Make a Move

Her eyes drop to your lips one more time.

“Well?” Kelly asks softly.

You make the move.

Before Kelly can hide behind another smart-ass comment, you slide an arm around her waist, pull her into you, and kiss her.

For half a second, you wonder if you completely misread this.

Then Kelly kisses you back.

Hard.

Her arms immediately slide around your shoulders, and whatever uncertainty existed between you disappears in an instant. She pulls herself against you, returning the kiss with enough enthusiasm that you’re almost surprised by how quickly the teasing gives way to something real.

Apparently, she wasn’t bluffing.

You tighten your arm around her waist as the kiss continues. Her body stays pressed against yours, and one of her hands slides behind your neck, keeping you close as her lips move against yours.

When you finally break apart, neither of you goes far.

Kelly looks up at you from barely an inch away. The smug expression you’ve been dealing with all afternoon is gone, replaced by surprise and a smile she can’t quite suppress.

“You actually did it,” Kelly says.

“You got in my face, pressed yourself against me, stared at my mouth, and said ‘well?’” you reply.

Kelly bites back a grin.

“That isn’t technically telling you to kiss me,” Kelly says.

“Did you want me to?” you ask.

Her eyes flick down toward your mouth again.

“You’re getting brave now,” Kelly says.

“You kissed me back,” you reply.

“I did,” Kelly says.

“Pretty enthusiastically too,” you add.

“Don’t push your luck,” Kelly replies.

“You’re still holding onto me,” you say.

Kelly glances at her arms around your shoulders.

Then she deliberately tightens them.

“So I am,” Kelly says.

Before you can respond, she pulls you down and kisses you again.

This time there isn’t even a second of hesitation.

You meet her immediately. Your hands settle around her waist while hers stay around your neck, and the second kiss lasts longer than the first. She catches your lower lip between hers for a moment before kissing you again, and you feel her smile when you respond without hesitation.

The two of you separate just enough to breathe.

Then you’re kissing again.

Whatever line existed ten minutes ago is gone now. Every time the kiss breaks, one of you closes the distance again. Her fingers move through the hair at the back of your head. Your hands tighten around her waist. She keeps herself pressed firmly against you, and neither of you makes any effort to create space.

Somewhere in the middle of the next kiss, you get a little braver. Your hands have been resting safely around Kelly’s waist since this started, but now your palms slowly begin to drift lower, following the curve of her hips.

Kelly notices.

You know she notices because her lips pause against yours for barely a second.

You stop immediately, your hands resting at her hips instead of going any farther.

She pulls back just enough to look at you.

“Getting brave again?” Kelly asks.

“Maybe,” you reply.

Her eyes flick down toward your hands and then return to your face.

“You stopped,” Kelly says.

“Wasn’t going farther unless you wanted me to,” you reply.

That earns you a completely different smile.

“Good answer,” Kelly says.

You wait.

Kelly seems to enjoy making you do exactly that. Her arms remain around your neck while she studies you for another second. Then she shifts closer until her body is snug against yours again.

“You can touch me,” Kelly says.

The permission is all you need.

Your hands slide from her hips to the back of her shorts, settling over her curves as you pull her closer. Kelly lets out a quiet laugh against your mouth when she feels your confidence return, then kisses you again before you can say anything.

You give her a playful squeeze through the denim, and her arms tighten around your neck instead of pushing you away. She stays close, clearly comfortable with your hands there as the kiss continues.

When you separate again, Kelly catches the look on your face immediately.

“Happy now?” Kelly asks.

“Very,” you reply.

“I can tell,” Kelly says.

You leave your hands around her hips and pull her back toward you.

“You told me I could,” you say.

“I know what I told you,” Kelly replies.

“Just making sure,” you say.

“Keep kissing me, John,” Kelly says.

You do.

Eventually, Kelly pulls back.

Her face is flushed now.

So is yours.

You look at each other for a second.

“Okay,” Kelly says.

“Okay?” you ask.

“That was…” Kelly begins.

She stops.

“That was what?” you ask.

“Shut up,” Kelly says.

You laugh.

“No, finish the sentence,” you reply.

“I changed my mind,” Kelly says.

“Too late,” you reply.

Kelly rolls her eyes.

“You’re already annoying after making out with me for thirty seconds,” Kelly says.

“Making out?” you ask. “So that’s what we’re calling it?”

Her eyes narrow.

“Do you want me to stop?” Kelly asks.

“No,” you reply immediately.

Her expression changes.

The teasing doesn’t disappear, but something warmer settles underneath it.

