s his first kiss ever.
