Emma took her flushed cheeks with her when she walked out of the kitchen. The conversation embarrassed her, but I was the one admitting to crushing on a teacher.

As comfortable as I felt being with her, she acted the opposite with me. She was more skittish than Oreo. Typically surrounded by bold women, she was completely refreshing and puzzling. I couldn't tell if she was interested in me the same way I was in her. A fan of puzzles, she was my challenge.

By the time she returned to the kitchen, the bacon was sizzling and the first batch of waffles were golden brown. I flashed a charming smile and watched the pink creep up her cheeks. Clue number one, blushes.

"Almost ready. Do you want to get drinks? I'll have water." I pointed to the cupboard with the glasses.

As she carried the glasses towards the dining room, her hands shook.

"Don't trip!"

She faltered slightly, so I felt guilty.

"I was a waitress in high school."

Joining her with a plate of waffles, I set it down before going back for the bacon.

She took half a waffle, while I planned to eat four times as much. Her hand shook when she poured the syrup.

"A waitress, huh? Whip cream?"

Her eyes widened. "For dinner?"

Chuckling, I corrected her. "It's brinner, so whipped cream is okay, plus we have fruit."

I microwaved a dish of frozen blueberries and hoped my mother would never find out. Emma relented and spooned some blueberries onto her plate and sprayed a perfect swirl of whipped cream. When we had company, my mother whipped fresh cream.

"You're a pro."

Pink painted her cheeks. "Practice."

Chuckling again. "I'm trying to make conversation and you leave me breadcrumbs. Glad to hear you like whipped cream." She gasped as I connected my words to her shock.

Heartily laughing, I assured her I meant because I was a fan myself, spraying more on my plate to prove it.

"Tell me why you chose design."

She explained her love for art and wanting to pursue it in a way that paid. The entire time she talked, my gaze alternated between her eyes and her lips, except when I looked down to take a bite. She hadn't eaten anything.

Her pink lips were moving. "What exactly do you do?"

It was my turn to talk, but she still hadn't eaten. "Are you going to try it?"

She nodded, and I watched as she picked up her fork. She couldn't be an artist with a hand tremor. I continued talking, but she had a tiny amount of cream on her upper lip. My eyes refused to move off the sliver of white. I wanted to lean across the table and suck it off. I couldn't stand up if I wanted to. She licked it. Her tongue disappeared again, and I shifted in my seat.

The front door slammed. "Duff! I brought beers."

Emma's eyes popped out as Dex appeared with a six-pack. "Whoa!"

I rolled my eyes. "Dex, this is Emma, the designer. My friend Dex."

She nodded and smiled, just as Dex focused on the table. "Brinner! You didn't invite me."

Internally I groaned, but my pants were more comfortable. "Get a plate, there's plenty." I thought Emma would eat more.

"Duff, now I know why you rushed out of work."

He hit me on the back on his way to the kitchen. Emma's cheeks sprung red splotches. She looked at her plate and reached for her water glass but she bumped the knife on the edge of her plate which knocked over her glass. It happened in real time, but I saw it in slow motion. Neither moved as the water rolled off the edge of the table onto the floor. Both were spared for once.

I wanted to laugh, but Emma unfroze and jumped up. Before it could register, she grabbed her bag and ran out the door. I turned to see Dex watching the whole thing from the kitchen doorway.

Jumping up, I ran after her. She was in her car. When I knocked on her window, she looked forward as she rolled it down an inch.

"Don't leave."

"Please, let me go." Her voice broke.

Desperate, my brain let my mouth move without it. "I was hoping to kiss you."

She looked at me with sad eyes. "Why?"

I shrugged. "I've had an overwhelming urge to kiss you since Oreo tripped you and I caught you." She gasped. "Roll down your window, please."

To my surprise, she did. When she turned to look at me, her cheeks were wet.

"Em, it was an accident."

She sobbed. "I'm always having accidents."

Afraid she'd roll up her window, I bent further and stuck my face in front of hers. Breathing in her scent of syrup and cream, but also something familiar, I pressed my lips on hers. She didn't pull back, nor did I give into my desire to explore her mouth. Our connection was electrifying, but it didn't shoot below my belt. I felt it in my heart. Only one other kiss had ever felt similar.

Pulling my lips off hers, I smiled. "Go, but Emma Joslin, you make my insides go crazy."

She gasped, and I stepped back, fearing she'd press on the gas and run over my feet. I waved and returned to the house before she peeled out.

Dex sat devouring waffles. There was a puddle of water on the floor. I walked past him to get a towel. He stopped eating to watch me clean up.

"What's going on with you and the designer?"

Feeling heat in my cheeks, I didn't look up at him. "She has a name, Emma, and I like her."

"It doesn't surprise me."

I looked up at him. "Why do you say that?"

"She looks just like the chick we dared you to kiss. You were such a bummer when she disappeared."

I went home instead of drinking downtown. "Do you think so?"

Dex shrugged. "Same long legs. The hair's way different though."

I closed my eyes and tried to restore the faded memory. She had green eyes. I saw them when she stepped out of the portable toilet and told me she wouldn't be legal for five years. The two girls were different, but they affected my heart in the same way.