Page 36 of About That Pact

“Fair point,” she confessed. “However, you set the bar high for the men who followed you. My next kiss was a few months later with Matty Hissler. I almost choked. My girlfriends and I nicknamed him snake.”

“Cute word play,” Rafe said dryly, wanting out of this conversation.

“Stop being a grump. Don’t you have any funny kissing stories?” she asked, pulling up to his building.

“There was this one time, I kissed a girl, and it was her first time. It was pretty funny because—”

She blushed as Rafe caught her hand when she swatted at him. “Hey, you can’t use me as an example. You wouldn’t let me use you!”

Rafe let go of her hands and gently grasped the back of her neck. They both stared at each other, curious if now was the time to cross the line.

Fuck it.

Rafe had waited long enough. Leaning forward, he kissed her gently on the lips, slowly sucking her bottom lip into his mouth. Her lips were soft, and she sighed when they touched. She tasted like sweet dessert wine and chocolate, and he addictively needed more. He dipped his tongue into her mouth to get a better taste. She moaned against him as she massaged her tongue over his. He broke away to kiss along her jaw, his teeth finally nipping the skin below her ear.

“Rafe,” she whispered warily.

“There was nothing funny about our kiss.” His voice was ragged in her ear. “Past or present.”

He heard her breathing get heavy, making his desperate need for her worse. There was so much more he wanted with her, but he was patient. Now wasn’t the time for pouring his heart out because it would only push her away. He got out of the car and didn’t turn around. If he looked back, he would go running to her, begging for more.

Chapter 13

12 Years Ago

THERE WAS NOTHING romantic about camping with all the bugs and mud everywhere. Despite the dirtiness, there were a million things sexy about Rafe. It was their last night on vacation, and Charlotte was ready to finally have sex. Ever since he put the idea out there that he could be her first, it had been all she could think about.

Which was not a fun thought to have when on a family vacation.

Camping, none the less. She was still stuck on all the bugs. And there was something shady about bear safe areas. How did bears know not to go to these safe areas? She had a lot of questions, and the Park Ranger she emailed never got back to her.

Not that it mattered since it was the last day.

And whenever she turned around, Rafe didn’t have a shirt on. He made every guy at the last pool party she’d gone to pale in comparison. For their last night camping, the five families ate smores around a campfire. This didn’t last long because all the parents ended up going to the lake. Probably to tell stories and share old memories. They did that often.

Jason went with Nate and Oliver to another campground. Apparently, there was a party with kids their age and they had their sights set on some girls there. Rafe’s younger sisters and the Nollins twins went for a nighttime guided hike.

The one person who stayed behind was Rafe. He was in his tent reading. Charlotte told her parents she planned to do the same. Read, that was. They’d joked about how her and Rafe were two peas in a pod with their love for literature, and then they’d left.

It was only the two of them.

Alone.

Charlotte was nervous. How did you go about losing your virginity? Was she supposed to seduce him? She had no idea how to do any of that. Besides, it was Rafe. He would probably mock her if she tried to do anything sexy.

Instead, she went to her tent and grabbed a book. She tried to read, but couldn’t concentrate on a single word. It was like her virginity was screaming at her to give it up already.

This was ridiculous.

She was ready. Rafe said he would do it. Now was the time. Quietly getting out of her tent, she tiptoed to his, which was the next one over.

Unzipping his tent, she stopped once she saw him.

He was laying on top of his sleeping bag, leaning against his pillows.

Smirking.

Without a book.