Page 26 of One More Chance

Harper

Jensen is staringat me and my heart is pounding so hard, I’m pretty sure he can hear it in this tiny tent. His eyes float from my mine down to my mouth and then stop there, watching me chew on my bottom lip.

“Close your eyes,” he says.

Oh god, oh god, oh god.Despite the panic in my throat, I do as he instructs, gently pressing my eyelids shut. I can feel him shift closer, his hot breath on my skin. He sweeps his thumbs across my lips and it’s electric. Warmth runs over me. And I mean it runs...everywhere. He might be doing it simply to get me to stop chewing my lip, but the way the rough pad of his thumb feels across my soft lips is intoxicating.

His hand moves across my jaw, resting at the base and tangling into my hair as he cups my face. Oh god, oh god, oh god.This is it. I part my lips a fraction, unsure what sort of kiss to prepare for. His breath feels closer now, and if I had to guess, his lips aren’t far from mine. I curl my toes, attempting to suppress all my nervous energy.

“Open your eyes,” he whispers.

When I do, Jensen’s face is only an inch from mine. I swallow, unable to move or breathe or think.

“I’m going to kiss you now, Harper.” And then he does. He pulls me closer, snaking his hand further into my hair. His lips press against mine, softly at first and then harder.

To my surprise, I don’t hesitate to kiss him back. I lean in, pressing back against him. I part my lips and his tongue is in my mouth, lapping against mine. Everything is so fuzzy. I reach for him, pulling at the collar of his shirt.

His other arm comes around my back, pulling me flush against his body. And what a hard, delicious body it is. I press my hands against his chest and stomach, feeling the definition of his muscles through the thin fabric. My fingers make my way up over his shoulder and into his hair.

He leans his body into me until he’s practically lying over me, his elbows resting on either side of me, supporting most of his weight as I try to pull him down closer to me. His knee presses against the outside of my sleeping bag and forces my thighs open. My lungs fill with air so rapidly, I feel like I might pass out. Jensen’s tongue moves inside my mouth with such hunger, so fervent. I bite his bottom lip, sucking it into my mouth. He inhales sharply and pulls away.

“What?” I manage, breathless.

“Nothing, nothing, I just didn’t expect that,” he says.

“Is it bad?”

“God no,” he says, clearing his throat. As if finally realizing he’s halfway on top of me, he smooths his hair back and pulls away. But, but…nooooooo.

“You stopped.”

“Uh, yeah. Probably don’t want to get too carried away, you know?” He settles back into his sleeping bag space.

But, but…kissing. “Right,” I whisper. “Yes.” My fingers run over my swollen mouth. Between the intensity of the kiss, his teeth, and the scruff of his face, my lips feel wounded. Not that I’m complaining. It’s the best kind of ache.

Charles never kissed like that. Ever. Not even in the beginning. I don’t ever remember that kind of heat between us.

I chance a look at Jensen from the corner of my eye and he’s now the one chewing on his bottom lip. Give it to me; I’ll chew it. Okay, no. Shut up.

“Not that I have a lot to compare that to, but you’re a good kisser,” I admit.

“Thanks,” he says. “And, while I won’t give you an exact number, I do happen to have some comparisons. And you’re a good kisser, too. So, you shouldn’t be worried.”

“I am?”

“Definitely,” he confirms.

I look up at the tent, a little relieved to know this might not be something I need to worry about. But less relieved about how I can’t stop thinking I wouldn’t mind making out with Jensen some more. I know people have friends with benefits, but can that benefit just be kissing? Make out buddies? Is that a thing? Maybe I’ll Google it tomorrow. And if he’s that good at kissing, how good is he at other stuff? What else can he do with his mouth? Oh my god. I didn’t just think that.

I press my eyes shut, attempting to push those kinds of thoughts of Jensen way, way down. In truth, he’s been very nice to me. A good friend. Albeit, this is a very unconventional friendship. But I don’t want to mess it up. I’ll just have to settle for this one perfect kiss on this one perfect date I’ve always wanted. This is turning into some sort of sappy twilight zone. I swear to god.

“Hey, Harper,” Jensen whispers, cutting into my thoughts.

“Yeah?”

“Remember how I said I hate sleeping alone when we first started playing the game?” he asks.

“I remember.”