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But there was one way to find out for sure.

If she were brave enough to try it.

She inhaled a deep breath, then set her book down on the coffee table. It’s not like she could focus on it anyway. Not with Dodge sitting within inches of her and the possibility of her arm or her leg brushing his whenever either one of them moved.

She turned her body to face his. “Hey, can I ask you something?”

He set his book down. “Sure. Shoot.”

She looked down at her lap. “It’s a little embarrassing.”

“I think we’re past embarrassing,” he said with a small chuckle.

“I told you that most of yesterday was a little hazy for me, but I feel like I might have done something that was a little out of character for me.”

His gaze cut away from hers. “What kind of something?”

“Something like…”Oh geez. Just say it.“Dodge, did I kiss you last night?”

“Well…um…yeah, I guess.”

“You guess? Was it that terrible that you can’t even remember?”

“No. It wasn’t terrible at all. It was great. I just feel bad because I’m not sure you were totally coherent when you did it. And I didn’t want it to seem like I took advantage of the situation.”

It was great?

He’d said it wasgreat. It might have been buried in the middle of his sentence, but she’d heard him. “How couldyouhave taken advantage ifI’mthe one who kissed you?”

He shrugged, clearly uncomfortable with this topic.

But she’d waded in so far—and hehadsaid the kiss was great—so might as well dive off the deep end. “There is something about it that seems a little unfair though.”

“What do you mean?”

She took a deep breath, pulling at all her courage. He’d spent the night at her house, he’d taken care of her, and don’t forget…he’d saidthe kiss was great. She’d been in the friend zone with him for over a decade. If she ever had a chance to make it out, this felt like it.

“Well, I don’t think it’s a real big secret that I’ve had a crush on you for years, so I’ve basically been waiting for you to kiss me since I was sixteen years old. And then when we do finally kiss, I can barely remember it because I was doped up on pain meds.”

His eyes widened, and his mouth opened as if to say something but then he shut it again, so she just barreled on.

“So, I think the only way to remedy the situation is for you to kiss me again.”

Chapter Eleven

Maisie held her breath, waiting for Dodge’s reaction.

He studied her face for a moment, and she couldn’t read his expression. Then she caught the tiniest of movements, like the smallest tug of a grin at the corner of his lips. And Lord have mercy, the man did have amazing lips.

Her heart pounded against her chest like it was trying to get out then it went into warp speed as Dodge gave a slow nod.

“Okay,” he whispered.

Okay?

Oh crud. What had she done?

He lifted his hand to cup the back of her neck then leaned in as he pulled her to him. Tilting his head, his lips grazed hers, just the softest touch, but enough to make her draw in her breath and for the butterflies in her stomach to take off in whirlwind swirls.