First Kiss Friday – Buried Truth by Brenda Maxfield

Today’s First Kiss Friday featured guest is Brenda Maxfield, author of Young Adult novel Buried Truth.  Welcome Brenda!  Here’s the first kiss between Mags and Andrew.

First Kiss from Buried Truth by Brenda Maxfield

Ocean Mist Book One (YA)

“Mags?”

I swirled around to face Andrew.

“You’re crying. What’s wrong?” he asked.

“I’m not crying.” I swiped again at the tears. “What are you doing down here?”

“It’s the beach, not your private property.” He laughed, trying to make it a joke.

I stared at him.

“All right,” he said. “I was hoping you’d be down here. I know you take walks all the time.”

“Were you hiding? I didn’t see you on my way down.”

He turned and pointed to a mass of driftwood. “Perched over there.”

“Perched? Waiting for me?”

He shrugged.

“Are you stalking me?”

His faced scrunched into a scowl. “Really? Is that what you think of me? That I’m a stalker?”

I raised my eyebrows.

He ran his hand over the stubble on his chin. “No, I’m not stalking you. But I did want to talk with you.”

His eyes probed mine, but for some reason it didn’t feel like an intrusion. Instead, it felt warm, welcoming. A shiver tingled through my stomach and down my legs. Andrew’s offered me his crooked smile. No one should look so appealing right after getting up.

He took a step closer, and the tingling increased. I knew I should run, but I was transfixed.

“Mags, I’m not with Hilly.” He spoke quietly, but his words rang loud. I took a step back.

“What?”

“I’m not with Hilly. That’s why you wouldn’t talk to me, right?”

“Did you break up with her?”

“We never were together. You know …together.”

He gave me a meaningful look.

“I know what you mean by together.” My voice snapped. I rubbed my head as if my neck hurt. “I know you’ve been together with a hundred other girls.”

He flinched, and his expression was pained confusion. He lowered his gaze and watched his foot trace circles in the sand.

“Andrew, what do you want?” I bit my lower lip and a feeling of shame tightened my chest. Why was I being cruel when all I really wanted was for him to pull me into his arms?

He raised his eyes to mine. “Why were you crying, Mags?”

“I wasn’t crying,” I said, and the unexpected tenderness in his tone made my eyes tear-up all over again. I inhaled deeply. “Maybe a little.”

And then he did reach out for me. I let him pull me into the coolness of his jacket. I circled his waist with my arms and held on.

A gull screamed in the distance. The air was wet, and I felt the dampness on Andrew’s coat as his grip on me tightened. We stood together for a long moment and then he backed away and my hold on him loosened. He bent close to my face, searching my eyes.

“Mags?”

I knew he was asking permission, and I gave a small nod. His breath caressed my face and his lips touched mine in a gentle kiss. A surge of emotion raced through me leaving me breathless. I pressed my body against his. And then his lips were hard and searching. I raised myself to meet his kiss.

His touch left me weak, and I was shocked and embarrassed at my eager response. He drew back, and his eyes were moist. I thought he was going to say something, but he didn’t. He looked at me as if searching for something. The hunger in his eyes made my stomach flounder.

I stepped back only a few inches, but the space became wide and solid. Reality settled over me.

“Bri is my best friend.”

He tilted his head. “I know. You two were always together.”

“Hilly is her friend now.”

“I know.”

“She’ll see this as a betrayal to her and Hilly. She’ll hate me if I’m with you.”

The shadows I’d seen so often returned to his eyes. He shoved his hands in his pockets. “So don’t be with me.”

I frowned. “But I thought you …well, I thought …” My voice faded into nothing.

Andrew gripped my arm. “It’s simple. Don’t be with me, and then there’s no problem.”

My mouth opened, but nothing came out.