But Will’s laughing, flushed himself. ‘So, I suppose our kisses are awkward.’
Moment gone, I force a chuckle, reaching for my drink and taking a huge gulp.
‘We need to work on that,’ I finally say. ‘I promise I’m better than that.’
Will smirks. ‘You plan to kiss me in front of Ollie? Make him jealous?’
I try to save face by being the cool dude who is unflustered, running my hand through my hair, but every move I make is clumsy. ‘Yeah, something like that.’
‘Then we definitely have to get better at that.’
‘One more time?’
‘One more time.’ Will breathes.
His head tilts back, his questioning kiss lingering for just a moment. I think of going further, of unleashing the passion that’s behind my touch. He lets out a soft moan, enough to almost send me into overdrive. He’s driving me crazy already. Our kiss becomes certain, hungry. His tongue flicks mine, but only briefly. God, I could risk it all. But I swing back, bobbing my head at him, as if we’ve completed some business transaction. ‘Quit while I’m ahead.’
His wide eyes look lost, but he nods. ‘Better?’
My voice escapes me in a growl. ‘Better.’
‘Still room for improvement. Might have to do that more often.’
Jesus, this man is going to ruin me.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
WILL
Day Five
My thudding heart tells me that Chill Will has drowned at sea. Maybe the siren took him. He’s gone, leaving me sweating in the bathroom of my hotel, staring at my reflection and criticising what looks back at me.
Somewhere between that boat ride and yesterday, my skin has burnt, evidence of a typical Brit who can’t go out in any sunlight, because his pasty skin is used to grey skies. I thought I’d lathered up enough on the boat, but clearly not. My unruly hair won’t stay neat.
This is what Sam wanted to kiss yesterday?
All night, all morning, I thought of what we’ve done. The playful kisses, how slightly strange they felt, and yet how they made me crave more. Every time I close my eyes, I imagine Sam near me again. Like a teenager I’ve found myself puckering up as if he might materialise through thought alone and kiss me again.
In the late and early hours, I considered texting Sam, inviting him over. That’s what friends do. But I chickened out every time.
All of this is for research.
Inviting him over would be for research.
These thoughts I’m having? Research.
Research, research, fucking research.
I’m about to leave my apartment when Sam texts.
What’s your plan today?
Well, wouldn’t he like to know?
Today is all about trying something new.
Alice said I should relax and have fun. And why stop at kissing my old best friend for research purposes?
