It’s the only way I can figure out what’s going on.
Her green eyes become saucers and she looks at me like I just told her aliens have invaded the earth. “What?”
A pang of guilt flitters through me when I spot the engagement rings on her left ring finger.
“You’re right. I have to get permission first.”
I barrel past her in search of Landon and Asher.
I find them in the kitchen munching on sandwiches.
“Hey, small fry. What’s up?”
I waste no time getting down to business. “I need to kiss your fiancée.”
Asher freezes, his hero hanging in midair. “Huh?”
Landon chokes on his food. “Come again?”
Breslin enters the kitchen and I eye the three of them, hoping they’ll agree to let me go through with my bizarre—but very necessary—request.
“I know it sounds crazy and I’m so sorry for asking, but it’s really important that I kiss Breslin.”
They must sense how crucial this is for me because they all exchange a glance and Landon nods.
Asher, however, rubs his chin. “It depends.” His eyes find Landon’s and they share a look. “Can we watch?”
Breslin rolls her eyes, but I don’t care who witnesses it as long as I get the green light.
“Sure.” I turn to Breslin. “Thank you.”
Worry pinches her face. “Will you tell me what’s going on after this?”
“Yes.”
I know this must be as weird for her as it is for me because we’ve never crossed this line before. I consider her my sister, and I know she feels the same.
However, I need someone with two X chromosomes, and she fits the bill.
To my bestie’s credit, she doesn’t cringe or shy away when I lean in. Her lips are soft and plush, and I taste a hint of the cherry ChapStick she always uses. Our mouths part and our tongues lightly touch, and while Breslin is a good kisser…
I don’t feel any butterflies.
“Well?” she says after our kiss ends. “Did that help?”
I’m broken.
I shake my head. “No.” Another thought occurs to me. “I need to kiss a guy.”
This way I can find out for sure if my newfound attraction is for the entire male species…or just one in particular.
Asher takes a massive bite of his sandwich. “Slow your roll there, small fry. I know I’m a famous football star and it would give you some stellar bragging rights, but I’m not kissing my brother’s wife.”
Fair enough.
I survey Landon and realize he’s actually the perfect choice to test my theory on.
Just like me and Preston, we share a bond that no one else will ever be able to understand because they weren’t in the school shooting that day.
A shooting where they both saved my life.
I wave him over. “Landon, you’re on deck.”
Appearing uneasy, he looks at his partners. “Are you sure about this?”
“Positive,” I insist, even though I don’t think his question was directed at me.
“You agreed to let her kiss me.” Breslin shrugs. “Go ahead.”
Stuffing his hands into his pockets, Landon walks over.
I pucker up. “Lay one on me, Parker.”
“Wait,” Asher says when Landon bends down. “No offense, but we’re not looking to make this a square. This is a one-time only service we’re providing.” He gestures to Breslin and Landon. “These two are mine.”
I nod my understanding. “Got it.”
“Okay.” He motions as though he were a king granting a request. “You may proceed.”
Landon’s lips aren’t as soft as Breslin’s, but his kiss is impossibly tender, like I’m a fragile piece of glass he’s afraid might break. His hand goes to my cheek and I part my lips. The flick of his tongue against mine is gentle, but while Landon is also a good kisser…
I still don’t feel any butterflies.
I’m contemplating what all this means, but a rough, familiar voice has the hairs on the back of my neck lifting.
“I caught your stupid dog taking a dump—what the fuck?”
Landon and I jump back like we were just caught with our hands in the cookie jar.
There’s so much vehemence rolling off him that even Picasso darts out of the room.
If looks could kill, the one he aims at poor Landon would be the equivalent of a bullet piercing his heart. “Why are you kissing my wife?”
Before I can answer, Asher steps in front of Landon. “More like why is your wife kissing my fiancé?” He points to Breslin. “Correction. Fiancées. Because she played tonsil hockey with Breslin, too.”
A deadly growl rips through the air…and then Preston’s fist goes sailing into his brother’s face.
Breslin’s palm flies to her forehead. “Oh, my God.”
“Dammit,” Asher whines. “I’m the only one who didn’t kiss her.”
“You also didn’t stop them from doing it, asshole.”
I go to grab the roll of paper towels off the counter because Asher’s lip is bleeding, but suddenly I’m airlifted and thrown over Preston’s shoulder.
“Whatever this shit is, it ends right the fuck now.” His voice is downright lethal. “She’s mine.”
“I know you’re upset,” I state as blood rushes to my head and he marches out of the house.
Preston isn’t having any of it, though because he snarls and growls all the way to our front door.
“It’s not what you think,” I tell him as we enter the foyer and he puts me down.
“So you didn’t kiss Breslin and Landon?”
In addition to animosity, there’s also something else laden in his tone. Hurt.
I feel lower than dirt because that’s the last thing I ever want to do to him.
“I…um.” I swallow hard, trying to formulate an explanation that conveys that yes, I did kiss them, but it wasn’t like that.
“Let me get this straight.” His nostrils flare and a muscle in his jaw bunches. “I’m not allowed to hook up with anyone else, but you are?”
“No.” Remorse is a bitter pill to swallow because he has every right to be mad. “It was an experiment. You see, after last night, and this morning, my head was—is—all screwy. I needed to figure out what it meant so I went to Breslin’s house and asked to kiss her.” I prattle on, only stopping to inhale a quick burst of air. “Of course, I needed to get Asher and Landon’s permission first. Reluctantly they agreed—well, Asher asked if he could watch before he did—and Breslin and I shared a kiss. But it didn’t provide me with any answers, just more questions. Then it dawned on me that I was going about it all wrong. I needed to kiss a guy—”
“Stop babbling,” he interjects, but I can’t. I need him to understand.
“Asher opted out, which was totally cool with me because Landon was the perfect choice seeing as we share the same bond that you and I do. Well, not the same bond, because ours is…you know. But he saved my life that day, too. Anyway, Landon and I kissed…and that’s when you walked in.”
He silently studies me for what feels like an eternity. I open my mouth to provide him with a better explanation—hopefully one that won’t make him so angry—but then he speaks.