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“Are you scared?” I asked, leaning closer. Delaney didn’t pull away. I kept my eyes on hers, searching those deep golden-brown pools for the answers I was seeking.

“Yes.”

“Of me?”

She nodded. “But not scared enough that I don’t want to do it.”

There had never been a kiss in history this consequential or monumental. Or maybe I was being too self-centered, but it certainly felt that way in this moment.

“You can kiss me, Delaney.”

She nodded once. And then her lips were on mine again. Soft as the brush of a butterfly wing at first. So gentle, as if she was worried I’d shatter. I held back, forcing myself not to attack her the way I desperately ached to.

This was all new to her and I had to be so careful. I wanted this to be a safe place for her to explore.

Delaney took what appeared to be a bracing inhale before her eyes closed and she met my lips again.

Oh hell. It was just as electric as the last two times. Kissing Delaney obliterated any other kiss I’d had before. I couldn’t even remember them. Had I ever kissed anyone before? Not likethis.

She took her time, as if she wanted to experience every moment and evaluate it before moving on. I’d kiss her until my lips fell off.

It took monumental effort not to answer her back when she started moving her mouth against mine, but then I heard her make a little frustrated sound and she pulled back.

My eyes snapped open to find a disgruntled Delaney looking at me.

“You don’t have to kiss me if you don’t want to.”

“I want to,” I blurted out. “I absolutely want to.”

She huffed out a breath. “Then kiss me back. It’s weird when you don’t.”

Had to give the lady what she wanted.

This time when Delaney pressed her lips to mine, I immediately responded, matching her pace and pushing just a little. She answered back and we fell into a wordless conversation between the two of us, discovering our kiss together.

It was heady and beautiful and delicious and deep. I didn’t know if I’d ever kissed someone this thoroughly. Not even in college when one of my favorite hobbies had been making out.

I reached for her and pulled her so she was pressed up against me and I could relish the feel of her body. Fuck, I loved the way she felt. She was perfect to hold.

Delaney’s hands were hesitant. One started out on my face and then sunk into my hair and the other gripped my shoulder as if she was holding on for dear life, her nails digging into my skin. I hoped she left marks.

We kissed and kissed, and I learned the taste of her mouth and I could have counted her teeth and she could have done the same. Our tongues became best friends and danced together like they’d always known each other.

My lips started to grow numb before I was willing to put any kind of space between us.

Delaney’s eyes fluttered open and she had a dazed look on her face which I bet was mirrored by the one on mine.

“Wow,” I breathed.

“Yeah,” she said, licking her lips as if chasing the taste of me. Fuck.

“I know I only put kissing a girl on my list, but…” she trailed off, her face flushing even more.

“What is it, baby?” I asked. There it was again. That word I couldn’t hold back around her.

I stroked some of her hair back from her face.

“I, um…”