A laugh bursts out of me, louder than expected. “Sure, I came to have fun, but I certainly hope you didn’t come for the same reason.”
“Why not?” His question is sincere, and I know that I probably shouldn’t tell something so personal to a complete stranger, but
my filter is breaking down. And frankly, it feels good to be able to say it out loud. To say that it happened without being consumed by grief and rage. “Well,” I say, “if you came for the same reason as me, then your girlfriend of two years and finance of six months would have run off with your younger sibling. So I hope that didn’t happen to you too.” I take another swig of my drink, and Will catches my hand.
“He left you for your sister?”
Naomi’s voice comes from behind me. “Sure did, the asshole.”
I’m close enough to see his jaw tighten, and there’s an anger that appears in his eyes. “I’m sorry that happened to you. He didn’t deserve you.”
Taking another drink, I look away. “Thanks.”
“I saw you the moment you walked in and I haven’t been able to look away,” he says so softly to me so that only I can hear. “I’ve never met this man, but he was a fool to let you go.” His hand tightens on my hip, and my body thrills to his touch.
“We just met,” I say. “How can you say that?”
“Have you ever met someone and known immediately that they would be in your life? That they would affect you?”
I can’t look away from his eyes and I’m mesmerized by both him and his words. I nod.
“There you go. We’ve just met, but I know that you could never deserve anything like that.”
Heat is flowing through my body, and I’m suddenly acutely aware of all the places that we’re touching. The question bubbles up on my lips, and I’m pressing myself closer to him. “What do I deserve?”
Will’s eyes flick down to my lips and back up to my eyes. The tug in my gut tells me that he’s going to kiss me, and the butterflies tell me that I want him to. “Something more,” he says, and then his lips come down on mine. Somewhere I can hear the cheering of my friends, but I’m lost, drowning in sensation. Will’s lips are soft and firm, pressing against mine and coaxing them open. His hand slides up my back to cup my neck, and he pulls me closer. I can’t ever remember being kissed like this before. It’s opened up a wildfire inside me, and I want more. More.
We break apart, both gasping for breath. “Maybe we could go somewhere more private?”
Naomi hears and I feel her hands on my back, pressing me, telling me to go. My mind is still swimming with the kiss, and I can’t look away from him. “Yes.”