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She turned her face in toward razedmy jawline until the softness of her lips and the war it I thought I would surely spontaneously combust if I didn’t kiss her soon, but I wasn’t ready to risk scaring her off because I had moved too fast so I left all the control in her hands

"I want to kiss you, but I shouldn’t," she breathed against my mouth

"I want to kiss you, and I don’t have a reason not to, but I won’t until you ask h to feel her breath on my mouth

"I wanted you to meet me here alone because I needed to ask you if there was soht uess I rong I touched her lip with my thumb as I asked, "Did you really think you had to ask?"

Her lips were so soft and I felt theer as she replied, "I had to be positive before I asked you what I’ out what she wanted from me was about to kill me "Which is what?"

"I feel this insane attraction between us, but I have a year and a half vested with Forbes and I need a little time to be sure I’m ready to throw all of that away I need to know if you are willing to give me the ti about?" I questioned

"I don’t know because I’ve never done this before A week? Maybe two tops, but there’s soht not find the rest of my requests so reasonable"

I moved to her other ear and softly whispered, "Tell , "Ditch Gretchen Don’t sleep with her because I won’t be able to have a relationship with you if you do"

That would not be a problem, but she didn’t have to know that, then I remembered what Dane had told ht it was only fair for her to agree to the same rules

I pulled back to look at her because I wanted to see her reaction when I said, "I’ll strike a deal with you I agree to not sleep with Gretchen if you won’t sleep with Forbes and we can see where this thing between us is going without any regrets," I proposed

She s what she wanted "I co what I wanted and voith her, "I do"

This agreeirl and I would have never made it with anyone but Claire The upside was that I couldn’t bewith hihed toa cock block with his naet back out there before they start to miss me and call out the search party," she said, reluctantly

I kneasn’t sticking around ifto split"

She looked disappointed when she asked, "Why so early?"

"Frankly, I don’t think I want to watch you hang out with your boyfriend," I said "And it kind of see out with Gretchen"

I could tell she didn’t want me to leave and thatif we couldn’t be together

"Okay, then I guess I won’t see you again until class on Monday Want to beConnections"

"I’m pretty sure we just ht, I could see her beautiful smile and I was happy because I kneas the reason behind it

14 I Don’t Want To Be Alright

Claire

The moment I returned, Payton pulledhoasted Forbes and his pals were, and began questioning me about my secret rendezvous in the woods with Jessie

"So, how did it go? I was right, wasn’t I? He wants you," she said, so sure of herself

I remembered how close his face was to mine and chills radiated down my body "He was so close to my face I could feel the warmth of his breath on my mouth, but he didn’t kiss me He told me that he wouldn’t until I asked hihtly shoved my shoulder "Why didn’t you ask hi about asking a guy to kiss50 yards away didn’t exactly feel right to ht That could qualify as a little bit on the sketchy side," she admitted

"Ya, think?" I asked