I can feel him studying me for a second.
"What those guys said-"
I cut him off.
"I've heard worse."
His eyes darken. "I haven't."
Silence settles between us.
I focus on my other skate, retying it just to keep busy.
"You're avoiding me," he says, quietly.
"I'm not."
I am.
He leans back slightly, studying my face. "Then why won't you look at me?"
I freeze, finger twisting the laces before I suddenly let them go. I look at him.
Big mistake.
His gaze drops to my mouth.
My pulse stutters. I glance away, then back at him, then away again. "Didn't you have a question?"
He grins, amused. "I already asked it."
"Did you?"
"I asked if you were avoiding me," he says slowly, "or if you're just avoiding the fact that you want to kiss me again?"
My stomach flips. "Kiss you . . . Again?" I shake my head. He looks amused at my lack of English language and mortification fills me. "I don't."
"You do."
I swallow.
"You kissed me," I counter.
"And you kissed me back."
The words hang there.
He shifts closer.
Close enough that I feel the heat coming off him.
Close enough that I stop breathing properly.
"You didn't pull away," he murmurs.
Neither do I now.
He lifts his hand.
