Page 46 of Never Not Friends

“I have a strong feeling.”

“You can’t have a feeling about vanilla.”

“Emma.”

“What?”

“Open your mouth.”

I’m going to pretend his command didn’t increase my yearning for him tenfold.

Yearning is bad. So very bad.

I exhale slowly, bracing myself. “If you miss⁠—”

“I’m not going to miss.” Then something taps my cheek. Cold. Wet. Sticky.

I jerk back, laughing despite myself. “Vinny! You were so far away from my mouth you almost hit my hair.”

“Well, give me your mouth. Lean forward. Do something helpful. This is a team effort.”

I tilt my head slightly, laughing. “I’m trying.”

“Okay, but this time, commit.”

“I am committing!”

“Okay, okay, hold still.”

“I am holding still!”

His fingers softly brush across the side of my hair, sending heat down my body. “There you are.” It’s like his hand on my head gives him enough spatial awareness that he can complete the task. “Here comes the airplane!” He says it like a mother feeding her toddler, which helps if you’re trying to keep this a silly friend thing—which I absolutely am.

The cake hits my mouth. I take the bite quickly, swirling it around my tongue. “Vanilla.” I pull back, forcing his hand to drop from my head. “Definitely vanilla.”

“Told you.”

“A lucky guess.”

He laughs again, and there’s something about the easiness of it that settles my nerves just a little. “Your turn to feed me.”

I reach forward carefully, feeling for the plate, the wax paper, anything that feels like structure in this chaos, until I find a piece for him. I try to map where his face should be. I’m definitely not using my free hand like he did. I will not initiate touch, even if it means taking his eye out with my finger.

“Okay, ready?” I wave the cake in the air.

“It feels like you’re aiming for my eye.”

At least he knows the risks.

“I’m not aiming for your eye,” I mutter.

“You’re very close to my eye.”

“Then maybe adjust or accept your fate.”

He laughs again, and it throws me off just enough that I definitely miss.

“Okay. Yep. That was my chin.”