She laughs. “I’m just sharing my thoughts, okay?”
“Out loud, of course.”
“When I walked in and saw you . . .” She paused for a moment, probably afraid I would make fun of whatever she wanted to share—I wouldnever.“I felt a sense of relief.”
“Relief, huh? What kind of relief? Like the kind when you’re on a blind date and you’re afraid it’s really a seventy-year-old goat farmer?” I chuckle.
“Not that kind.” She giggles.
“Ahh, the other kind then?”
She gazes up at me, searching my eyes like she needs something from me.
I fix my eyes on her, hoping she can find her answers.
Whatever you want, Eleanor. It’s yours.
“The kind of relief you feel when you’ve been lost for so long? Like you’ve found your way out of this huge maze.” She turns her body towards me, picking up speed. “Or a pitch black storm and you finally get to a safe destination, you know?” She grabs my arm.“That full body experience where everything just releases and your breath escapes you.” Her breath catches, like she realizes how excited she was getting, and she stops.
I turn my body toward her, waiting for her to continue.Please keep going.
“The relief you feel . . .” she whispers, “when you’re finally where you were meant to end up all along.”
And then, as if an inevitable force has finally pulled me to my destination, I press my lips against hers. The taste of syrup and cinnamon swirls in my mouth as she kisses me back. Any common sense I have is lost when she grabs the sides of my face and pulls me in closer, her lips curling into a smile against mine. I kiss her again and again. If it was possible for time to stand still, it would need to be this moment, so I could savor every part of her forever.
Muffled whispers start swarming around us, threatening to break our connection. An eager hum leaves her mouth when I wrap my arm around her waist, pulling her closer to me. I let the sound buzz around me, drowning out everything else. Should I be concerned for onlookers? Probably, but I don’t care.
All I care about is her.
Chapter nineteen
Ellie
Bennykissedme. In the middle of Wafflin’.
And not just a quick peck, but an all-consuming, body surging kiss that still has my lips pulsing for more. I’ve never been kissed like that before. The kind of kiss that fills you with equal amounts of delight and desire. The kind of kiss you can’t stop smiling about. The kind of kiss that penetrates all of your senses, sending you into a trance and making you question if it’s even real life.
I can’t stop staring at his lips as he leads this morning’s faculty meeting. The memory of them on mine, soft and gentle at first then intense and focused as if nothing else in that moment mattered. I’m not usually one for public displays of affection, setting very solid rules and boundaries for myself, and the school policy was still very much at the center of my mind.
But the moment his pupils dilated and he entangled his hands in my hair, closing the distance between our lips, my body practically melted to the floor, taking all of my rules and boundaries with it.
I let my gaze move across him, slowly. His eyes flicker all around the room, eyebrows dancing subtly as he speaks. His forearm muscles flex as he grips the counter behind him. I can sense his fingers moving up my arms as he taps them against the granite. His hips practically dance as he shifts his weight from foot to foot.
Everything he does this morning seems to be enhanced, my altered senses on high alert.
I’m gaping at him uncontrollably—mouth wide open—the moisture on my tongue all dried up.
“We need one more person to help set up the Wafflin’ tent the night before,” Benny is speaking, but his voice sounds muffled as the tunnel vision I have towards his mouth clouds all of my other senses. “Sam will be out of town and so far it’s just me and Malcolm. Any takers?”
“Ellie can do it!” Kate pipes in, elbowing me in the ribs.
“Ow,” I whisper a growl at her, rubbing my side as she giggles at me.
“Great, thank you Ellie for being a team player,” Benny says, lingering his gaze on me. My face feels red hot as I nod at him, not fully aware of what I am agreeing to.
“We need more help than that,” Malcolm grumbles standing in the doorway separating us from the hallway.
“Kate wouldloveto help too.” I smirk in her direction and she crosses her arms, sticking her tongue out at me.
