Free Charlotte's Tangled Web: L.B. Pavlov by L. B. Pavlov Page B

voice.
    “Yes,” he said in a voice that told me he was aware of the time frame.
    “Daniel, I guess I’m asking for a more recent example, and it must be a time when we weren’t five years old,” I said, more interested now, although I was completely moved that he remembered what I was wearing and so many details about that day. I just remembered having a mouthful of sand and crying. Daniel was full of surprises. I waited for him to try to get himself out of this.
    “Hmmmm…how recent are we talking about?” he asked, flashing his very charming smile.
    “Um, fifteen years old or older please,” I said, certain that I would stump him.
    He did not hesitate for one second. “OK then, your fifteenth birthday. We decided to give you that surprise party. Your dad took you shopping, and Lenora, Jack, Eric, James, and I all decorated your house. We had pink balloons everywhere and a big pink cake. We had invited all of your friends, your grandparents, my family; everyone was there. When you walked through the door, and I remember it clearly, you were wearing jeans and a gray, long-sleeved sweater with a pink scarf wrapped around your neck, and your hair was pulled back in a ponytail. Everyone yelled, ‘Surprise!’ and you looked so stunned. Your face lit up, and you looked right at me with the sweetest look I had ever seen. And I wanted to kiss you right there, in front of everyone,” he said as if it had just happened yesterday.
    I could feel my eyes welling up with tears, and a lump formed in my throat. I was absolutely stunned by his recollection of events, but still not completely satisfied with the realness. I pressed on. “Daniel, when was the most recent time that you wanted to kiss me?” I asked quietly and cautiously.
    “The most recent before right now?” he asked, making sure he understood what I was asking.
    “Yes,” I said anxiously.
    “At the football game,” he said without a second thought.
    “Which football game?” I continued.
    “Tonight’s football game, Charlotte,” he said, just like that.
    “When we saw each other before the game or when we saw each other after the game?” I said nervously.
    “Both times I wanted to kiss you,” he said, looking right into my eyes.
    “Me too,” I said quietly.
    I looked back at Daniel. His eyes were wild with excitement. I felt my heart racing. He grabbed my hand to say something, but I had heard enough. I lifted his hand up and out of the way so I could jump into his lap. I pressed my lips to his. I could feel his quickly beating heart pressed up against mine. His lips were warm and soft. It was better than any kiss I could ever have imagined. We stopped for a minute, both of us panting, and he pulled me back to look at me.
    “Are you comfortable? I’m not hurting you, am I?” he asked in a concerned voice, looking at my eyes to make sure that I was OK.
    I was pressed between Daniel’s muscular chest and the steering wheel of his truck, and I was more comfortable than I had ever been in my entire life. I smiled, caressed his beautiful face with my hands, and started to kiss him again. If this was a dream, I hoped that I would never wake up. Daniel and I continued kissing for what seemed to be hours, but I had absolutely no concept of time. His lips were smooth and gentle, and I could feel his warm breath against me. His hands were soft, and he stroked my hair and my face. My hands were tangled in his hair and moving up and around his strong muscular shoulders. Our breathing was fast and frantic.
    Daniel pulled me back and started chuckling under his breath, trying to calm his breathing, and said in a very raspy voice, “Charlotte, let me take you inside. You can’t be comfortable with a steering wheel in your back. I don’t want to hurt you.”
    My lips felt like they were swollen from all the activity, which made me giggle inside. I wondered if everyone’s first kiss was this perfect. “I’m completely comfortable, Daniel. And I