Chapter 13 : Heart's Gambit

*Lily*

The crowd around us buzzed like a hive of bees as James leaned in, inching closer to me, and I held my breath, every muscle in my body tense. My mind raced, my thoughts a tangled mess of nerves as I prepared myself for his kiss.

It wasn't that I didn't find him attractive. Or that I was nervous to be kissed in front of dozens of people.

It wouldn't be a sacrifice to be kissed by James, but for some reason I couldn't explain, I just wasn't feeling anything. There was this nagging thought at the back of my mind whispering the name of another person I wanted to be kissing me instead, but I ignored it.

There was no way I would indulge such ideas.

But because of that, and without thinking clearly, I did something even I wasn’t expecting. Inches before our lips met, I turned my head ever so slightly, orchestrating a narrow escape. James' lips touched the corner of my mouth, and that was enough to make me embarrassed at myself for my lame move.

The onlookers erupted into scr