"Was that okay?"
"The kiss itself or the fact that it happened?" she asked, peering up at him.
"I hope the kiss itself was more than okay," he said.
"It was all more than okay," she told him, her stomach performing somersaults.
In an instant, his lips were back on hers and, this time, Alexis responded in a way that removed all doubt. His lips felt better than she'd imagined. She melted against his chest as he wrapped his strong arms around her. Tyler stirred feelings in her that she'd thought were dead and buried. Now it seemed they merely had been dormant.
"I've been waiting a very long time for that kiss," he murmured.
"So Betsy was telling the truth?" And basically everyone at the party, she almost added, but didn't want to embarrass him.
He cocked his head. "Depends on what Betsy said."
"That you may have had a teeny crush on me in high school." She felt embarrassed saying it aloud to him.
"Not true," he said and watched with satisfaction as her shoulders drooped the slightest bit. Then he whispered in her ear, "It was way bigger than teeny."
"In that case, I'm glad you're so patient," Alexis whispered back.
"It's one of my many skills," Tyler told her.
He kissed her again, his tongue darting around her mouth, teasing her. He moved a hand to the back of her head as they continued to taste each other. Her thick, brown hair was as smooth and silky as he'd imagined it. He longed to lose himself in her completely. As his fingers caressed her bare neck, she clutched his back, feeling the muscles beneath his shirt. Her heartbeat accelerated and her entire body hummed with
electricity.
Tyler's breathing grew ragged as the urgency of his kisses intensified. His fingers danced their way inside her deep neckline. Musician's fingers, Alexis thought to herself as she felt his hand slip up and under her silky bra. Desire pulsed through her, but she managed to pull herself together. As good as she felt, she wasn't ready for more. Gently, she covered his nimble fingers with her hand.
He pressed his forehead lightly against hers. "Sorry," he said. "It's like all my
Christmases coming at once. I can't wait to unwrap you."
"Tyler, I can't rush into anything," she said softly.
"I've waited this long," Tyler said, flashing his trademark dimple. "What's another decade or two?"
She released his hand and adjusted her dress, embarrassed by her display of public affection. How did he work his way under her skin like that? It wasn't her style to engage in hot and heavy make out sessions on someone's front lawn.