Jess felt like she was floating. Her eyes were closed. Her lips felt the
texture of Ed's lips; her tongue explored his mouth. For the first few
seconds the motions were mechanical. Her body was acting independently of
her thoughts.
She was actually enjoying this.
The way Ed kissed her...it was tender somehow. Caring. Loving. Sensual.
Did Ed feel the same way? She couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking. And then she stopped wondering. She forgot about Mel. She forgot about everything.
Ed's fingers brushed against her arm.
A little tingle raced down her spine.
Whoa, what was going on here?
She was enjoying this. She tentatively let her fingers travel to his soft, thick hair, noticing that his hands had moved to her lower back. The sensation it caused was dizzying.
Without thinking, she pressed her body toward him. She wanted to stretch the moment as long as it would go. Ed responded, pulling her closer to him and pressing his lips more urgently onto her own. This was insane.
Suddenly Jess was hit with the urge to pull back. She wanted to see Ed. She wanted to know what as going on in his head. She jerked away abruptly, meeting his eyes with her own baffled gaze. His face was flushed. He held Jess's stare in a look that seemed half pain, half elation. Thoughts came rushing to her mind. Did he feel what she felt just now? Did he enjoy it? Was she a good kisser?
"Ooh baby!" Mel cried. "You two were awesome!"
And that was it. The moment was shattered. Jess was no longer in a private little world of two; she was back in the park, playing truth or dare. She backed away and took a deep breath. Her heart was fluttering.
Ed didn't speak. Their eyes met for a moment. 'Did Jess like it?' he thought profusely. 'Hopefully she did.' Something told him. Hopefully she did.
Whew. Jess smiled. That was weird. Her feelings of a second before seemed to be floating away—like a wisp of smoke from a candle. It was formless and intangible...and then it was gone. She laughed and took a deep breath. It was a good thing it was someone else's turn now. Somehow she regretted pulling away from Ed.
"So, Ed," she managed to say nonchalantly. "Was it as good for you as it was for me?"
Ed smiled back at her, hiding his chuckle. "Yeah. I guess so."
"So...." Mary began, smiling. "Ed, I guess it's your turn now."
"Okay. After seeing what you made Jess do, I would very much like to pick truth." Ed said confidently, smiling at the two girls.
"Alrighty then. Ed, tell me. Whom have you got a major crush on?" Jess asked in a singsong voice.
Ed didn't want to answer the question. He was afraid. Afraid of rejection. He wondered whether he should lie to his best friends. It would be better not to rush into things anyway. "To be honest, I've just developed a crush on Joyce Parker." Ed said, smiling. "She's a pretty thing."
The words hit Jess. Although she expected the answer, she never thought it would be true. And now it was coming right out of Ed's own mouth. Unbelievable. Her heart slowly crashed into pieces, but she kept her smile. "Oh. I see. You know, since you're my best friend and all, I could help you gain points in her book. How does that sound?" Jess asked, with fake cheerfulness.
"Wow. I never expected Ed would like Joyce," Mel added. "Ed, seriously, you should take up Jess's offer. I would die if someone actually would help me to gain points in Gary's book...too bad I don't have that chance."
"Um...I guess so." Ed was in trouble and he knew it. Now Joyce might think he really loved her. It's all wrong! He wanted to shout out. I LOVE JESSICA, NOT JOYCE. But he couldn't bring himself to say it. He didn't want Jess to see him as a liar, a cheat. "Thanks Jess. You're my best buddy." Ed replied, plastering a smile on his face.
She was actually enjoying this.
The way Ed kissed her...it was tender somehow. Caring. Loving. Sensual.
Did Ed feel the same way? She couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking. And then she stopped wondering. She forgot about Mel. She forgot about everything.
Ed's fingers brushed against her arm.
A little tingle raced down her spine.
Whoa, what was going on here?
She was enjoying this. She tentatively let her fingers travel to his soft, thick hair, noticing that his hands had moved to her lower back. The sensation it caused was dizzying.
Without thinking, she pressed her body toward him. She wanted to stretch the moment as long as it would go. Ed responded, pulling her closer to him and pressing his lips more urgently onto her own. This was insane.
Suddenly Jess was hit with the urge to pull back. She wanted to see Ed. She wanted to know what as going on in his head. She jerked away abruptly, meeting his eyes with her own baffled gaze. His face was flushed. He held Jess's stare in a look that seemed half pain, half elation. Thoughts came rushing to her mind. Did he feel what she felt just now? Did he enjoy it? Was she a good kisser?
"Ooh baby!" Mel cried. "You two were awesome!"
And that was it. The moment was shattered. Jess was no longer in a private little world of two; she was back in the park, playing truth or dare. She backed away and took a deep breath. Her heart was fluttering.
Ed didn't speak. Their eyes met for a moment. 'Did Jess like it?' he thought profusely. 'Hopefully she did.' Something told him. Hopefully she did.
Whew. Jess smiled. That was weird. Her feelings of a second before seemed to be floating away—like a wisp of smoke from a candle. It was formless and intangible...and then it was gone. She laughed and took a deep breath. It was a good thing it was someone else's turn now. Somehow she regretted pulling away from Ed.
"So, Ed," she managed to say nonchalantly. "Was it as good for you as it was for me?"
Ed smiled back at her, hiding his chuckle. "Yeah. I guess so."
"So...." Mary began, smiling. "Ed, I guess it's your turn now."
"Okay. After seeing what you made Jess do, I would very much like to pick truth." Ed said confidently, smiling at the two girls.
"Alrighty then. Ed, tell me. Whom have you got a major crush on?" Jess asked in a singsong voice.
Ed didn't want to answer the question. He was afraid. Afraid of rejection. He wondered whether he should lie to his best friends. It would be better not to rush into things anyway. "To be honest, I've just developed a crush on Joyce Parker." Ed said, smiling. "She's a pretty thing."
The words hit Jess. Although she expected the answer, she never thought it would be true. And now it was coming right out of Ed's own mouth. Unbelievable. Her heart slowly crashed into pieces, but she kept her smile. "Oh. I see. You know, since you're my best friend and all, I could help you gain points in her book. How does that sound?" Jess asked, with fake cheerfulness.
"Wow. I never expected Ed would like Joyce," Mel added. "Ed, seriously, you should take up Jess's offer. I would die if someone actually would help me to gain points in Gary's book...too bad I don't have that chance."
"Um...I guess so." Ed was in trouble and he knew it. Now Joyce might think he really loved her. It's all wrong! He wanted to shout out. I LOVE JESSICA, NOT JOYCE. But he couldn't bring himself to say it. He didn't want Jess to see him as a liar, a cheat. "Thanks Jess. You're my best buddy." Ed replied, plastering a smile on his face.