Free Exhale by Jennifer Snyder Page A

softening as they grazed across my lips.  My muscles tensed as he continued to stare at them. “Pssh, whatever,” I rolled my eyes and pushed him playfully before I started to walk away to meet Derek, but Kyle caught my wrist.
    “Where are you runnin’ off to?”
    “To get something to drink,” I lied, holding up the nearly empty beer bottle I had been sipping on all night.
    “Drinks are that way,” he pointed to the coolers behind me. “Even I know that, and I’m sloshed.”
    I glanced past him to where I had seen Derek disappear and wondered how long he would wait for me before he started back. “Oh, right.” I turned around to grab another beer, knowing that Kyle would be watching me now to see what I did, or where I would go.
    Kyle circled around me quickly, his chest so close it was nearly touching mine. “So how about it, Kat, are you ever going to ask?”
    “You know the answer to that, Kyle,” I said with a small smile, not wanting to lead him on, but not wanting to seem rude either.
    “You’re right, I do.” He swayed slightly as he spoke, his smoldering green eyes locking with mine. “That’s why I’m taking matters into my own hands tonight.” Before I could turn my head to deflect his lips, they were pressed firmly against mine.
    My heart seemed to skip a beat or two as my brain cramped, unable to process what was happening.  Kyle’s hands snaked around my waist as his lips grew soft. His warm tongue brushed against my bottom lip and it was like I had been shocked. I jerked back and pressed my palms firmly into his chest.
    “What the hell?” I snapped.
    “Come on, Kat, that kiss was inevitable, don’t deny it,” Kyle said, his hands refusing to let go of my waist.  Howls and catcalls from his buddies surrounding us filled the air, they liked what they had just seen. “Give in to me; deep down you know you want to. You know you love me just as much as I love you. It’s there, Kat, don’t keep ignoring it.”
    I felt every drop of blood drain from my face as I focused on only three of the words that he had just said— I love you . He couldn’t love me. He shouldn’t, because that would make everything between me and Derek that much more complicated and it would make him hurt one hundred times worse once he found out about us.
    Kyle released me, waiting for a reply, and I took a step back. A heavy feeling entered my stomach, and I became fully aware of the smoky blue eyes framed by blond ringlets boring a hole straight through me from directly behind Kyle. Missy had seen our kiss and heard Kyle’s confession. I pleaded with her through my eyes not to say what I knew was on the tip of her tongue—that Derek and me were secretly together. She didn’t speak, thankfully, but her heated glare didn’t lessen any.
    “Kyle,” my voice came out sounding like I was talking down to a kindergartner and I hated it. My eyes watered as I gathered the words that needed to be said, this time with more conviction than ever. “I just don’t feel that way about you. I’m sorry.” I started to walk away before I could see any emotion on his face attach to the words I’d just said.
    “Why not?” Kyle questioned as he caught up with me. “We’d be good together, everyone knows it.  Everyone sees it, but you. Give me one good reason why you won’t give us a shot.” He reached out for my hand and intertwined his fingers with mine. I stared at them for a moment, feeling his heat seep into the coldness of my soul.
    One good reason, huh? How could I tell him that the only reason I couldn’t give him a shot, give us a shot, was because I was already dating Derek behind his back? How could I tell him that I was in love with his twin brother?
    I untangled my fingers from his hands and folded my arms across my chest tightly. “Kyle, I…” I trailed off, unsure of what to say and remembering how Derek had wanted to be the one to tell him. “It’s just not like that for me. I just don’t