Free Every Kiss by Tasha Ivey

my theory.”
    I don’t say a word. I just get up and walk to the fridge and
pull out some juice and grab a glass from the cabinet. While I’m pouring, I
whisper to Wes. “Wanna have some fun?”
    “With Makenna? I’m always game.”
    “Play along.” I put the juice back in the fridge and lean
against the counter to take a long sip, making sure that Makenna can see me
looking up and down Wes’ body with a satisfied grin. Looking through my glass
as I drink, I can see her jaw drop. It’s killing me to keep a straight face. I
finish my drink, rinse my glass, and stand next to Wes, pretending to watch him
cook.
    “Hmm . . . you’re just missing one thing. I like chocolate
chips in mine. You have any?”
    “That does sound good. I think there’s still some left from
Makenna’s cookies yesterday. Pantry. Right side, I think.”
    I find the chocolate chips easily and unfold the top of the
bag. Sprinkling them into my hand, I drop some into the batter he just poured
into the pan. There are still quite a few left, so I pop them into my mouth.
“Want some?” I ask Wes innocently.
    “Sure.”
    I jump up to sit on the counter by the stove and pour a few
more into my palm. Pinching one between my thumb and index finger, I lift it to
Wes’ parted lips, and he leans in, taking my fingers in his mouth and sucking
on them with a low hum.
    “Mmm, more.” He slides the last pancake onto a plate and
turns the burner off. He surprises me by moving over to stand between my legs
and sliding his hands up my bare thighs. “You and chocolate are a good
combination.”
    It wouldn’t take much for me to forget this isn’t for real,
that we’re only playing a trick on Makenna and Shane. I flash a shy smile,
bringing another chunk of chocolate to his lips. He grasps my wrist this time,
holding my hand still to suck my thumb deeper into his mouth. I hear Makenna’s
soft gasp from the living room, and it’s all I can do to hide my smile.
    It falls away easily, though, when Wes picks up a single
chocolate chip and places it on the tip of his tongue. He raises his eyebrows
at me, daring me to take it to the next level.
    Challenge accepted.
    I reach around his waist to pull him close, and his hands
instinctively slide up to grip my hips. He sticks his tongue out a little
farther just before I close my lips around it, sucking off the softened
chocolate, probably a little too eagerly. A groan escapes his throat, and I
feel his fingers digging into my flesh. I’m sure he doesn’t realize it, but he
tastes damn good with chocolate, too.
    I start to pull back, but one hand clamps around the back of
my neck and brings me back to him. This time, though, his mouth covers mine,
and I lose myself in it. For the second time now, he surprises me with a kiss.
A deep, passionate, soul-shaking kiss. The feeling of his smooth tongue
swirling against mine, exploring every corner of my mouth, is unsteadying.
Intoxicating. So so good.
    “Oh . . . oh my . . . shit! You liar!” Makenna squeals,
jumping up from the couch. “Shane! You’re seeing this, right?!”
    Wes releases me, stepping back to turn to Makenna. “What?”
    She points at him, bouncing up and down like a moron. “You!
You and Callie!”
    “We what, Mak?” I scrunch my eyebrows, trying to appear
confused.
    Shane leans over the island and rests his chin in his hand.
“Hmm. This is too weird.”
    “You and Wes.” The stunned look on her face is priceless.
“You’re hooking up. Like, right in front of us. You can’t deny it now.”
    “Sure we can,” I reply, jumping off the counter. “We’re
pulling your chain, Mak. I knew what you were thinking, so Wes and I played a
joke on you.”
    Shane’s laughter echoes around the room. “They got you. Me,
too. I would’ve sworn the two of you hooked up.”
    “No . . . no, no, no. Not possible. You don’t meet someone
one day, and then you’re able to play a joke like that on someone the next. You
were kissing. Like really