This is a blissful day, I've gotta say. Thank goodness
Sherrinda did this! Check out her blog to find the links to everyone participating!
I wasn't up to the kissing scene in my WIP yet, so I had to jump ahead. I guarantee it won't stay the same and it's REALLY rough right now since I wrote it last night, but I couldn't resist!
Quick background: Josh has just shown up at Evie's house after the Homecoming Dance. He has come over to tell her that he has feelings for her, even though he's been dating her best friend.
*************************************************************************************
There he stood, the streetlight illuminating him from behind, giving him a very godlike effect. His smile was gone, replaced by a serious expression.
“Come for a ride?” he said in greeting.
Evie nodded, not knowing how else to respond.
Josh waited while she locked the door and then walked beside her down the front walk to his truck. He opened the passenger door, waited while she climbed in, then shut the door gently behind her.
As he made his way around the truck, Evie breathed in the scent of him: musky cologne she’d noticed on him before, sweat and dirt from football practice, the cranberry air freshener hanging from the rearview mirror. She’d been in the truck before, but tonight she felt much more aware of him.
A mixed CD sat half inside the CD player, and she wondered if he’d been listening to it with Maddie. Specks of glitter sparkled on the dashboard, an obvious sign her friend had been here. Without thinking, Evie brushed the tiny pieces to the floor, not wanting it to intrude on her moment.
Not that she knew what her moment would entail.
Josh slid in beside her, his jaw set. Was he angry? He hadn’t seemed upset when she saw him from her window. Nervous, maybe.
She didn’t say anything as he turned the engine over and buckled his seatbelt.
“Ready?” he asked in a low voice, glancing at her. His brow furrowed for a quick second, then softened as he flashed her his familiar smile.
Evie nodded, fastening her own seatbelt.
Josh put the truck into gear and sped off down the darkened street. Evie watched the houses flash by, a blur of dull color in the night.
“Are you okay?” Evie finally asked, breaking the silence.
Josh didn’t respond right away, his hands gripping the steering wheel so hard his knuckles were white.
He couldn’t explain things to her just yet. He still had no idea how to tell her the crazy things that had been running through his mind since he pulled up in front of Maddie’s house at six that night. How could he tell Evie that he thought he was falling in love with her?
They were only seventeen, and as much as he hated to admit it, he hadn’t exactly been honest with her since they’d become friends.
Besides, what made him think she’d have any interest in him beyond friendship anyway? She’d never acted interested in him before. Except for that time at Last Dance when he’d caught her staring at him. And the ride on the ferris wheel. And during lunch a few times.
Okay. So maybe there was a chance she could be interested in him.
He realized he’d been quiet for a long time, so he said, “I’m fine,” before she thought he was mad at her.
Evie leaned back in her seat and sucked in her breath. She had no idea where they were going, but she was kind of nervous to ask. So she just watched the world go by.
A few minutes later, Josh pulled into a park on the opposite side of the river. He drove over to Lookout Point, an area tourists went to view the whole river and the lit up village.
Evie was confused. This part of the park was closed at this time of night. Why were they here?
Josh glanced at her as he cut the engine and got out of the truck.
Evie followed him, her nerves creating a tight ball in the middle of her stomach like she’d eaten too much greasy food. She met him at the tailgate and he lowered it.
“Beer?” he asked, jumping into the bed where a blue cooler sat half hidden under a dirty brown tarp. He pushed the tarp aside and opened the lid, pulling two cans of beer from the ice. “I have a couple fruity drinks in here, in case you wanted that.”
In case she wanted that? Evie wondered if he’d planned this.
“Beer is fine,” she said, even though the thought of beer instantly brought back horrible memories of her sister’s birthday party. She reached out to take the can he held out to her.
Josh sat down on the tailgate, letting his feet dangle.
Evie rested against the truck, popping the top on her beer and trying to find the best possible way to drink it without slurping like a guy. Should she sit next to him?
Josh took a gulp of his drink and set it down beside him. He watched Evie sip hers and worried he might be scaring her with all of this mystery.
“We’re friends, right?” he blurted.
Evie jumped in surprise, then felt her stomach drop. Friends? Great. Just what every girl wanted to hear from the guy they had a massive crush on.
“Yeah, of course,” she replied. She shuffled her feet in the dirt and crossed her arms, holding her beer at her side. Friends. So it wouldn’t seem obvious if she sat next to him. She jumped on the tailgate and turned to smile at him. She hoped it seemed genuine.
