Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 101662 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 508(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101662 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 508(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
“See? There’s nothing wrong with a mediocre life. I think they are more fun. Corny Easter egg hunts. White elephant games on Christmas Eve. Fourth of July barbecues. I think sometimes people think the bigger the event, the better it is, but I don’t know. Sparklers on Fourth of July and lighting small fireworks in your driveway is more fun than cramming into an overpacked park to watch a display where kids are crying and people are drunk and ridiculous.”
The more he expressed the idea of a mediocre life, the more it didn’t seem like a bad thing. Maybe being a background character wasn’t an awful thing after all. But then again, Gabriel made anything sound better. I could listen to him talk about his mediocre dreams for the rest of my life and never get bored.
“I guess it’s not that bad,” I agreed. “But before I can get me a husband and a basic life, I should at least get my first kiss before I’m fifty.”
“It’s not a big deal that you haven’t been kissed yet.”
“Said the boy who has been kissed many times.”
“Yeah, but not by anyone that meant a lot to me. Meaningless kisses. Your first kiss is important. It should be from someone who cares a lot about you.”
“Good luck to me finding that, when guys don’t even notice me unless they are super drunk at parties.”
“I notice you,” he murmured. “I notice you all the time. So, I’ll kiss you,” he said as he sat up.
Butterflies began to swirl in my stomach as I bent my arms and sat up slightly on my elbows. “What?”
“I’ll kiss you,” he repeated. “Then you can get your first kiss out of the way. Besides, I figure I owe you for throwing you off a cliff.”
I bit my bottom lip and narrowed my eyes at him. “I can’t kiss you, Gabriel.”
“Why not?”
“Because you’re my best friend.”
“Even more reason to kiss me. Like I said, it should be from someone who cares about you. I care about you, Kierra. I think I care about you more than I care about anything.”
Why did that create more butterflies in my stomach? “Oh, well…okay?” I said, but it came out as a question. I felt flustered and shy, which was new when it came to being around Gabriel. I sat up more. “What do I do? Should I chew gum first? Should I get ChapStick or lip gloss? Should I—”
Before I could reply, Gabriel cupped my face in his hands and pulled me closer to him. His lips brushed against mine and he kissed me slowly, tilting my head up toward him. His lips were soft, and he didn’t press them too much to mine. I kissed him back, my hands falling against his bare chest. My eyes closed as I fell into the kiss, allowing my thoughts to stop spiraling in that moment. Gabriel Sinclair. My very best friend. My very first kiss.
He kissed me deeper, his tongue slightly parting my lips. My heart pounded against my chest. I didn’t know what to do next or how to act, but luckily Gabriel took the lead in every way possible. His kisses felt like a promise. A promise that he wouldn’t hurt me. A promise that he’d always be there for me. A promise that he cared.
Even though he wanted a mediocre life, his kisses were nothing like that. His kisses were…passionate. And real. I’d thought about first kisses a lot, but I never knew they could feel like that. I never knew kisses could travel and send tingling sensations throughout your whole body. I never knew kisses could make life seem less scary and love seem more real.
If I could only have one kiss ever, I’d want it to be this one.
With him.
With us.
When he pulled back gently, it felt as if time had slowed down. My eyes fluttered open, and I found his brown eyes locked in on me. His lazy smile fell against those lips. Those lips that for a moment had felt like mine and mine alone.
Gabriel brushed his thumb against his bottom lip. “Cross that off your bucket list.”
Trust me, Gabriel. I will.
“And I’ll cross it off my list, too,” he said.
I laughed, trying to shake off the nerves I still had shooting through my system. “You’ve kissed people before. That was already crossed off your list. Multiple times.”
“That’s not what was on my bucket list,” he said, pushing himself up to a standing position. He held a hand out toward me. I took it. He pulled me up.
“Then what do you mean you’re going to cross it off?”
“My list only had three words on them.”
“And what were the words?”
“Kiss Kierra someday.”
I emitted a soft, reserved laugh. “Why would that be on your list?”
His eyes softened, reflecting a depth of emotion that I’d never seen from him before. He slowly shook his head. “Come on, Kierra,” he replied, his voice gentle yet firm. “Why wouldn’t that be on my list?” His words hung in the air, a poignant reminder of the unspoken bond between the two of us.