He put his chin on her shoulder and replied in a whisper. "Consider it my first present to you."

She swallowed, but didn't argue. Likely because Shanna was standing there. After he paid for the items, and Shanna had handed them the bag, he propelled Mandy out of the store.

"I'm sorry," they said at the same time.

He wrinkled his nose. "Why are you sorry?" he asked.

"For embarrassing you in front of your friend."

"I'm hardly embarrassed. I didn't really mean for our first kiss to be quite so public though. That's why I'm sorry."

She blushed deeply and buried her head in her hands. Then she spread her fingers. "First?" she squeaked.

Kip pulled her hands away from her face. "I mean to ask you to dinner first and then kiss you on your front porch before saying good night." He kissed her nose. He couldn't help it. Now that he touched her, he refused to stop.

"You were going to ask me out?" Mandy asked.

"Should I take you home so you can get ready for our first date? Or does this count as our first date and tonight is our second?" He cocked his head as he wondered out loud.

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Mandy laughed and relaxed. She put her head on his shoulder. He hugged her tight.

He chuckled, feeling it rumble in his chest, which felt unusually constricted. "I guess I should ask you first. Mandy do you want to go to dinner with me this evening?" He forced his voice into a super-serious tone.

She laughed again. When she lifted her head, her eyes were shining behind her glasses. Kip pushed them onto her nose. "Yes." She looked like she was going to say something more, but at the last moment she held back.

"What?" he whispered, nudging his nose against hers. She shook her head. "Mandy, you can tell me anything." He could still see the fear in her eyes. "Tell me."

Her voice was barely audible, he could just make out the words, "if you kiss me again."

"With pleasure," he said, pressing his mouth to hers. She instantly opened, her tongue sweeping forward to tangle with his.

He let her take the lead with this one. And it was only moments later that she pulled away from him. He held her loosely, slightly afraid in the post-kiss haze that she would run. When she made no move to leave, he took his hands from her completely.




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