“What?” Adjusting my grip, I craned my neck over my shoulder. “How far from the ground are you?”
Jake leaned back, taking a look. “Not far. You know that small, grassy area by the right of the entrance? We’re above that. I’m just going to drop. I’m not very high from this last rung, so it shouldn’t be dangerous.”
“Wait, shouldn’t you—” I got cut off by the sound of a thud. “Think this through,” I finished, too late. “You okay?”
“Great,” Jake called up. “Nothing to it.”
“All right then,” I said, continuing down. “I’m next.”
“What?” he questioned in a raised tone. “Are you sure you don’t want to climb back to the roof? I can go back in and unlock the door for you.”
“I thought there was nothing to it?” I teased, undeterred. “Come on, Jake, when have you ever known me to back down from a challenge?”
I reached the last rung, then looked down, somewhat surprised. The drop looked farther than I thought it’d be.
Jake noticed my slight hesitation, but instead of trying to change my mind, or tell me I should’ve listened to him, he just came closer. “It’s okay,” he reassured me. “You’ve got this. Jump, I’ll catch you.”
Trusting him—and myself—I leapt into the cool night air, jumping through a beam of bright blue light, and for a second it felt like I was flying.
Before I could hit the ground, two strong hands caught me around my waist. Jake and I fell back together in a single swoop, him first, cushioning my fall, and then me over him.
Our limbs intertwined as we landed, my legs ending up between his, and Jake’s arms still wrapped around me. Though we were already on the ground, he didn’t let go.
I swallowed hard, my heartbeat dancing behind my ribs.Lying on top of him like his, I could feel his chest pushing up against mine as he took a deep breath in. Heat flooded me from every point of body contact, and a blush rushed to my cheeks.
Jake reached up to slowly brush a strand of hair out of my face, his thumb gently ghosting over my cheekbone, and I repressed a shiver that threatened to make its way down my spine.
Don’t—you’re so close, he’ll feel it, I told myself firmly, and curled in my fingers on instinct, only to realize I accidentally grabbed Jake’s shirt in my hand. But any thought of letting go vanished from my mind as he tucked the stray lock of hair behind my ear, before letting his fingers trickle down to linger right above my pulse point.
Another finger-span down and he’d feel the throb of my heartbeat and how fast it was racing. If I told him it was adrenaline from jumping, would he believe me?
WouldIbelieve myself?
It felt like playing with fire, and watching the flame dance between a wick and a match.
We were face-to-face, our lips nearly brushing. All it’d take was too deep of a breath, or a slight tilt of my head, and his mouth would be on mine.
This is a bad idea, my inner voice sang, like the repeating refrain of a song.Bad idea. Bad idea.
“You okay?” Jake asked softly.
I hadn’t been so close to Jake in a long time, and never before like this. Instead of replying, I found myself mesmerized by his eyes. I knew they were hazel, but lying there, I could count all the different shades of brown that blended together with hints of honeycomb gold.
“Lucy?” Jake asked, concerned I hadn’t answered his question.
Close the distance,the devil on my shoulder told me. All I had to do was take the tiniest shift forward and let the heat of his mouth meet mine. What would it be like? Would I feel bursts of fireworks like I had before?
Before.The word tripped me up.
When Jake kissed me four years ago, had it just been a whim? He’d been my first crush, but had I been his? Up until that moment, he never showed any indication of realizing my feelings toward him, or liking me back. What had he thought, after he left and we fell out of contact? Did he regret our kiss?
Would I regret it if I kissed him now?
Does it matter?the devil asked.It doesn’t have to mean anything.
Except, that was the thing. This was Jake. It would aways mean something.
“Lucy?”
