“My life has been focused on my disease and dialysis the last three years, it’s weird to not have my life revolve around that now. I feel … off balance. Don’t get me wrong, I’m incredibly thankful for this transplant, more than you can ever understand, but it’s an adjustment.”
“I can’t imagine what you’ve
been through.”
“I can’t imagine what you’re going through.”
He shakes his head. “It might be different, but I think you have a better grasp on my situation than I do yours.”
I look at him, my hair blowing in the breeze. He stares back at me, his gaze intense. The sadness still lingers in his eyes, but he seems more peaceful now than when he first showed up.
The urge to lean over and kiss him is so strong my heart speeds up in my chest.
I’ve never kissed a guy before.
Literally, never.
I haven’t had the desire to. This is a new feeling, a strange one, but a good one too.
I swallow thickly, scared but slightly exhilarated.
Maybe it’s the cover of the night sky, or maybe it’s the symphony of the ocean, or maybe it’s just him, but somehow, I find the courage to lean a little closer.
His eyes flick down to my lips and his tongue flicks out the tiniest bit, like he knows what I’m thinking and anticipates it.
Be brave.
Those two words send me over the edge, hurtling my body into uncharted territory.
I close the distance and press my lips to his.
It feels weird at first, and I wonder why people like kissing so much, but then his mouth moves beneath mine and my whole body goes oh.
Now I get what the fuss is about.
He cups my face in one large hand, angling his lips over mine. The kiss is soft, sweet, but I feel it all the way down to my toes.
My heart shivers. I didn’t know it could do that, but it does.
He nibbles my bottom lip and I let out a soft sigh.
If I’d ever thought to imagine my first kiss, nothing could’ve ever compared to the reality.
Jasper pulls away, his hand still on my cheek with his fingers slightly grasping my hair, and presses his forehead to mine.
“I knew the moment I saw you you’d wreck me, but I honestly thought I’d never see you again.”
“Huh?” I whisper through my kiss-induced haze.
“I kind of lied to you. I remembered you from the coffee shop. I didn’t want to seem like a weirdo for remembering you, but I did. You’re kind of unforgettable.”
I’d never had anyone say anything like that to me before, and my heart leaps, grabbing onto his words so it can cradle it within its depths for all eternity.
“Do you …” I start and clear my throat, my cheeks heating with embarrassment. “Do you think there are people in this world you’re already connected to before you even know them?”
He stares at me significantly. “I do now.”
I stir my bowl of yogurt and granola, staring into its depths like it holds the answer to every question in the world.