“And then what?” Hayley whispered in anticipation.
Bryce placed a hand on the back of her head. “He might do this,” he said. Hayley leaned back against his hand, rubbing her head slowly against his fingers. She bit her lip and Bryce inhaled reflexively, the want in his body now so palpable, there was no way she couldn’t feel it pressed against her hip.
“But what if I did this?” Hayley stood on her tip toes, tilting her mouth toward his.
Bryce looked her in the eyes and then pressed his lips to hers. He wrapped both arms around her tightly, ensnaring her body. Her arms found his neck and she pulled him deeper into the kiss, her tongue meeting his for the first time like old lovers. Nothing could have prepared him for the electrifying sensation permeating his body at the touch of their lips.
Hayley pulled away just enough to take a breath. Up to this point, she had an inkling Bryce could be the one. This kiss made it irrefutable. “It’s hard to pretend you’re the bad guy,” she said. “I never want to push you away.”
Bryce smiled. “I don’t want you to.”
Hayley kissed him again and her stomach growled. She pulled away, embarrassed. “I think it’s dinner time,” she said.
Bryce smiled. “Let’s eat.”
“Are you hungry too?”
Bryce nodded, his gaze as if magnetically attracted to Haley’s features. “Starving.” He was hungry, all right. For all of her.
“Let’s go upstairs,” Hayley smiled. “I’d cook you something, but I’m too hungry to work the kitchen. I’ll order a pizza.”
“That sounds great,” Bryce said. “Unless you’re one of those people who likes pineapple on their pizza.”
“Bacon, sausage, and pepperoni only.”
“A girl after my own heart,” Bryce said.
Hayley’s mom kept the pizza delivery number on the fridge. A quick phone call later, Hayley offered Bryce a beer from the fridge. “These are local,” she said. “From a brewery downtown.”
Bryce read the label. “IPA. Sounds promising.” He sat at the breakfast bar and took a sip. “It’s good. Jackson continues to surprise me.”
“What do you mean surprise you?” Hayley asked. “What’d you have against Jackson?”
“It’s hot,” Bryce replied. “And humid.”
“I just see it as a good reason to save money on clothes.” Hayley winked as she sat down beside him and opened her own bottle. She lifted hers up to cheers. Bryce clinked the glass.
“Are you originally from New York?” she asked.
Bryce shook his head. “Michigan.”
“Another cold state.”
“Yeah, sometimes I ache all over from the freezing cold.”
Hayley laughed. “That’s something a guy in his sixties would day.”
“Seventies,” Bryce said.
“Seriously, you that baby face of yours you look like you’re just starting college. What are you doing out in the workforce with high tech jobs?”
“I skipped college,” Bryce said. “Did a DIY degree.”
“I guess I’m skipping too,” Hayley said thoughtfully. “Don’t really have time for classes with my tour schedule.” She shrugged. “I would have majored in music.”
“Have you always played?”
Hayley nodded. “I started with the flute. Then violin. Piano. Guitar. Voice. I started writing songs when I was seven.”
