He continues to smile at me while Jax chuckles. I feel like I’m missing out on some sort of joke.

“It’s cute that you think that’s an issue,” Hunter explains with a grin on his face. “Remember who you’re with, princess.”

I roll my eyes at his princess remark. “So, you can find her number?”

“Yep. Just give me a second. I left my phone downstairs.” With that, Hunter turns and walks out of the room, leaving me alone with Jax. It’s the first time I have been alone with him since he saved me, and I feel like I should … I don’t know, thank him again or something.

I turn to him. He still has a hold of my hand, his palm warm against mine. He’s also looking at me when I meet his gaze. His intense gaze.

“Hey,” I say nervously. “I feel like I need to say thank you again for saving me. I’m sure it had to suck big time jumping into that freezing cold water to save my ass.”

He immediately shakes his head, his gaze intense. “You don’t need to thank me at all, Ravenlee. I …” He swallows hard. “I’d do it again in a heartbeat.” He shakes his head again, wisps of hair falling into his eyes. “No, I take that back.” My heart starts to churn at his words when he reaches toward me and places his hand against his cheek. “I wouldn’t do it again because you’re never going to have to go through something like that ever again. I promise I won’t let that happen.” He wets his lips with his tongue, his eyes straying to my lips.

Wait … Is he going to kiss me?

No, there’s no way. I’m sure I’m reading the situation wrong. It’s not like I’m an expert on kissing.

“You can’t promise me that. And it’s not your responsibility to promise it,” I say in a shaky whisper, partly shook up by his words and partly nervous about the way he’s looking at me. Or, well, my mouth, anyway.

“Yes, it is,” he whispers back, still transfixed with my mouth.

I’m about to ask him why he thinks that when he leans in.

Holy shit, I think he’s going to kiss me, is the first thing to cross my mind. It’s the only thing that crosses my mind, because a slamming heartbeat of a second later, his lips brush mine. My hand instantly travels to his bicep, and I clutch on to him, feeling all sorts of trembling inside.

Jax pauses, pulling back slightly to look me in the eyes. “Was that okay? I don’t …” Worry fills his eyes. “It’s okay if you don’t want to. I don’t want to pressure you into doing something you don’t want to do.”

“You’re not,” I assure him. “I just … I don’t know what I’m doing.”

Face palm.

As soon as the words leave my lips, I want to retract them.

Did I seriously just tell him I’ve never kissed a guy before?