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She frowned a little at my words. “But the kiss was just part of the play.”

I immediately shook my head. “I’ve acted out enough kisses before to know that there was nothing pretend about that kiss.”

She was silent for several seconds, and I had no idea what she was thinking. Countless emotions seemed to flicker behind her eyes, like they were battling to rise to the surface. She started to smile. It was small and slightly nervous, but seeing happiness on her face made my heart leap.

“It wasn’t pretend for me either,” she admitted.

Those simple words made my chest swell with joy, and a wide grin stretched across my face as looked at the beautiful girl before me. Tiny droplets of rain sparkled against her hair and her wide green eyes were filled with hope as she looked back at me. I couldn’t believe that she’d felt something in our kiss too, but I was too happy to question if this was real.

She hesitantly placed her hands against my chest, and I wondered if she could feel how my heart was racing. Ever so slowly, she lifted herself up on her toes and, when her lips were just a breath away, I closed the distance between us. The kiss was sweet but fiery, just like Teagan, and from the moment we connected, I knew I never wanted it to end. My whole body tingled with warmth, and I felt a strange sense of buoyancy, like the kiss had stolen the gravity grounding my feet and I was floating several inches from the ground. .

Teagan started giggling when I lifted her up and swung her around.

“Liam, what are you doing?” she gasped, breaking the kiss as she laughed.

“I’m celebrating,” I said, as I swirled her around the empty parking lot. She was grinning widely as I placed her back on the ground, and I couldn’t stop myself from pressing another quick kiss to her lips.

Her face was bright with happiness as I pulled back, but some of the light in her eyes soon started to dim, and she suddenly looked thoughtful. “But you can’t possibly like me. You’reLiam Black.”

“Of course, I like you, Teagan. If anything, it’s the other way around. You couldn’t possibly like mebecauseI’m Liam Black.”

She started to smile a little once more. “Hmm, that’s true,” she agreed. “I’m not sure if I could possibly be associated with the bad boy of Hollywood.”

I knew she was only joking, but I didn’t want even one small part of her to believe that I was anything like the guy the tabloids portrayed.

“You know that’s all an act,” I said. “Besides, I’m pretty sure I’m about to be the reformed bad boy of Hollywood.”

“But maybe I won’t like the reformed bad boy.”

I rolled my eyes, making her laugh. At the same time, she pushed down a shudder, and I realized how cold she was standing outside the car. “We can talk about how you’ve turned me into a new man on the drive home,” I said, opening the door for her and ushering her inside.

I had to subtly pinch myself several times as I drove Teagan home. What had just happened between us felt like a dream. So much of my life was fake, and now that I had finally experienced something so real, it seemed far too good to be true. Teagan wasn’t like any girl I’d ever met before, and I didn’t feel like I deserved someone so special. It was a miracle she wanted anything to do with me, and I was already dreading being parted from her when the end of the semester came. I was going to have to make our short time together count and hope that the future would figure itself out.

It was growing dark by the time I pulled up in front of Teagan’s house, and I was surprised there were no lights on inside her home. Perhaps her mom wasn’t there though. We’d talked so easily during the drive, but the journey was over faster than I would have liked. I wasn’t ready to let her go yet. Not when it felt like I’d just found her. Teagan seemed hesitant to leave me too as she didn’t jump out of the car as soon as I pulled to a stop.

“So, there’s something I’ve been thinking about,” Teagan said.

“Was it this?” I asked, as I leaned over the console toward her. I brushed my lips against hers, and for a brief moment, we were both lost in another kiss.

Teagan pulled back far too quickly though and started laughing. “No, it wasn’t that.”

“Well, it should have been.”

She smiled and shook her head. Her expression seemed to sober though as she considered me. “I think I might really like you, Liam,” she said. “But I know you’re leaving town soon.”

I nodded, feeling my own heady happiness dissipate at her words. I didn’t want to think about reality now, not when this was so fresh and exciting.

“I think we should keep this between the two of us for now,” she continued. “Opening night for the play is coming up, and I don’t want any distractions. If we tell people it might complicate things.”

I frowned as I considered her request. I wanted to date Teagan openly and would have shouted about our relationships from the rooftops if I could. I knew that being with me would be a lot to take on though, and the attention might be overwhelming in the lead-up to the play. I understood where she was coming from even if I wished things were different. “If that’s what you want.”

“It is.” She nodded.

I blew out a long breath and nodded. “So, we’ll keep it quiet.”

She gave me a relieved smile before glancing out the window toward her house. A flicker of sadness passed her eyes, and I got the sense she didn’t want to leave, but a moment later, she opened her car door.

“So, I’ll see you at school tomorrow?”