Free Just One Kiss by Amelia Whitmore Page A

I feel for Brayden is indescribable. I really want
to be the person who makes him smile, whom he kisses goodnight, and whom he
gets to hug when he needs it. But I just can’t. I don’t even know what’s
blocking me, but it’s there. I feel like a completely different person around
him, but I can’t act on any of my feelings. It’s like, subconsciously, I’m
always expecting him to be like “Ha-ha, you thought I was actually interested
in you?” I know he would never really do that, but I can’t stop feeling that
way. I don’t want to start something with him only to pull away. I want to give
him my all, but I can’t right now. I’d be too insecure. I am too insecure. I
mean, why is a nearly twenty-one-year-old guy interested in a shy, insecure,
girl like me, anyway? It’s probably just a self-punishing phase.
    “What are you thinking about?” he asks me. I blink a few
times, coming back to reality. I give him a fake smile and shrug dismissively.
“Just stuff.”
    “What kind of stuff?” he muses.
    I roll my eyes and smile. “Girl stuff,” I tease back.
    “What kind of girl stuff?” he probes.
    “The kind that guys know naught of.” I laugh at his
disappointed look. Like hell I’m telling him what I was actually thinking
about. It’d just make him feel bad.
    We sit in silence for a few minutes until Brayden starts
speaking again, “You really do look beautiful tonight, Cutie.”
    I blush, “You can thank Ro for that; she’s got magical hands,”
I laugh.
    Brayden shakes his head as his thumb begins running back and
forth over my knuckles. “It’s not magic; you’re beautiful without all the
makeup and styled hair. You look gorgeous all the time.”
    “Flatterer,” I laugh, making light of the butterflies now
fluttering in my stomach. He could seriously make a girl melt.
    Instead of answering, he just smiles widely, reminding me a
bit of Zander. It’s clear that Brayden still has his boyish charm, which is
really one of the biggest reasons I like him so much. He’s simple. There’s no
drama when I’m with him. He makes everything seem better. I don’t have to worry
about looking okay, like I do at school. I don’t need to think about his
motives; he’s too kind to be cruel.
    About twenty minutes later, we pull up to a fancy-looking
building and rush inside. There are twinkling lights lining the entire
ballroom, making everything shimmer. The area I’m assuming is a dance floor is
made up of whitish tile that’s made to look marbled. The rest of the area is
carpeted and has tables scattered across it.
    We make our way to the table that’s reserved for his family.
I see Adrienne and Paul talking with another couple. Landon and Evie are trying
to get Nora to stop crying while Zander is running around the table at full
speed with his toy airplane.
    “Zander, sit down!” Evie demands. Zander ignores her. As he
continues to run around, she turns an evil eye to Landon. “I told you not to
let him bring that damned toy.”
    Landon shrugs. “He’s a kid, Evie. Nobody’s getting hurt, let
him play.”
    “This is not the type of place for a little boy to play like
that,” Evie snaps.
    Instead of arguing further, Landon leans in and gives her a
long, gentle kiss on her lips, calming her down. I can totally see why they’re
so perfect for each other. They’re completely in love. Just then, Zander turns
toward us and runs to me.
    “Annie!” he screams, making everybody look over at us,
including the strangers near the table. I react quickly as he jumps into my
arms and rest him on my hip, not even caring if my dress gets wrinkles.
    “Hey, Zand,” I say with a smile.
    “I miss you dis much!” he beams, opening his arms to the
fullest extent.
    My eyes widen. “You did?” I ask, sounding surprised. “That’s
so much! I missed you even more though!” I tell him. He looks doubtfully at me,
but I nod and assure him it’s true.
    “Wow,” he whispers solemnly, as though he can’t