First Love (Love Nibbles Book 2) Read Online Free Page B

sensation between her legs, but she didn’t take her hand away from Joe’s.
    “If you could be anything, have any job in the world, what would you like to do?” he asked as his thumb traced circle on her palm.
    Rachael pulled her mind away from the hand-holding and tried to focus on his question. “I would like to be like her.” She nodded to the screen where the lady scientist was explaining something to one of the men, who wouldn’t listen. “An explorer. I want to see far away places and know important things.” She glanced at Joe to see if he thought she was foolish.
    He nodded. “I know what you mean. I don’t mind farming, but I’d like to at least try something different. And it would be exciting to see new places.” He laughed. “ Any new place. I’d even be thrilled to go to Indianapolis. It would be more interesting than here.”
    Rachael smiled. He sat so close she could smell cigarette smoke, soap and sweat, not strong but clean and masculine.
    In the semi-darkness, Joe’s eyes focused on hers before looking at her mouth. Flickering shadows from the movie screen moved across the handsome planes of his face. He leaned toward her then paused. “Is it all right if I kiss you?”
    She didn’t know how to answer. Although she knew this situation was completely wrong, she really wanted him to kiss her. She had only kissed one boy before and he hadn’t been very good at it, or she simply hadn’t liked him that well. She wanted to be kissed the way she’d seen her brother kiss Lida when they sat in the swing on the front porch.
    He took her hesitation as a yes and leaned in to set his mouth firmly on hers. His lips moved, soft and warm and so alive they sparked a response in her. She closed her eyes and relaxed into the kiss—definitely different than Amos Bieler’s dry peck.
    Joe’s hand supported the back of her neck as he kissed deeper. The tip of his tongue probed gently between her lips. She opened her mouth in surprise. His tongue dipped into her mouth and touched hers. A shiver of longing stabbed through her. Her breasts felt tender, the nipples sensitive. The cotton of her underwear felt as rough as burlap against them. Her skin tingled like she had a fever.
    She braced her hands on his chest then hooked them over his shoulders, so strong and muscular. As the breath-stealing kiss went on and on, Rachael went limp in his arms. At last, she couldn’t take the intensity any longer. She pulled away and pressed a hand to her mouth. Her lips felt swollen and she breathed raggedly.
    So did Joe. She loved how his eyes looked in the flickering light, hungry as if he’d devour her. It made her feel beautiful and desirable, but it also frightened her. Too much passion. Too strong of emotions. Things could very quickly get out of hand.
    She scooted away from him on the slippery seat, putting some distance between them to chill the heat.
    “I’m sorry,” Joe said. “I didn’t mean to—”
    “It’s fine.” She got the bucket of popcorn from the floorboards of the truck and picked at a few kernels before placing the container on the seat between them. A better buffer. She stared through the windshield at the movie.
    For a few moments, the only sound was the woman scientist screaming, tinny and odd sounding through the speaker hanging on the window.
    “Please, don’t be mad,” Joe said at last.
    She looked at him with wide eyes. “I’m not mad. It’s just that we shouldn’t. She gestured back and forth between them. “This is impossible.”
    “Why? Neither of us can leave this town, but we’re not allowed to make it more  livable here either? We like each other. Why shouldn’t we spend time together?”
    Rachael picked up the popcorn again then carefully set it on the floor of the truck. “I guess it might be all right…for a little bit.” She scooted back across the seat toward him.
    He slipped an arm around her shoulders. “Yeah?”
    “Yes.” She turned into his embrace.
    This