Ethan looks like he’s about to flee.
Before I can think through the wisdom of my actions, I turn to face Drew and put my arms around his neck.
“Kiss me,” I whisper. And before he can reply, I push up on my toes and brush my lips over his.
At first, it’s like kissing a statue. Granted, Drew’s a statue that radiates heat and tastes like spearmint gum, but he’s definitely not an active participant. He holds himself perfectly still while I tease my tongue across the seam of his lips.
Shit. This was a mistake. We talked about holding hands to keep up our act, but never about kissing. I’ve clearly taken things farther than he wants to go.
But just as I start to pull back, Drew comes to life. There’s a harsh sound from somewhere deep in his throat, then his hands find my waist and pull me toward him. His tongue plunges into my mouth, hot and demanding.
And just like that, Drew’s the one in control. A wave of heat sweeps over me, and my knees turn to water. If it weren’t for his hands on my waist, I’d probably collapse in a puddle of lust.
He tilts his head to the side to deepen the kiss, and as he moves, I get a glimpse over his shoulder.
And see all his friends watching us.
TWENTY
DREW
Ally’s lips are hot and sweet, and she tastes like iced tea and summer. Her waist is wonderfully soft under my hands, softer than I expected, since the rest of her is so toned. All that softness feels like a dirty secret.Mydirty, beautiful, sexy secret. I imagine kissing her belly, sticking my tongue in her belly button and licking my way down.
But all of a sudden, she stiffens in my arms and pulls back.
Fuck.I let myself get carried away.
I take my hands off her waist and step back, preparing to apologize, but Ally’s looking past me. I follow her gaze and realize all my friends are staring.
“Don’t let us stop you,” Austin says mischievously.
“You’re welcome to go inside if you want,” Luke says slyly.
I bite back a caustic retort. If Luke had any tact, he’d have taken everyone else inside and left Ally and me alone in the backyard. I don’t know why she decided to kiss me, but I sure wasn’t questioning it.
Then my eyes move to Ethan, and I know exactly why Ally did it. He looks a hell of a lot more comfortable now, even a little amused.
The kiss was an act of kindness. Ally noticed how miserable Ethan looked, and she decided to create a distraction.
It wasn’t particularly kind to me, though. I thought she kissed me just because she wanted to, and the truth stings a bit. And now I know how she tastes, and I’ll never get the memory out of my head.
“Hey, Ethan,” I say, trying to sound casual. “Good to see you. This is my girlfriend, Ally.”
“I guessed that,” he says with a grin. He shifts his massive gift box to one side and steps forward to shake her hand. “Nice to meet you.”
Ethan turns to Melissa next. “I got you guys a housewarming gift,” he says, holding out the gift box. “I know you’ve been here a while, but Luke just moved in, so I thought . . .”
“Thanks,” Melissa says, moving a platter of watermelon so she can set the box on the table. “Can we open it now?”
“Of course.”
Melissa carefully takes off the ribbon and removes the wrapping paper. “A KitchenAid stand mixer!” she exclaims, clearly delighted. “Ethan, it’s too much—but I’ve always wanted one, so thank you.” She reaches over to give him a hug.
“My mom suggested it,” Ethan says, looking a little embarrassed. “She said it changed her life. I think she was exaggerating, but?—”
“Oh, I doubt it,” Ally says. “My mom has one too, and it’s great. I’m planning to buy one as soon as I can afford it.”
By now, Melissa’s opened the box, and she and Sophie are inspecting the pieces.
