Meg pulls back, her eyes dazed and hungry. “I’ve never…” She swallows. “I want to be good at this. Will you help me?”

My brows rise. “Absolutely. But believe me when I say you are very, very good at this already.”

She tugs my face to hers, and this time, my hands find her waist. She presses her full lips against mine, each time softer than the last until finally her tongue reaches out.

She tastes delicious.

At first, I hold back, letting her lead. Letting her tongue dance with mine and take me where she’s comfortable going. That lasts a hot minute before my hands circle her back and fist at her shirt, tugging her closer. My mouth caresses hers until I can’t tell where she stops and I begin.

For once, I forget to be careful, and it’s the most fantastic moment of my life.

When we finally pull apart, she beams at me, flushed and dazzling. I am pretty sure my heart stops.

“I could kiss you forever,” she says.

“Except I’m supposed to have a meeting.”

Her eyes widen comically. “Oh my gosh. You look thoroughly mussed.”

“Mussed?” I ask, smirking.

“Thoroughly. If you go, they’ll all know we were frenching.” I move to swipe at my lips and she grabs my hand, stopping me with a smile. “I think…” She shakes her head and takes a deep breath. “Let them. I’m not ashamed.”

“Even Emily?”

She shrugs, playing at casual, but I know better. “Especially Emily.” She cringes. “Oh, wow. That sounded petty.”

I laugh. “It sounded normal, and it’s more than she deserves for her snark. I’ll call you later.”

Meg blows me a kiss and slinks out the back door, but I’m still leaning against the counter five minutes later when Duke comes to fetch me, a knowing expression painted across his face. He grunts, rolling his eyes.

“Come on.”

13

Meg

I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I’ve literally never had addictive tendencies in my life. Give me one Lay’s potato chip, and I’ll give you half back. Like, I can always, always eat just one.

But one taste of Micah and I’m losing my dang mind. I’m Angelica Schuyler the first time she matches wits with Alexander Hamilton … I’ll never be satisfied.

Even the whole Emily thing has me all tossed up inside. Not because she upset me. Not anymore, anyway—but because I have this very weird compulsion to brand Micah as mine in front of her. Like, the park bench kissing was totally accidental, and I will definitely not be acting on this new impulse to publicly claim him because, for real, that’s stupid—

But I get it now. I get wanting to, and that’s a whole thing I never anticipated.

Feelings make everything complicated.