“Good,” Kelly says.

She kisses you again.

You expected another quick kiss.

Instead, Kelly takes control of it. She pulls you closer by the back of your neck, tilting her head as the kiss lingers. Your lips part naturally against hers, and the contact deepens for a moment before you both pull back for air.

Your forehead rests against hers.

“That escalated pretty fucking fast,” you say.

“You’re the one who kissed me,” Kelly replies.

“You’re the one who wouldn’t stop teasing me,” you say.

“I wasn’t forcing you to stare at my boobs,” Kelly replies.

“You were literally squeezing them together so I’d look,” you say.

“I don’t remember that,” Kelly replies.

“Convenient,” you say.

“Very,” Kelly replies.

You smile.

So does she.

Then your eyes drop again.

This time there is no attempt to hide it.

Kelly notices immediately.

“Seriously?” Kelly asks.

“What?” you reply.

“We finally kiss and you’re still staring at my chest,” Kelly says.

“You say that like kissing you was supposed to make you less attractive,” you reply.

That catches her off guard.

Her eyebrows rise slightly.

“Well,” Kelly says.

“What?” you ask.

“That was smooth,” Kelly admits.

“I have my moments,” you reply.

“Apparently,” Kelly says.

Her gaze stays on you for another second before she glances down at herself.

Then back at you.

“Go ahead,” Kelly says.

“What?” you ask.

“Look,” Kelly replies.

You laugh.

“You’ve spent the entire afternoon catching me doing that,” you say.

“I know,” Kelly replies.

“And now you’re giving me permission?” you ask.

Kelly smiles.

“Maybe I like you looking,” Kelly says.

Your eyes drop.

This time you let them linger.

When you look back up, she’s watching you with obvious satisfaction.

“Happy?” you ask.

“A little,” Kelly replies.

“You really have been doing this on purpose,” you say.

“Most of it,” Kelly admits.

“Most?” you ask.

She shrugs.

“The fridge thing got a little out of hand,” Kelly says.

“You pressed your boobs into me,” you reply.

“Did I?” Kelly asks.

“You know you did,” you say.

Kelly smiles.

“Maybe I wanted to see what you’d do,” Kelly replies.

“And?” you ask.

Her eyes fall to your mouth.

“I found out,” Kelly says.

She kisses you again.

You immediately pull her closer. The kiss has none of the uncertainty of the first one now, and she responds just as quickly, one hand returning to the back of your neck as she stays snug against you.

Your hands settle back over her hips, and this time there’s none of the earlier hesitation. She already told you exactly where you stand. As the kiss continues, one hand slips lower again and you give her a firmer, playful squeeze through the denim.

Kelly reacts immediately. A soft sigh escapes her into the kiss, briefly interrupting the movement of her lips before she kisses you back with renewed enthusiasm. Her fingers tighten at the back of your neck, keeping you close.

You smile against her mouth.

She feels it.

“Don’t,” Kelly murmurs against your lips.

“Don’t what?” you ask.

“Get smug because you got a reaction,” Kelly replies.

“Wasn’t going to say anything,” you say.

“Liar,” Kelly says.

Then she kisses you again before you can prove her right.

When you separate, you’re both breathing harder.

You look at her.

She looks at you.

There isn’t much joking in either expression anymore.

“You wanted that,” you say.

It isn’t really a question.

Kelly pauses.

Then she smiles.

“You sound very proud of yourself,” Kelly says.

“You’ve spent all afternoon trying to get me to make a move,” you reply.

“Maybe,” Kelly says.

“There is no ‘maybe’ anymore,” you reply.

Kelly laughs softly.

“Fine,” Kelly says.

“Fine what?” you ask.

“I wanted you to kiss me,” Kelly admits.

You smile.

“There it is,” you say.

“Don’t get used to winning,” Kelly replies.

“Too late,” you say.

Her hand slides behind your neck again.

“You know,” Kelly says, “you’re talking an awful lot for someone who finally made his move.”

You look at her lips.

“Then shut me up,” you reply.

Kelly grins.

“Gladly,” Kelly says.

She pulls you into another kiss.

This one lasts.

Her arms settle around your shoulders as she keeps you close, and you match her without hesitation. The teasing finally disappears for a while as the two of you simply kiss, neither of you particularly interested in being the first one to stop.

Eventually, Kelly pulls back just enough to catch her breath.

She stays close, staring at you for a second before a slow smile spreads across her face.

“Fuck,” Kelly says. “You’re a good kisser.”

You raise an eyebrow.

Kelly gives you a knowing look.