“Your cheeks are always so warm,” he breathed, and to my surprise, he leaned in and brushed his lips against them.
First my right one, then the left.
“Are we ever going to talk about the crush that you have on me?” he asked, his lips now so close to mine I could almost taste them.
My heart leapt to my throat, and I gasped as anxiety spiked through me, but he pressed a finger to my lips to silence me.
“Shhh, shh, shh. Please don’t get upset. It’s okay, Milo.”
Even the alcohol couldn’t hold back my embarrassment about the fact that he knew about my illegal crush.
“I hate that you saw that,” I whimpered, and he shook his head, his lips curling in a tender smile.
“I don’t.” The tip of his nose brushed against mine, and I sighed, melting into him even more. “I’m glad I saw.”
I whimpered as he continued to hover inches away from my lips.
“Want to know another reason I didn’t want to extract your first memory of me?”
I found myself nodding, my mouth so dry I was unable to speak.
“Because the NeuroGlyphs showed me what you thought when you first saw me. You thought I was scary, but also the hottest person you’ve ever seen in your life.” He chuckled, clearly amused.
“Ugh… That’s so embarrassing…” I whined, though my lashes fluttered again as he gently stroked my cheek and massaged the back of my neck.
“You don’t have to be embarrassed about anything with me, Milo. I’m a safe space for you.”
“Yeah?” I squeaked.
He nodded. “Yeah… Do you still think I’m scary?”
I swallowed. “Yes. But not for the same reasons.”
“Why are you scared of me?” He sounded upset.
“I’m scared of the way you make me feel. I don’t want to mess things up.”
“I already told you, you’re not messing anything up. If anything, I’m the one fucking things up here.”
I frowned. “You’re not.”
“I am. But I can’t help it, Milo. I wish you could read NeuroGlyphs. I wish I could show you what I thought of you the first time I saw you.”
His lips skated briefly against mine, and he made this delicious, low growling sound as electricity sparked between us.
My mouth parted in a gasp, and he turned his head slightly to the side, inhaling sharply to swallow the sound. He hovered, just out of reach, and the air between us turned white hot with anticipation.
“Can I kiss you, Milo?”
I hesitated. Friends didn’t kiss. But… Jeez, did I ever want him to kiss me.
“Please?” he whispered. He wasso close.I just needed to move in an inch, and our lips wouldbe touching.
The way he saidpleasemade my knees weak, and I found myself nodding.
Yep. Sober Milo was going to be so pissed.
“Thank fuck,” Jay breathed, and before I knew what was happening, his soft lips sealed against mine, and the world fell away.
