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“Ours hasn’t,” she said warmly. “No matter what happens, ours won’t.”

“ No matter what happens?” he murmured, opening his eyes and tilting his head to look into her face. His gaze was inquiring, curious, as if he were trying to figure out if she were lying or serious.

“Yes.” She smiled and ruffled his hair. “No matter what.” She was sure of that. “Now, watch the film with me. The best part is coming up!”

Matt turned to the screen with a frown as she flicked Netflix back on. “What’s the best part?” he wanted to know.

“The first kiss, of course. That’s always the best part.”

He snorted. “Not the first time?”

“Oh, that’s usually not shown explicitly,” she said and waved her hand. “The kiss, though, always is. And this one is particularly good.”

“You know the movie?” he asked, surprised.

“Yeah. When I want to relax, I usually watch a romance I’ve already seen,” she said, happy that everything between them felt normal again.

Matt looked at her with a frown. “Aha. And why is the kiss particularly good?”

“Just watch, Matt!”

“Okay.” He watched the screen, where the protagonist and lead actress were standing across from each other in the rain.

The sun was setting behind them, disappearing into the shiny surface of a lake, while the man asked, “May I kiss you?” and she sniffed her reply, “I thought you’d never ask!

” They tilted their heads and he wrapped his arms around her…

Matt snorted loudly. “Oh, come on, Maddie!”

She flinched. “Huh?”

“You can’t be serious.” He gestured at the television. “I expected more from you.”

“What?” she asked, perplexed, and pressed pause.

“Well, sunset and rain. Isn’t that one cliché too many?”

“It’s romantic.”

“It’s cheesy. And he asks if he may kiss her?”

“It shows respect!”

“It’s evidence of a bad script! Sure, both parties should agree to a kiss and obviously, questions like Is that okay with you? should be part of the first time. But, come on, that was lame. Not particularly romantic. He should have just grabbed her and kissed her.”

She rolled her eyes. “You’re such a Neanderthal. It’s sweet that he asked her.”

“It ruins the moment! He should have communicated the question with his eyes.”

She snorted. “How do you ask with your eyes if you can kiss someone?”

“Well, with the look!”

“What kind of look, Matt?”

“This one,” he said matter-of-factly, and then he turned to her and gently cupped her face in his hands.

He cleared his throat and blinked several times as if he had to prepare his eyes for an important task…

before finally looking at her. His eyes locked with hers.

He absently stroked her cheek with his thumbs, sending goosebumps running down her neck, and automatically, Maddie asked herself if he was doing it deliberately.

Was this part of the look, or what? Then, she lost the thought because Matt’s expression changed.

It was as if small flames were dancing in his irises.

The light brown in his eyes darkened and turned to liquid chocolate.

Maddie’s breathing quickened. She had the feeling that Matt was peering directly into her soul.

Then, his gaze slowly slid downward. Over her lashes and nose to her lips, lingering there for what felt like an eternity.

Caressing her. Making her feel like he was thinking about nothing but touching her with his own lips.

That his world revolved around her mouth… and then he blinked and smiled broadly.

It was probably because he had noticed her cheeks turning pink. “Oh, that one,” she croaked and swallowed, trying to chase away the heat that was coursing through her veins, making her heart beat faster.

“Yes.” He dropped his hands and nodded meaningfully. “Now tell me, women seriously find it hot when they’re asked to be kissed?”

“It’s polite,” she said firmly, distracted by her skin tingling where he had touched her.

“It’s silly! It takes the…hotness out of the kiss.”

“Hotness is not a word!” she informed him hoarsely. “And you’re wrong.”

For a few endless seconds, Matt just stared at her blankly. Then, he grabbed her and kissed her.

His lips landed on hers, rough and gentle at the same time, so suddenly that Maddie gasped in surprise, which Matt used to deepen the kiss and…her heart stopped. Just like time did.

She tasted something tart and very Matt, before she melted under his touch.

The pulse in her neck beat violently, frantically, and the heat of the kiss spread rapidly through her body.

Matt’s stubble scratched her skin, making her shiver.

He grabbed her neck whilegently sucking her lower lip between his.

Her hands slid to his chest, since she needed to balance as his lips continued to press against hers, taking yet giving her enough space to explore for herself.

Before the kiss could really begin, though, Matt pulled away.

His hand fell abruptly from her neck as he leaned back and slid away from her. His pupils were dilated. His cheeks were flushed, as were his lips, as he murmured hoarsely, “See? Hotter than if I had asked you, right?”

She stared at him with her mouth still open. Her whole body vibrated and heat surged in waves through her abdomen.

She blinked and took a deep breath, not understanding what exactly had happened. “What…what were you doing?” were the only words her brain was capable of forming.

“I wanted to make my point,” he whispered, his gaze still on her face, sliding back and forth between her mouth and her eyes. “Spontaneous kisses are better than those asked for.”

She swallowed and dug her fingers into the sofa cushion. “Aha. Okay,” she said, her voice trembling slightly…but also sounding defiant. He had kissed her to be right ? Oh, no. He could forget that. She squared her shoulders. “Well, I’m sticking to my guns. That’s not true.”

He lifted one corner of his mouth as his gaze wandered to her lips and back again. “Really?”

“Yes. Really.” She swallowed her nervousness and lifted her chin.

Two could play that game. She could make her point as effectively as he could his.

“For example, if I did this…” Slowly, she rose to her knees and edged closer to him, bumping against his thigh, and then gently placing a hand on his neck — feeling his pulse pounding against her index finger.

“Matt?” she murmured, her gaze darting over his face.

She lingered on his lips as he stared at hers.

“May I kiss you? Just once? But like a real kiss?” She looked him straight in the eyes.

“I haven’t thought about anything else for days and I was wondering.

..if you feel the same? If so, would it be okay if I took what I wanted?

Now? Here?” She ran her thumb up his neck, sliding it over his strong jaw.

“Is it okay if I blow your mind for a few minutes?” She rose higher and slid one of her legs over his so that she was almost sitting on his lap, her thighs on either side of his, but she was still on her knees and not touching him, making her a few inches taller than him.

“May I kiss you here…” She traced his lips with her index finger and saw his eyes darken.

“And here…” She rubbed the spot just behind his ear.

“And here.” She slid to his collarbone, to the triangle of taut skin peeking out from his shirt collar.

“And lower…” She ran the palm of her hand down his chest. “Would that be okay?”

Matt stared at her and moistened his lips with his tongue. His breathing was shallower than a few moments ago. And, if Maddie were to sink down now, settle on his lap…would he be hard? Would he meet her hips?

“Okay,” he whispered hoarsely.

She paused and her stomach clenched. Okay, so…

“Point for you,” he said in the next moment.

“You’re right. Asking can be hot, too.” A second later, he grabbed her by the waist and lifted her off him, practically throwing her back onto the couch as if she were a piece of paper, not a grown woman.

“I’m going to bed, okay? Today was exhausting. Goodnight, Maddie.”

Abruptly, he stood, crossed the room, and disappeared into his bedroom.

Maddie stared after him with her lips parted, the heat of his touch still tingling throughout her body. Then, she heard the lock on his door.