Pass Interference by Natalie Brock Page A

of the trees right next to the walking path across from the bench. “Ooh, this is so pretty.” Sara reached up and gently cupped a flower in her hand.
    “It’s an orange blossom, the state flower,” Philip told her. “That’s how oranges start out.”
    Sara put her nose to the blossom and closed her eyes. She inhaled a bittersweet citrus scent that reminded her of a freshly baked lemon muffin. “ Mmmm . So fragrant.”
    “You can pick it.”
    She turned and looked at Philip over her shoulder, and then she looked back at the flower. “Oh, no. I should leave it, give it a chance to become a fruit.”
    “It’s okay,” he promised. “The time has passed for that one. Go ahead, pick it,” he urged.
    Sara gently plucked the blossom from its stem and twirled it between her fingers.
    “Come here,” Philip said. Sara approached Philip. He took the flower from her hand and patted a spot next to him on the bench. “Come sit. I want to show you something.”
    Sara took a seat next to Philip, still focused on the flower he was holding. Her eyes widened a little when he reached out and raked her hair with his fingers. He placed the blossom stem behind her ear, letting his fingers trail downward until they reached the back of her neck. He gently pulled her toward him until their lips met in a soft, sweet, unexpected kiss.
    Sara leaned away and looked at Philip with some surprise. She felt her heart thumping harder and wasn’t sure what to do or say. “Why did you do that?” she asked, with a hint of wonder in her voice.
    He stifled a laugh. “Why does any guy kiss a girl?” he asked, almost in a whisper.
    Sara looked downward, somewhat embarrassed. She should never have asked why he kissed her. That was a stupid question, and now she’d put him on the defensive and didn’t mean to. She kicked herself for spoiling their first kiss. “I don’t know. Maybe he’s lonely.”
    “Maybe. Or maybe he likes her. A lot.” Sara lifted her eyes and met Philip’s gaze. “And I think maybe she likes him too.”
    Sara didn’t want Philip to see the smile on her face or know how much those words and that kiss meant to her. She thought she should appear nonchalant, so she looked downward again, feeling her face redden.
    But Philip didn’t let her stay that way for long. He touched her chin with his index finger so she’d look at him again. Then he leaned closer and kissed her a second time, wrapping his arm behind her neck and pulling her closer. She relaxed and allowed herself to return the kiss this time. When he leaned away without releasing his hold, they looked at each other for a long moment, and she could no longer hide her smile.
    “What time is it?” she asked, feeling the need to fill the silence.
    He took his phone out of his pocket with his other hand and turned on the display. “It’s five fifteen. I guess we should go get my dad.”
    He stood up and held out his hand. When she took it, he ran his thumb back and forth over the top of her hand. Then he picked up his crutches, and they walked back toward the grove entrance.

Chapter Thirteen
    After dinner, Diane drove Sara over to the SunMart where Sara bought a couple of changes of underwear, but right now she was more interested in the outerwear. When they returned to the house, Sara excused herself to let Philip have some alone time with his parents, while she took the opportunity to rummage through Kelly’s closet, hoping to find some cute clothes that fit. If she was going to be here a few days, she’d need more than the clothes she had on her back. And if she couldn’t find something that fit, she’d need to make another trip into town and do a little shopping, something she hoped to avoid, considering the crowds of holiday shoppers.
    Each time she tried on a garment and looked in the mirror, she tried to see herself through Philip’s eyes. Now that she knew he was interested in her, she couldn’t help but wonder what he would think of her in this