Tell me what you think!

He holds me tightly, prodding my mouth open slightly. I allow him to and bring my hands to his neck. He pulls me closer and moves one hand up my back and messes with my braid. It takes me longer than it should've to realize what I was doing. I bring my hands from his neck and push him back.

"Peeta!" I shout. I bring my hand up and smack him across the face.

He grabs his face and moves his jaw a couple times. "Katniss, I'm sorry," he says. "I just . . ."

"You what?" I snap. "Do you just kiss every girl you see?"

"No!" Peeta says. "God, Katniss, I just . . ."

"You just what?" I shout. "God! Speak!"

"I think you're the prettiest girl I've ever seen!" Peeta shouts. "God! Are you happy now?"

"You think . . . what?" I ask.

"I think you're the prettiest girl I've ever seen," he repeats, quieter this time. "When I saw you in the window of Mr. Abernathy's house, I felt . . . drawn to you. I had to get close to you and I've been wanting to kiss you since I saw you in science and . . . well, say something."

I pause. "I . . . I didn't come here for some romance, Peeta. I came here because I had too."

He comes closer to me and grabs my hands. "Tell me you didn't feel something during that kiss," Peeta says. "Tell me you didn't like it."

I look down. "I . . . can't tell you that."

Peeta grins and tries to kiss me again, but I back away.

"I can't be with you," I say.

"Why?" Peeta says. "Give me one good reason why."

I pull my hands away. "I'm sorry." I run back up to Haymitch's house and open the door. Prim and Haymitch haven't even finished breakfast.

"So, what was that about not being boyfriend and girlfriend?" Prim says. I narrow my eyes at her and go to my room. I sit down on my bed and put my head in my hands. I try to put together a coherent thought, but the only thing that comes to mind is Peeta's lips on mine. Peeta's hands on my back, holding me close to him. Peeta's hair between my fingers . . . I force myself to stop. I shake my head and try to think of something different. I walk to my window and I see Peeta sitting by himself on the beach, staring at the ocean.

I sit in my room alone for the next few hours and Peeta sits out on the deserted beach. Haymitch knocks on my door and sticks his head into the room. "You should probably tell that kid to go home," Haymitch says. "He's freaking Prim out."

"You tell him," I say.

"He's not my responsibility," Haymitch says.

"He's not mine, either," I say.

"I didn't kiss him," Haymitch says.

"You suck, Haymitch," I say, getting up and walking to the back door. I walk down to the beach.

"Peeta? You should go," I say.

He turns around and stands up quickly. "Katniss," he says.

"You should go," I repeat.

"I'm not leaving here until you give me a reason," he says.

I pause. "My father just died," I say. "My mother's in the looney bin. I'm broken, Peeta! You don't want a broken girl."

"You're not broken," he says. "That wasn't a reason. Give me another one."

"I'm not very nice, Peeta," I say softly.

He laughs. "That hasn't scared me away yet."

"Peeta," I say.

"Tell me you don't like me," Peeta says. "Tell me you're not attracted to me. Tell me you don't want this too."

I look down at the sand.

I can't lie to him.

"That's what I thought," Peeta says. He grabs my waist and pulls me to him, planting his lips on mine again. I bring my hands to his hair and he pulls me closer. When he pulls away, he grins widely. "You're very good at that."

I smile. "Peeta, I don't know anything about you."

"What do you want to know?" he says.

"Why didn't you tell me you were such a good athlete?" I ask.

He laughs. "I started right after my mom died. It was a good way to release aggression. Now, if I quit, everyone will kill me."

"So you don't like it?" I ask.

He shrugs. "It's nothing I'm going to pursue when I get older."

I nod. "Aren't people supposed to get to know each other before they . . . kiss?"

He laughs. "I don't normally do things in order. And now that I've started kissing you, I won't be able to stop."

I smile. "It's too late in the day to be able to do the parks," Peeta says. "We can do them tomorrow. Can I take you to dinner?"

I nod.

He grabs my hand and we walk towards the pier.

June 2013

"Peeta's here, Katniss," Prim calls from the living room. I run from my room, wave goodbye, and walk to the driveway to Peeta's car. I get in the passenger's side and his lips are on mine immediately. I kiss him back.

"Hello," he says, grinning.

"Hi," I say.

He kisses me again before putting the car in reverse and driving off. "How was the first day of summer?" he asks.

"I don't like that you have football conditioning," I say.

"Did you miss me?" he teases.

"I'm used to spending eight hours a day with you," I say.

"It's only this week," Peeta promises. "And then I'm yours every day except Wednesdays. I work on Wednesdays."

"I know," I say. "Haymitch is going back to work. Nine to five, five days a week."

"Really?" Peeta says. "Wow."

"Yeah," I nod. "So we'll probably spend a lot of time hanging around my house. We can't leave Prim alone."

Peeta nods. "I like Prim. And we can take her places, too."

"She'd like that," I say. "Where are we going?"

He grins. "My house."

I turn to look at him. "Your house?"

He nods. "If that's okay. My brothers and my dad are out. You can see the bakery and my room."

"You know, I'm going to have to meet your family eventually," I say. "You've had dinner with mine more times than I can count."

He shrugs. "My family's nothing like yours."

I know there's more but I let it drop. "I'd like to see your house," I say.

He grins and drives the car behind the bakery. "We live above the bakery," he says. He guides me inside and shows me the bakery. "This is where I work," he says simply.

"Are there any cookies here?" I ask.

He laughs. "There are tons of cookies here."

He takes me up the stairs and guides me to the room at the end of the hallway. "This is my room," he says. He opens the door. There's a queen bed in the corner by the window. There's a TV on the dresser and books and worksheets strewn over his desk. The floor is mainly clean with a few t-shirts and shorts on it.

"It's little," I say.

Peeta laughs. "So is yours."

"But you're way bigger than me," I say.

"Is that a fat joke?" he teases.

"Definitely," I say.

He grins and wraps his arms around my waist. He kisses me gently at first, but I prod his mouth open and intensify it. He backs me onto the bed and climbs on top of me. I pull him down on the bed and roll on top of him. He puts his hands in the back pocket of my jeans and we lay like this for a long time.

When I pull away, he grins. "This is going to be a great summer," he says.