“YOU can kiss me if you like.”

I nearly choked on my coke. Sure I wanted to kiss her, pretty badly in fact, but that was pretty forward even for Pip. There we were, sitting on the barrier at the top of the cliff above Orange Peel Corner, stealing thirty minutes before we were both expected in different holiday homes for tea. This was our only time, until maybe next year when we might be allowed to go out after tea, though not to the Tuds. We would have gone then if we thought we could get away with it; we each knew other fourteen year olds who would be there later on that evening.

I smiled at her and without saying anything I moved my mouth towards her, extending my whole body behind my face, to reach and kiss her without our bodies touching at all. Her lips were soft, warm and wet and just a little apprehensive, like mine. I was about to pull away when I felt her fingers in my hair pulling me closer; our bodies touched. In the back of my mind I started to hope fervently that I was going to be late for tea.