Page 78 of A Taste Of Darkness

A tender smile began to pull on the corners of his lips, so soft it could’ve been velvet had he been a fabric. He reached out to cradle my face in his hands. His thumbs traced a gentle path across my cheeks, igniting a thrill that surged through my body.

My heart raced as we sat there, just inches apart, our eyes locked in a silent exchange of longing and desire.

I leaned in, narrowing the gap between our faces, unsure whether this was the right time to kiss him.

With a delicate motion, Milo closed the remaining distance between us.

The anticipation, the fluttering of my heart, and the warmth of his breath upon my lips all merged into a perfect moment of pure connection.

Our lips met, softly at first, like the gentle caress of a feather.

It was a kiss filled with the promise of something deeper, a promise of safety, and protection. A kiss with a promise of something so beautiful, I could feel my world light up with hope.

As time slipped away, our kiss grew more passionate, and the world around us melted into a heady mix of emotions.

The smell of the ocean lingered in the air, and his lips tasted a bit like salt water, but it only enhanced the feeling of being carried away by the intoxicating moment.

Our bodies pressed closer, and it felt like the universe had conspired to bring us together. I mean, what were the odds that it was his family I ran into years ago, that Milo found me, and that he saved me?

What were the odds that he would become my sister’s best friend one day and that he would put his life on the line just to follow me here?

As we finally pulled away, our eyes met once more, and in that moment, I saw whole universes in his gaze. I saw a future filled with promises; this was just the beginning of something extraordinary.

39

FIRST TOUCH

Sterlie Adams

“Are you sure?” Milo asked as he looked at me with concern in his eyes.

I nodded and before I took off his jacket and pulled my dress over my head, I drew out a long exhalation. “I’m sure.”

“You know anyone could see us, right?” He looked around us, only to make sure we were still alone.

It’d been a while since we got to the beach, it was probably two in the morning by now. Nobody was still around, and if someone was, we didn’t see them.

It wasn’t freezing, but it wasn’t warm either. Nobody was stupid enough to take a walk by the beach at this time of day.

I now sat in front of Milo in just my swimwear. The very swimwear I didn’t even need as I wasn’t planning on getting into the water anyway, but now I was glad I wore it. Only rarely was I wearing some sort of bra underneath my dresses, so the bikini top came in handy.

“We’re alone,” I said.

Milo shook his head. “My security can see us.”

I looked around us one more time, confused because I still couldn’t see a single soul. “I thought it was just the two of us here.”

“Well, yes in some way. They’re watching the area to be sure we have enough time to run in case my family shows up.”

“Are they watching us?”

“No.”

As my eyes narrowed at his response, a smile began to tug on his lips just before he rolled his eyes. To me, it made sense that they were watching us. What if someone snuck past Milo’s security and they were now attacking us? His security wouldn’t have noticed.

“They don’t have permission to look at you,” he admitted.

I cocked my head, though I finally knew why all ten of them refused to glance at me, even when I was talking to them. “Why?”

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