Free Return to Paradise by Simone Elkeles Page B

my distance, but my body isn't listening to my brain. My body has a mind of its own. I look up into Caleb's intense, sea blue eyes. Those depths are totally focused on my lips, reminding me of the first time we kissed back in Paradise. It was at Paradise Park, right after he held me while I cried in his arms.
    I swear the air grows thicker around us, closing in like a dark cloud. All I hear is the sound of our breathing. I forget everything else and let myself enjoy being this close to him again.
    He brushes my hair away from my face with unexpected gentleness, the pads of his fingers a soft caress brushing across my cheek. I bunch my hands at my sides, afraid that if I actually move I'll slip back into reality.
    Caleb shifts and moves closer. "Maggie, do you want this as much as I do?" he asks, his face poised right above mine.
    "I ... I can't answer that."
    He leans back just the slightest bit, but he's still close enough I can smell the alcohol he drank tonight.
    "Why not?" he asks.
    I move my hand to his bare chest to stop him before I lose all common sense. Having him this close makes me breathe harder and my pulse race, which just makes me even angrier with myself than with him.
    "Do you really have to ask? You were obviously with another girl tonight, Caleb. I'm not degrading myself by being sloppy seconds."
    "I didn't kiss her. I swear."
    When I give him an I-don't-believe-you look, his expression turns gravely serious. "I'm not gonna say we didn't fool around, but I couldn't go through with it 'cause I was..." He squeezes his eyes shut. After a second he opens his eyes and stares right into mine with that serious look again. "Forget it."
    "Just go to bed," I tell him, trying to push him off of me. "It's obvious you're drunk and aren't thinking straight."
    "Kiss me, then I'll go to bed."
    "You're crazy," I choke.
    "Yeah, I know." His lips are twisted into a half smile. "But humor me just this once." His head slowly dips toward mine. I watch and hold my breath as his beautiful, full lips get closer and closer. "Oh Maggie," he murmurs softly when I instinctively wrap my arms around his neck. "I need this."
    I must not be thinking clearly, because I say against his lips, "Me too."
    His hands are braced on either side of my head as he brushes his lips over mine. We kiss tentatively, as if we're both not sure it's okay. My heart is slowly melting. My entire body tingles with excitement and anticipation as one of his hands grabs my waist and pulls me closer.
    I close my eyes and pretend we're back in Mrs. Reynolds' gazebo when it was just the two of us. It felt so good; it couldn't have been wrong. Back then he held me and made me believe that as long as we were together, everything else would fall into place.
    I sigh into Caleb's open mouth; it comes out as a little whimper. He leans away from me. I open my eyes and find him smiling-a one-hundred-percent-satisfied male smile.
    As if my response is his cue to take this further, Caleb gives a guttural growl right before he lowers his head again. His mouth is on mine, open, his tongue searching. I think my brain is trying to send off warning signals, but my body and my own tongue are enjoying the attention too much to listen. The sounds of our tongues and lips and moans spur me on, and I find myself raking my hands through his hair, pulling him closer.
    "Touch me," Caleb urges as he reaches out and traces my lips with the soft tip of his finger and dips it into my mouth.
    I convince myself to think of the gazebo. As long as I keep my eyes closed, we're there-we're in the past and not the present. He's going to tell me how much he cares about me any minute now. He's going to tell me that I'm the only girl he wants and needs.
    He traces a wet path down my neck and dips his finger into my the V of my T-shirt. His mouth follows with little kisses before he moves up and kisses me again. I start to sweat with passion. I'm on fire.
    It's all slow and erotic, our tongues reaching out