I laugh. ‘Yeah.’
I’m hyper-aware of Paul, and his arms, and his face, and his lips as they part into his easy grin. ‘Shall we?’ He falls back onto the sofa beside me.
He hits play and I text Mum.
Finishing a film at Paul’s. Will be
home soon
I have no comprehension of what is going on in the film at this point. Paul’s arm is still against mine despite having more sofa space, and the heat is radiating off him. He laughs loudly at a joke and shifts position. The very obviously attractive but easy-going guy in the film is giving the very obviously attractive but uptight guy dating advice. I fake a laugh too.
I think I’ve read way too much into this situation and should probably go before I make a fool of myself. Maybe I can catch up with Cormac?
The buddies in the film are on a double date now. Easygoing guy is being too cocky and his date is not impressed, whereasuptight guy is making his date laugh. Paul shifts again, spreading his legs so his knee rests against mine.
My breathing slows down. I stare straight ahead as uptight guy and the beautiful woman fall into her apartment and start having all the sex. My chest and stomach are burning. My neck is like a radiator under my ears. My eyes are glued to the screen and I’m painfully aware that if I don’t shift away from this guy my body is going to do a very unsubtle thing.
I move my leg and turn to Paul.
He’s staring at me, his mouth raised in the slightest of smiles.
His hand rests on mine. Warm and strong.
‘Hey,’ I say.
‘Hey.’
Then he closes his eyes, leans in and kisses me.
At first I’m too surprised to respond.
His lips are soft and sweet from the Coke. His stubble grazes my upper lip and my chest moves towards him as a wave of heat washes over me.
He pulls back. ‘That OK?’
‘Fuck, yeah.’
My lips move to his and we kiss again. The hottest guy ever is kissing me, and he made the first move. I run my hands over his arms and lean into the best second kiss in recorded history. It is soft and sensual, but urgent. My hands are at the back of his head, his are on my legs. They move up, tracing along my thighs, to my waist, up my chest, then they’re on my back. He grips me there and pulls me on top of him as we fall back onto the sofa. Hands are everywhere, his tongue is pushing against mine, exploring my mouth.
My body is on fire.
We pause and my mouth is by his ear. ‘Wow.’
‘Yeah.’
‘Have you ever…with a guy?’
He traces a finger on my back. ‘Never.’
I lift myself up. ‘And…?’
He purses his lips slightly. ‘Not bad.’
‘Oh yeah?’
He smirks. ‘Not bad at all.’
I kiss him again. I can’t believe this is happening. The film carries on, but it’s all background noise now as I push myself against Paul, enjoying his gasp as I kiss his neck.
