Drake and I are panting, trying to catch our breath after the impromptu light saber battle. That got intense. I'm collapsed on the couch and Drake is up in his loft, lying defeated (if I say so myself) on his bed. I turn my head in his general direction.

"That *breathe* was one of the *breathe* best parties *breathe* I was ever not invited to."

"I know man. Actually, this entire night has been pretty awesome, even if we weren't invited to some of it."

"Yeah…things did turn out pretty awesome. Hey, I got that girl's number! Can you believe it?"

"Check the napkin," he says unamused. I pull out the napkin from the restaurant we all stopped at, where I fully expected to see a hot brunette's number…oh look, a smiley face and a "sorry." That's okay. I can deal with it.

"Well?" Drake asks. Aww, like he doesn't KNOW the ANSWER. Dealing, dealing, no biggie. Been blown off before.

"…Yeah, well…It was still a pretty good night. But you know," No lie, I'm just a bit peeved with him now. He probably got both those girls' numbers. He didn't have to be so blasé about it and so cruel about the me getting blown off. "You know, we wouldn't have gotten into the mess we did if YOU didn't just Have to kiss EVERY SINGLE FEMALE YOU SEE."

"Hey! I do NOT kiss every girl I see." I sit up and give him a "really" face. "I only kiss all the attractive girls I see." Oh, right. Forgot that lil distinction.

"Okay, come on, but you cannot be THAT good a kisser."

"What!" He's sitting up now. "Josh Nichols, you take back your words."

"No I will not. You're so called 'mad lip skills' got us kicked out of an AMAZING party tonight! I know things worked out okay, but that was only after being pursued for 12 blocks by Hon Duelo and Hewbaka as they waved light sabers at us."

"Dude I'm sorry. It's just, like, my lips have this irresistible pull that has a strange power over girls. I can't help it if my lip-irresistibility doesn't filter out the taken girls from the availables."

"Oh that is the lamest excuse I have ever heard! You're lips are not that irresistible. I've been resisting them for years with great success. And ANOTHER thing! You really can't just…"

I continue to fuss at Drake for his irresponsible actions, but something changes in him as I speak. It's like realization dawning, an idea brewing. I've seen that look on Megan's face. He's getting a wicked idea. As I move on to the topic of bad things to yell back at raging Woorkies as they chase you down the street, Drake gets up and advanced towards me. I'm still ranting when he sits down on the sofa beside me. I had planned to go right on yellin' as if he hadn't moved but then, he gives me this…look.

He lowers his face, sets his jaw in a wickedly happy position that was strangely frightening and alluring, and looks slowly up into my eyes with a dark and intense stare.

"Josh," he says in a hushed and amused voice, "are you questioning my kissing ability?"

Even though his words are technically a counter argument and therefore…arguing…they feel like smooth melted silver and smell like maple syrup. A shiver ran down my spine.

I try to hold his stare as I answer. "M-maybe." Wow, Joshie, that was certainly as bold and courageous a come-back y'ever did hear.

"Really," he practically purrs.

"Y-yeah. A-hem. I mean…heh, H-how can you possibly be that good a kisser? I mean, you're kissing skills are supposedly so legendary that they tear girls away from their boyfriends and create CATASTRAPHEES like this one? I mean…come on! WHAT could all the fuss…be… about… " I had started to think I could hold up under this, but then he…moved…closer…to me. He takes a glance down at my lips and then flips his eyes back up to mine. I feel burned by the intensity of that stare and my voice just dies in my throat.

"You wanna know what all the fuss is about, Josh?" Another flicker of his gaze down to my mouth, which I might add, is now limp and slightly parted like a dead fish's.

The only response I can manage with a paralyzed mouth like this one is a vague "huh" noise that could have been taken to mean just about anything.

The way Drake speaks now could only be described as breathing his words. "Oh. I'll show you what it's all about."

And then—he kissed me.

And I think I am beginning to see what the fuss is all about. It's not just his lips. I will never describe this ability of his as "mad lip skills" again because now I see that it's not just his lips. They're just a fraction of it. It's the way he takes your whole being by the mouth and moves you to his will, holds you safe and sound with the mere force of his lips.

His tongue begins to run ever so lightly over my bottom lip, then a suck and a tiny nip and I think I'm gasping. He takes this moment. Our previously mild kiss becomes something more as he brings a hand up to my neck, cradling me by the back of my head and pulls me in closer. His mouth sucks at mine and the pressure of his lips, ever-changing, ever-present, and all encompassing is amazing. A gasp for air as he pulls back to change angles. My lips parted, he takes his tongue and touches parts of me that no other soul has. I pull him in, suck on his welcome, intruding tongue. He moans (moans for me) and his whole body moves in closer.

His other arm comes up to rest along mine, gripping at my elbow and yet holding so gently that I feel as though I could fly away if he's not careful. I grab onto his arm too and try to pull him tighter into this. Suddenly I'm afraid he'll leave. My lips move furiously against his. His own answer, tugging and sucking at me. His hand on my neck moves up into my hair and grips. I groan into his mouth as he runs those fingers through my hair and moves his mouth all over my own. Then just as I wonder with what little cognitive ability I have left if this is about to go even further—it stops.

As he pulls back and again turns his simmering, golden-brown eyes on me, I find that I can look back into them with the same intensity now. I mean, I-I doubt mine has the same effect, but at least I can hold his gaze. It's like we're joined still, but in a way much deeper than what any kiss could achieve. Staring into his eyes, I realize that I can completely understand that girl now. How could anyone NOT kiss this boy? For some reason, girls just have this foreknowledge that Drake's kisses are that good before they kiss him.

Oh god I want more.

"Josh?" I realize I'm staring. He sounds concerned. I try to answer him, but apparently my speech systems aren't quite back on line yet because my voice gets stuck and when I finally find it, it's tiny.

"yeah…umm, that…that was good."

Drake smiles, "I know," he states. And it's as if he glows a little brighter now.

My voice is starting to feel more alive. "hmm. Just one question though. Why?"

"Why?"

"Yes, why did you kiss me?"

"You said you wanted me to," he says so matter-of-fact.

"Uh, I most certainly did not."

"Josh, I run up to random girls and kiss them and it always works out. I talk to a girl for a matter of minutes and know if she wants me to kiss her or not. That's not all charm and good looks. I mean…that's a lot of it." I roll my eyes. "But it's also skill. I can read a person's body language faster than you can read an article on the latest scientific find." He smirks at me, and if I'm not imagining things he gave me a look-over.

"Drake."

"Yes?"

"Could you teach me how to say 'kiss me again, for the love of god' in body language?"

"Oh yes I can, brotha. Yes I can."