As Leslie's lips touched James', it was as if time itself ground to a halt.
The world outside, even the muffled noise of the TV downstairs, all vanished in an instant.
It was like it was just them. Just James and Leslie. Frozen in a moment that neither had ever dared imagine would actually happen.
James stood perfectly still, his mind blank and his body rigid. He didn't move. He couldn't for so many reasons.
His heart hammered violently against his chest, the sound of it roaring in his ears louder than anything else. Every fiber of his being screamed at him to do something — anything — but he couldn't.
Shock. Awe. Fear. Need. Desire. They all crashed into him at once, like a tidal wave.
He felt the softness of Leslie's lips against his — hesitant, trembling, as if she was terrified he would push her away — and it snapped something loose inside him and he finally stirred.
He reached up, his hand finding its way to the small of her back, pulling her closer.
