Somehow that one innocent little touch on her cheek turned into something more, or maybe it was the green light she’d just given me, the one I was finally willing to accept without reservation, that did it. I pulled her in, holding her eyes captive with mine all the while, and covered her lips with mine. Gently at first, still feeling her out, I guess, because practice is way different than theory.

I barely brushed her lips with mine, once, twice, before pulling back to look into her ...