The Kissing Deadline Read Online Free

demanded.
    Cassie shook her hair out and growled. She
could smell her apple-scented shampoo with each shake, more orchard
than jungle.
    " In the jungle. The mighty jungle ,”
Sierra belted out.
    Cassie hummed along a moment then quieted at
Brooke’s serious expression.
    “We’ll share all our knowledge,” Brooke
promised.
    “What you do if the kiss is wet, or dry, or
his tongue is pierced?” Sierra wiggled her un-pierced tongue at
them.
    “Don’t scare her,” Brooke said with a
laugh.
    “She needs to get the first kiss over with so
she can move on to some of life's other disappointments.” Sierra
moved behind Cassie, placed a palm on each side of her ears, and
tilted her head to the right. “Remember, people always lean right.
Always tilt your head right. Otherwise, you’ll crash into his
nose.” Sierra rubbed the bridge of her nose. “And maybe avoid guys
with braces. You don't want to get cut up if he crashes into
you.”
    “Don't think of them as braces. Think of them
as teeth jewelry.” Brooke grinned widely, showing off her own
braces. “She’s right about your head though. Tilt right.”
    Brooke revealed row two-- SCHOOL PLAY .
“There's a whole lot of kissing in this year's play. Sierra and
I’ll throw our auditions. You’ll look so good in comparison, you'll
get the lead.”
    Audition for the play so she could get
kissed? Cassie hoped no one discovered her reason for auditioning.
Cringe.
    Sierra thrust out her chest and the banner’s
word sweet winked at Cassie. She hated the way the banner
mocked her, but she cringed at the idea of going out for the school
play. What if she didn’t get a part? What if she did? How could she
get out of this? “If I'm acting, wouldn't he be kissing the
character? Not me.”
    Brooke ticked off the rules with her fingers.
“The kiss fits all our criteria--male, human, on the lips--it will
count.”
    Sierra revealed the last of today’s steps. KISS KIT . She upended a red, sequin-covered bag, shaped like
lips. The contents of the bag clattered to the coffee table:
toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, and berry-breeze mints.
    “Subtle.” Brooke grinned.
    “The kiss kit goes in your locker.” Sierra
rattled the purple plastic mint container. “We'll start you on the
berry breeze. They attract creative guys, like band geeks.”
    Did Cassie want to attract the creative type?
Didn’t she want a straight arrow on her first try? Was Ryan
creative? Their freshman year, he’d molded a gym sock into an
ashtray and won ‘most original.’ Maybe the mint would attract
Ryan.
     
     

Chapter Four – Dinner

    Spencer passed the salad to Cassie without
taking any. He had no interest in vegetation. He coveted what was
in the slow cooker in front of Dad. The rich aroma of pot roast had
wafted through the house all day, taunting them.
    “So Cass, what are you plans for this
weekend?” Dad asked.
    Spencer answered first. “The school
carnival’s Saturday.” He heaped mashed potatoes on his plate and
put the serving dish beside his placemat.
    Cassie added salad to her plate and poked
Spencer’s hand with the tongs until he scooted the mashed potatoes
her way. “The school carnival and maybe shop for a Spring Fling
dress?”
    Dad sliced into the roast, cutting it into
large wedges. “Don’t you already have a dress?”
    Mom said, “We bought her formal last year,
dear, when she was a freshman.”
    “Well, that’s a dress, isn’t it?” Dad took a
drink of his iced tea, swallowed, then breathed in a deep
appreciative breath of the roast. He put two large slices onto his
plate.
    “I’ve already worn it.”
    Spencer held out both hands for the pan of
roast, a look of hunger on his features. Mom dropped his napkin
back in his lap, striving to keep him civilized.
    “How many times?” Dad asked.
    “Once.” Cassie knew she’d said the wrong
thing. She looked over to Mom for an assist, but Spenser consumed
her attention with his antics. Right now, he held his