Kissing Lessons

By Susan Laine

A Before… and After Story

A kiss is just a kiss. It doesn’t have to mean anything. Does it?

At seventeen, Merry’s never been kissed. Since he doesn’t want to disappoint his prom date, he asks his more experienced best friend, Boone, for some pointers. Surprisingly, Boone agrees to give him a hands-on lesson.

But they have no idea what they’re getting into.

They explore hundreds of ways to make out, but somehow it isn’t enough. A week later, they’re back together for another session. This time things go further than either of them planned, and their relationship becomes awkward and uncomfortable.

Have they learned enough to salvage their friendship and help it evolve? Their lessons have come to an end. They can either part ways forever… or share a true love’s kiss.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
• Release date: Apr 26, 2017
• ISBN: 9781635332834

Susan Laine

Susan Laine, an award-winning, multipublished author of LGBTQ erotic romance and a Finnish native, was raised by the best mother in the world, who told her daughter time and again that she could be whatever she wanted to be. The spark for serious writing and publishing kindled when Susan discovered the gay erotic romance genre. Her book, Monsters Under the Bed, won the 2014 Rainbow Award for Best Gay Paranormal Romance. Anthropology is Susan’s formal education, and she could have been happy as an eternal student. But she’s written stories since she was a kid, and her long-term goal is still to become a full-time writer. Susan enjoys hanging out with her sister, two nieces, and friends in movie theaters, libraries, bookstores, and parks. Her favorite pastimes include singing along (badly) to the latest pop songs, watching action flicks, doing the dishes, and sleeping till noon, while a few of her dislikes are sweating, hot and too-bright summer days, tobacco smoke, purposeful prejudice and hate speech. Website: www.susan-laine-author.fi Email: [e-mail] Blog: www.goodreads.com/author/show/5221828.Susan_Laine/blog Facebook: www.facebook.com/Susan-Laine-128697277229180 Twitter: @Laine_Susan

Book preview

Kissing Lessons

By Susan Laine

A Before… and After Story

A kiss is just a kiss. It doesn’t have to mean anything. Does it?

At seventeen, Merry’s never been kissed. Since he doesn’t want to disappoint his prom date, he asks his more experienced best friend, Boone, for some pointers. Surprisingly, Boone agrees to give him a hands-on lesson.

But they have no idea what they’re getting into.

They explore hundreds of ways to make out, but somehow it isn’t enough. A week later, they’re back together for another session. This time things go further than either of them planned, and their relationship becomes awkward and uncomfortable.

Have they learned enough to salvage their friendship and help it evolve? Their lessons have come to an end. They can either part ways forever… or share a true love’s kiss.

Table of Contents

Blurb

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

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About the Author

By Susan Laine

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Copyright

Chapter 1

HEY. A snap of fingers startled Merry out of his reverie. Still with me? The cadence of Boone’s amused voice smoothed Merry’s ruffled feathers like silk. But he didn’t want to be placated so easily.

Merry growled angrily and fussed, waving his arms about in front of him to dissuade his best friend from taunting him. Yeah, I’m fine. Fuck off.

With renewed focus, Merry gripped his game controller tighter and set his sights on the TV screen—only to see that the drag race in the speed game was over, with Boone’s car over the finish line while Merry’s trailed behind. Boone had won, as usual. It never seemed to matter whether Merry paid attention or not.

Shit. Merry sighed, not really knowing the reason why. Sorry.

It’s okay. Boone was always kind, always understanding, always forgiving. The best of men—although technically at seventeen they had not quite reached manhood yet. Boone would be eighteen nine days ahead of Merry, and he never forgot to rub that in with his typical I’m older and therefore wiser routine.

You’ve been in a weird mood for weeks, Boone added. Wanna talk about it?

No. Merry scowled and pouted, staring at the unmoving screen, willing the game to continue on pure brainpower alone. Naturally it didn’t. You cheated. You must’ve used a secret shortcut or something. Let’s play again.

No.

That was an unusual word for Boone, who typically accepted every proposal, suggestion, or dare in the book with a grin. Merry stared at his best friend in bewilderment. What?

Look. I’m tired of this funk of yours. Either you tell me what’s bothering you or I fetch a few ice cubes from the freezer and ask again, less nicely.

