Chapter 19
Soren
We are standing at the second-floor railing, overlooking the living room and our one-person audience below.
The little dictator—I mean director—made us watch the movie clip three times, then gave us five minutes to “get in the zone.”
Maya scurried out of the room, banged some things around in the kitchen, then came back, looking a little more at ease at the thought of kissing me.
I had a staring contest with Bella. She may not have known that’s what we were playing, but I could barely do anything else.
The thought of kissing Maya has my stomach in knots.
Preferably, I’d like to kiss her without the attention of a nine-year-old.
But sacrifices must be made to get what we want, and if there’s one thing I’ve wanted for the last eighteen hours, it’s this.
Or rather, the perfect excuse to kiss her… and then walk away again.
Because I can’t stay.
We both know that.
She was right earlier; our past is long gone. There’s nothing tying us together, except this inexplicable tug at my soul to be near her. I mentally severed that tug while also winning a staring contest.
I've shut down every piece of my heart that longs for more, icing myself out from feeling anything for her.
I almost allowed myself to tell her everything. Thank goodness Bella intervened when she did. If I start to confess, I don’t know where I’ll stop, and I’ll risk falling for Maya all over again.
This will be good. One kiss to clear my system and desires for her, then get back on track. If anything is inevitable here, it’s that I’ll get that painting.
“Julie, jump into the water to save R, then make his heart beat again,” Bella yells to us.
“Am I the Grinch now?” I grunt.
“You are trying to steal Christmas,” Maya says, her tone cold and hardened. Seems she iced herself out, too.
“Now break!” Bella blows a whistle.
I stifle a groan. “Are we acting or playing a game?”
“Is there a difference?” Maya asks. There’s something in her eyes, a question, but also a wall of indifference.
Another whistle from Bella, and I drop to my position on the floor. Maya struts forward, then kicks my leg with her foot.
“R? You good, bro?”
My lips twitch.
“CUUUTTT!” Bella screeches into a megaphone. Where on earth did she get that? “Your play last night was way better. Make me believe it. Make me feel it! You just fell off a building!”
“I believe she’s found her calling in life,” I mutter, relaxing into my position on the floor since I’m bound to be here for a while. If there’s a chance to torture me in some way, I have no doubt Maya will take it.
Maya twists her hair into a messy bun, ready to get down to business.
She crouches down beside me, gripping my shirt like she’s about to throttle me or kiss me.
The possibility of either has my heart kicking up speed.
“All right, new plan. Put your heart into it, let’s get this done once, and then I’ll bribe her to watch Elf. ”
“What is your obsession with that movie?”
“It’s a holiday classic.” She throws her hands and stands in exasperation. “You people are killing me.”
I chuckle. “Fine. Let’s show our little Steven Spielberg how it’s done.”
“Stop talking and start acting,” Bella shouts.
Maya retraces her steps, and we begin again, selling the scene like we are Julie and R and we’ve just jumped off a building into the pool below.
Of course I protected her with my body because I’m a gentleman like that.
But now I’m dying. But I was already dead…
I think. I don’t understand the logistics.
Bella should have allowed me to watch the entire movie.
I need time to prepare for important things.
“R?” Maya yells, looking around above me. “R!” she yells again as she finds me below her. She reaches for me, pulling up like she’s afraid to lose me. Her grasp is frantic, her eyes filled with fear. She almost has me believing it.
“R! R, please.” Maya grabs my jaw, and I blink my eyes slowly.
I slide my hands around her waist, ready for the kiss, but Maya isn’t.
“You saved me,” she whispers.
“I’ll always save you.” My heart thumps against my chest hard and fast, not steady like it should.
Her t-shirt has fallen off one shoulder, and goosebumps rise on her exposed skin. I seize the moment, dipping my head to the hollow of her neck, brushing my lips ever so softly against her soft skin. She still smells the same: sweet, but just a little spicy.
Maya’s intake of breath is only loud enough for me to hear.
I lift my head and her cheek brushes mine. I wait for that moment. Her lips, mine. I don’t want to close my eyes because I don’t want to miss it. She turns her head just enough for our eyes to lock, and I see the moment she decides.
After eight years, I finally get to kiss this woman again. I would be lying if I said I never dreamed of this moment.
Her lips meet mine with a kiss that's hot and hungry.
And like R, I come back to life after drowning—in… garlic?
I jump back, sputtering and choking.
And then Maya shoots me in the chest with a Nerf gun.
“And scene!” Maya cheers before bowing.
“What did you eat?” I wipe my palm over my mouth, my face contorting as the aftertaste settles in. It’s no better than the first.
“A clove of garlic and some onion just for kicks. I had to choke it down, but it was worth it.” There’s so much mischief in her eyes it somehow warped its way back around to enchanting. I want to kiss that rueful grin right off her… except for the garlic.
“You’re terrible,” I say.
“Look in the mirror, darling.” She pats my cheek, leaving me standing there speechless.
I’ve been robbed.
So this is what it feels like.