Josh nodded. He stretched his arms, then slid out of his jacket. He’d grown a little warmer after she joined him up here. He looked over at her as he set the jacket behind them. Her long blonde hair fell down her back in perfect ringlets, a small glittery barrette holding half of it up. He realized she’d had it done for the dance she’d never gone to. Her fingernails were painted a soft pink with white tips.
She smelled amazing, like a field of daisies or something. He breathed in deep, closing his eyes to her scent.
How could anyone stand her up? He recalled how angry he’d been when her date showed up at the dance with a different girl on his arm. His friends laughing about stupid little Evie sitting at home waiting for him to pick her up. He’d had to fight to keep himself from punching the stupid prick right in the mouth.
Speaking of mouths…
“You look really nice tonight,” Evie said, her face flushed. From the beer or the compliment, he couldn’t tell.
“Thanks.” Josh nudged her arm. “You probably looked pretty amazing yourself.”
Evie snorted. “Right.” She lowered her eyes, fiddled with the tab on her beer can. “I suppose I deserved what I got.”
“What? Why would you say that?”
She shrugged. “I only accepted his invitation because I wanted to go. And since no one else had asked me…”
She trailed off, leaving Josh feeling guilty about never asking her himself. What was he supposed to do? Maddie had already asked him, and he knew that it would have caused problems if he’d turned her down and asked Evie instead.
Evie slid off the tailgate and carried her beer over to the railing overlooking the river. She rested her arms against it, relishing the feel of the warm breeze across her heated skin. She had almost said, ‘since you never asked me’ but couldn’t bring herself to do it.
Josh came up beside her, his mouth set in a frown. He’d rolled up his sleeves, his black rubber bracelet in its usual place on his left wrist. “Something happened tonight,” he said, his eyes focused on a few ducks swimming past. One of them quacked and disappeared under the water.
Evie raised her eyebrows. “Something like what?”
He paused, not knowing where to start. He cleared his throat.
“Josh.”
He turned to face her but was unable to meet her eyes. Instead, he watched her mouth, that perfect pout begging to be kissed. She was wearing gloss, and he wanted to know what it tasted like. Would it be fruity? Or minty?
Okay. He had to stop staring there. He raised his eyes to meet hers, startled by how bright the blue of them appeared in the near total darkness.
“It happened while I was dancing with…well.” More throat clearing. “I never should have gone with Maddie,” he clarified, raking a hand through his hair.
“Why not? You make a good couple.”
Josh opened his mouth to say something, then closed it. She thought they made a good couple? Maybe this confession was a bad idea. Maybe he should have just gone to Hannah’s party with Maddie and forced himself to forget about Evie.
But then Evie sighed, such a small, defeated sound, and she averted her gaze. She didn’t mean that. He knew she didn’t mean that.
“The thing is,” Josh continued, “while I was dancing with Maddie, the only thing I could think about was how I should have been dancing with you.”
Evie’s eyes widened and she looked back up at him. He wanted to be dancing with her. Josh wanted her. He said it. It wasn’t just her imagination!
“I just-” Josh set his can on the railing and stepped up to her. He took her can and set it beside his. Another step closer and he could feel her breath warm against his face. Her pale blue eyes were hopeful, giving him the push he needed to do this. He lowered his head and cupped her face in his hands. “I just wanted to be with you.”
His lips met hers before he closed his eyes. She tasted like strawberries, her lips soft and warm. Suddenly, everything seemed clear. This was where he was supposed to be. Not with Maddie, not at some stupid school dance. Right here, with the most perfect girl in the world.
Evie placed her hands on Josh’s back, feeling his muscles through the soft material of his dress shirt. She spread her fingers out and pulled him closer, raising up on her tiptoes to kiss him deeper. This was even better than she’d imagined. She’d never been kissed so tenderly, so thorough. Like she was the only person who existed.
Who knew? Maybe they were the only people who existed right now.
Josh smiled as he kissed her, elated that this was happening. How had he gone for so long without this? He’d known her for years, had always had that secret crush on her, the one no one knew about. He’d been missing out on this. He ran his fingers through her soft hair, opened his eyes to see her, to see how lucky he was to be in this moment.
They didn’t notice the headlights. Didn’t hear the engine rumbling behind them.
It wasn’t until they heard, “Josh?” that they realized they weren’t alone anymore. Someone else did, in fact, exist right now.
*************************************************************************************
Dum, dum, dummmm....
Geez, sorry this was so long! I couldn't figure out where to start it. I hope you enjoy it!
I'm loving everyone's kissing scenes! We should do this more often. :)
