Ellie is hardly the most sought after girl at Noble High, so she is completely surprised when the boy most likely to become prom king asks her out. Her short-lived glee quickly turns to panic as she admits to herself that she doesn’t know the first thing about dating.
After a fair amount of wheedling, she convinces her best friend and hockey star, Alec, to tutor her in the ways of love. Only once things start, she finds she knows even less than first suspected. Dating is full of more codes and unspoken rules than she ever imagined.
Even more difficult is the effort not to cross lines with Alec. Every lesson brings her closer and closer to the boy next door whom she’s never had a romantic thought about before in her life. Each caress and playful scenario has Ellie wishing more for her best friend’s affection than the boy he’s teaching her to woo.
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| Meet Melissa! |
Ellie walked to her front door with her arm tucked into Alec’s. “This actually was a really fun night,” she reluctantly admitted. “I had my doubts, but date Alec is actually an okay guy.”
“You had doubts?” His tone was light and playful as he led her up the front walk. “You should have known I’m quite the catch way before now. I don’t know why it took you so long to figure it out.”
She shrugged a shoulder. “Oh, I don’t know. Could it be the usual behavior I see from you?” She poked him accusingly in the ribs. “Spraying me with your garden hose, burping, leaving your dirty gym shorts on your bedroom floor for weeks on end, and the many other boy faux pas you commit.”
“Dating Alec and hanging out at home Alec are like two different men.” He winked. “You’re one of the rare people who have ever gotten to see both sides of the coin. In fact, you might be the only one.”
She nodded with an affectionate smile. “No one knows you like I do.”
“No one,” he agreed.
As she reached the first step of the porch Alec tugged her hand to pull her to a stop. As she spun to face him, the question died in her throat when he cupped her face in his hands and pressed his lips to hers.
The kiss caught her by surprise. It came so suddenly that she didn’t have time to worry over what to do or how to react. She simply melted against him with a content sigh.
Alec swept her hair back from her face and deepened the kiss. His body moved forward to brush ever so gently along the front of hers.
This was unlike any kiss she’d ever experienced before. The few attempts she’d made of it in the past had been anything but spectacular. An awkward brush of lips. A quick, shy peck. This was…ethereal. This was what it was like to really be kissed.
Just when she thought it couldn’t get any better, he nudged her lips apart. His tongue grazed ever so gently across her bottom lip before flicking up to caress her own.
Her heart nearly stopped as she leaned closer to him, wanting more.
And just as suddenly, he pulled back. He took a few steps backward with an amused chuckle. “Very good. Do that Saturday and Jake will be putty.” He shoved his hands deep into the pockets of his slacks and bobbed his head in farewell. “I’ll see you Monday for the game?”
Ellie felt as if her brain had been fried. She couldn’t think. She couldn’t breathe. She just stared at him feeling numb. Yet warmth was radiating through her chest, and she felt as if her skin was electrically charged. Knowing she needed to respond, she forced her head to nod. “Y…yeah. I’ll see you Monday.”
“See ya Monday.” With that, he turned and sauntered down the driveway to head to his own home.
She watched him retreat and tried to convince her heart to…stop…whatever it was it was doing. He’d kissed her. So what? It hadn’t meant anything. To either of them….right?
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