Chapter 22:

Elyse angrily grabbed Jayden's collar, her teeth gritted. "I didn't take advantage of you," she enunciated each word carefully. "It was an accidental touch. I didn't mean it."

"Then you should apologize," Jayden insisted.

"Why should I? I won't!" Elyse retorted.

Their argument resembled a childish squabble. Suddenly, the car braked sharply, catching them both off guard.

"Ouch!" Elyse's lips ached from the impact. She opened her eyes, meeting Jayden's deep gaze. Their breaths mingled, and their lips, barely parted, met in a soft, grape-flavored kiss.

Jayden remembered seeing Elyse eat grape-flavored candy at the wedding. He disliked candy; it was too sweet and gave him a toothache. Yet, he found himself wanting to taste it on her lips.

Realizing she was kissing Jayden, Elyse's mind went blank. Frozen, she sat motionless, unsure what to do. When Jayden licked her lips, Elyse snapped back to reality and quickly pulled away, creating distance between them. She covered her face with her hands, her cheeks burning.

Jayden touched his lips, the sweet grape scent lingering. The softness surprised him. "Had we just kissed?" he wondered.

"It feels good to kiss," he said earnestly.

Elyse felt a wave of embarrassment wash over her. She wished she could disappear.

Jayden noticed her curled up in the seat, her face hidden. "Were you shy? Was that your first kiss?" he asked gently.

"Of course not," Elyse replied sulkily.

The final ". .noveldrama" has been removed as it appears to be extraneous.