Merry swallowed. He knew full well Boone would carry out his threat. He wasn’t violent or vindictive. But he hated being in the dark about anything, especially stuff involving his best friend. Plus Boone was rarely, if ever, in a bad mood, so naturally everyone noticed if Merry was. Next to Boone’s serenity, anyone else’s moods, including Merry’s, resembled a maelstrom.

I… I don’t wanna talk about it.

Tough. Now spill.

Merry really didn’t want to have this discussion. It’s nothing, I swear.

Boone snorted. Whatever it is, it’s clearly gotten under your skin. C’mon, Merry. Talk to me. He slung his arm over Merry’s shoulders and squeezed gently, shaking him a bit. You can tell me anything.

Merry hesitated, worrying his lower lip, practically chewing it raw. For over a month, he’d dreaded having this conversation. No amount of preparation or rehearsal in front of a mirror had helped. He didn’t want to lose his best friend, the only guy in the world who didn’t laugh at his name, which was a perfectly valid Welsh name. But he’d gotten it thanks to his schoolteacher mom who loved The Lord of the Rings. No one would believe how many randy buck jokes he’d been subjected to over the years whenever he’d shown the slightest bit of interest in anyone.

Naturally, the ridicule had kept him alone and inexperienced. Which brought him to the problem at hand.

Merry, buddy, c’mon…, Boone cajoled.

Iwantyoutoteachmehowtokiss.

A deafening silence fell in the room. They’d been playing car-racing games on Xbox in Boone’s bedroom. Boone’s parents weren’t home much and didn’t care about the racket of a video game when they were, but Merry’s dad was a night nurse and couldn’t handle much noise during the day when he slept, even on the weekend. I-I’m sorry, but I… I didn’t quite catch that. Come again? Boone’s stunned tone was to be expected.

Merry swallowed, hoping to get saliva into his dry throat. I said—he enunciated slowly and steadily—I want you to teach me how to kiss.

Boone stared at him, blinking fast with his mouth hanging open. Yeah, that’s what I thought I heard.

Merry gulped, sensing he’d stepped over an invisible friendship line, and he rushed to say, Never mind. Forget it. Forget I said anything. He gripped the game controller again and steadfastly stared at the TV screen. Let’s play another round.

No. I want to know what brought all this on.

Merry grimaced at Boone’s calm tone. He took a deep breath and collected his wits. Senior prom is in three weeks. I’m supposed to take Sara, but… I’ve never kissed a girl. How am I supposed to kiss her at the end of the night? Like I’m not already a laughing stock with everybody at school. He shook his head fiercely. No. I’ve decided. I’m not going.

Whoa. Back up. Boone removed his arm from around Merry’s shoulders, and Merry shuddered at an icy sense of rejection in the withdrawal. Okay, yeah. That’s a, uh… a legitimate concern. No guy wants to look like an inexperienced, slobbering moron on a date.

Merry winced. It’s not a date. Exactly. It’s just a… a dance. But I wanna end the night properly, with her having a good memory instead of me acting like an idiot.

Yeah, I get that. Now that Boone had had a moment to assimilate the news, he sounded more like his old self. But… why me? Look, I’ve got like a gazillion girls’ numbers, and I can call any of them, and I’m sure they’d be more than happy to be your kissing guinea pig.

No. Merry frowned and bristled at the mere idea. I don’t trust anyone else not to blab my embarrassing secrets to the whole school. Heck, the whole town. It has to be you. He chanced a glance at Boone to gauge his mood. You’ve kissed tons of girls, so you know how.

Boone licked his lips, and his gaze wandered around the room. "Yeah, but… c’mon, it’s you."

So? Merry got more and more anxious. I’m, what, totally unkissable?

Don’t be stupid, Mer. Boone shoved him on the arm, frowning in irritation. You’re my best friend. And we’re both…. His voice faded, but Merry heard what was left unsaid. We’re both guys. I mean, don’t you wanna… kiss a girl instead? Sara’s a girl.

Merry got the gist of Boone’s excuses. Forget it. Just forget it. He pushed the button on the controller to start up the game again. Maybe with the roar of revving engines, neither of them would hear the growing awkwardness in the room.

But Boone paused the game again with his controller. Mer, don’t be like that.

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