Disclaimer: It's probably obvious, but I don't own any of the HSM characters or their related elements.

Author's Note: Why, look who's back :) Okay, this is just another first kiss fic. Can't get enough of those!

Written October 15, 2006

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HSM Romance Challenge

Theme: Secret

Since it happened, she had been playing the whole thing over and over in the back of her head. On the roof garden bench, she could remember how he smiled, how warm his body felt as he leaned in so close… and how she turned her head at the very last second.

And then the bell had rung and she had leaped up, a smile frozen on her face, and then she had found a way to avoid him for the rest of the day, and the next. And it was stupid, she knew, but she planned on possibly avoiding him forever… until, as she hid at a desk in the library during free period, he pulled up a chair beside her and grinned.

"So this is where you've been hiding all this week," he said, leaning back in his chair and folding his hands. "I can see why you like it. Quiet, peaceful."

"Well, it was," she said, casually trying to angle her body so she couldn't look directly at him.

He laughed. "Yeah, well. All good things come to an end eventually, Montez." But then he paused, and his voice became more restrained. "Listen… I'll be out of your way in a second, really. I just thought I'd come by to say hi. We haven't talked since Monday."

Since we almost kissed.

"I mean," he said, and his voice started to fumble. "I didn't—I wasn't trying to… push you into anything. It was just that we were up on the roof garden, and you were just so close…"

And she realized that instead of busting her on her erratic behaviour, he was apologizing for the kiss. And as he kept talking, sounding more and more regretful, something inside her began to struggle and jump up. Stop it. Stop it. STOP IT.

"Troy, don't," she blurted out. "Just don't. It wasn't… you didn't push me into anything. I wanted to. I just… didn't."

He blinked sharply. "Okay—what?"

Her cheeks were burning, but she was already too far in to turn back. "Look. Just… please don't think I'm an idiot."

She could hear him take a breath. "I won't," he said softly.

And staring at her papers in desperation, she spit it out. "I've just… never been kissed before."

"What?"

She groaned. "Please tell me you don't mean that literally. I really don't want to say it again."

"No, I heard you," he said, smiling. "I just… I was surprised, that's all."

She put her head on her desk and laughed bitterly. "Surprised at what? Freaky math girl, remember? It's not as if the guys were beating down my door." She sighed. "I don't know. I just kind of freaked on Monday, when it was going to happen. I mean, I wanted to… but my brain wouldn't stop thinking about what was happening. I jumped. So… I'm sorry."

"No... it's okay."

Her face still flamed red, but as she glanced over at him, she saw he was smiling gently. And somehow, she felt instantly comfortable, as though everything had been settled… and a window of opportunity was opening again.

And then suddenly, the bell rang.

She let out a sigh and grabbed her books up from the table, packing them into her bag and throwing him an apologetic glance. But as she hurried toward the door, she felt the touch of his hand on her wrist and found herself being pulled behind one of the shelves.

And as she turned, his hand moved from her wrist to her waist, pulling her close to the familiar warmth of his body. "Now don't think," he whispered, leaning down before she could avoid him, an electric thrill racing through her at the soft touch of his lips. And without thinking, she found herself deepening the kiss, her hands reaching up to press him closer.

When they finally came up for air, he blinked at her in surprise.

"Not bad for your first time, Montez," he said, grinning.

She grinned back, breathless. "Not bad?" she said. "Well, I guess I'll just have to keep practicing then." And they both laughed as she wrapped her arms warmly around his neck, pulling him close to her again.