First Kiss Friday

Today’s first kiss comes from Hard Cider Crush by Ryley Banks

TJ and Harley lost touch for years–will working together bring them closer or push them apart?

“I —I want to try. This.” I gestured between us. “I know I haven’t been…” I said around a lump in my throat. “But… I want to try.”

“Even if I’m leaving for my job in Boston?”

I stepped closer, letting his spread legs frame my thighs. “There’s been something between us, and it hasn’t died after all these years, no matter how I fought it. We owe it to ourselves to see what happens.”

I gently cupped the back of TJ’s head, stroking my fingertips over the short hair there. His long red-blond lashes fluttered, and I tightened my grip, tilting his head back. When my lips were nearly touching his, I stopped, only closing the distance when his breath stuttered.

The kiss was electric, like everything in the world except my pounding heart was in slow motion. He moaned and licked at the seam of my mouth. I opened for him, my tongue meeting his. I sucked it, mimicking what I’d fantasized about doing to him minutes before, then pulled back when my body reminded me I had to breathe.

TJ touched his swollen lips, now completely aware of the effect he had on me. “So we’re clear,” he said then swallowed hard. “We’re gonna go forward with this, gonna spend time together, set up this deal…”

“Yeah,” I ground out. “That’s the plan.”