New York: Allie's War, Early Years

I watched him look back at the fire, his face blank once more.

Even so, I couldn't help remembering that kiss in the bar.

I'd been pretty drunk and distracted at the time. Jaden being there and having just seen him kiss that girl confused things for sure, but I'd been more than a little blown away by that kiss, too, even without the rest. It affected me more than I'd really admitted to myself at the time.

The somewhat disturbing truth was, by the end of that kiss, I'd barely remembered Jaden at all. Hell, I'd wanted to keep kissing him, even with Jaden standing right there. Remembering what Jon said, and what Simon just told me about who he was, the feeling of unreality worsened.

I felt my cheeks warm when he glanced over.

It occurred to me that whatever else he'd said that night, I believed him that he was a seer. And if he really was a seer, that probably meant he could read my mind. Which meant he'd probably heard all or part of what had just gone through my head.

When I looked up that time, I saw him staring at my mouth again.

"That erasing, mind-meld thing," I said, clearing my throat. "Didn't you say you wanted to start?"

"Yes," he said, nodding. "We should start."

He hesitated again, looking at me.

"What?" I said. I hated that I could feel my cheeks warming more.

He seemed about to speak. Then I saw his eyes change abruptly, as if he'd made up his mind about whatever he'd been thinking. Before I could ask, he got up, moving over to my end of the couch. He sat right next to me. He did it silently, quickly enough that all I could do was stiffen, receding into the couch a little. Then he leaned into the cushions, looking at my mouth again. He slung an arm onto the back of the couch next to my shoulder.

"You've got to be kidding," I said again, but nerves reached my voice.

"Just a kiss," he said. His eyes met mine. "Then I'll erase all if it."

"Why?" I said.

He gave me a puzzled look.

"Because I want to kiss you again," he said. "Don't you?"

I felt my cheeks warm as I gazed up at him.

"I know you want to," he said, looking at my mouth again. His voice grew cajoling. "One kiss, Allie. I'm asking this time."

"I thought you said it wasn't a good idea?" I said.

He shook his head, shifting his body closer to me still. "Making love isn't a good idea. A kiss is fine. I can erase a kiss..." When I frowned, folding my arms to put them between us, he added, "I'm not trying to take advantage. I'm also not doing it just because I felt it on you. I was thinking about it, too, Allie. I have been since the first time."