Page 56 of Fire Fight

A few minutes into the film, he laughs, licking his thumb and wiping it across my cheek. “Messy. How did you get chocolate there? That’s the last time you’re allowed an ice cream.”

Our eyes lock, his thumb still resting on my cheek and my body arcs towards him, deciding to give that failed kiss another try.

Then Drake’s elbow bumps my hip as he struggles to remove his jacket, and the moment passes. He drapes the top across his lap, long enough that the collar reaches most of the way across mine as well, but I bite my tongue. It hardly matters.

I snuggle closer to Hudson, occupied more by ignoring Drake than I am by the movie. Luckily, it’s an action-comedy and light on the plot.

A half hour in, I feel Drake move beside me. A second later, his hand lands on my thigh.

My back stiffens, worried Hudson will see, but his gaze remains fixed on the screen, oblivious to what’s happening. Even if he glanced across, the jacket hides Drake’s wandering hand.

I shift my leg, but he adjusts.

I try to peel away his fingers, but it’s like trying to budge steel.

Hudson checks my face as I shift again, still getting nowhere. I manage a vague smile, biting on my lower lip while digging my nails into the back of Drake’s hand. A trick that might work if the manicurist hadn’t clipped them short, despairing of their thick ridges and chipped edges, leaving them a poor substitute for a fork.

I face forward, grimly keeping my eyes fixed to the screen while Drake slowly plucks back my hem until his fingertips brush across my bare thigh.

My jaw clenches, leg stiffening in silent protest. Shivers unfurl from my lower back until I tremble against the seat.

“Are you cold?” Hudson whispers and I don’t need to see Drake’s face to know his lips are twitching with pleasure at his effect on me.

Hudson takes my left hand between both of his, warming me when a bucket of ice water is what I need. I try to will my hand into a positive response, but his grip is too moist with sweat to enjoy.

Then the soft graze of Drake’s fingertips ventures higher, causing a riot of reactions though he barely grazes my skin. My body melts into the seat, searing heat marking each feather light touch.

My stomach flutters as his knuckle grazes the outside of my panties. I try to shift again but the clench of my thigh muscles makes everything a thousand times more intense. Better… and far, far worse.

I abruptly stand, tripping over Drake’s long legs, pushing past his date to reach the aisle.

“Are you okay?” Hudson asks, following me with far more grace.

“Yeah. Sorry. I just need the bathroom.” I take his hand to give it a reassuring squeeze, tears welling behind my eyes at the continuing absence of any tingle, any spark, anyhintof chemistry. “Go back to your seat.” I press a light kiss to his lips. “I’ll be five minutes.”

When I reach the sterile bathroom, it’s blessedly empty. I brace my hands on the cold counter, eyes closed, breathing through my nose.

Once I’ve regained enough equilibrium to check my expression, my cheeks are flushed, eyes too bright. Because I’m leaning forward, the neck of my dress gapes a little and I see the fading remnants of Drake’s warning.

The fire sparks in my eyes as I straighten.

Stop being ridiculous.

If only it were that easy. I tug the back of the dress until its neckline rises to obscure the text. The words should read,CAUTION: IDIOT because it’s what I am for letting him get to me so easily. For allowing him to make me flustered.

I run cold water on my wrists until my chest loosens, tidying my new hairstyle with my fingers.

The door opens and I glance over, muscles seizing as Drake pushes the pneumatic door closed to shut us in together.

“Are you all right?” he asks in a teasing voice. “You seemed a little heated just now.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

CADENCE

“You can’t—”He closes the distance in one long stride, edging behind me to clamp a hand across my mouth, cutting off my words.

His lips seek my ear, breath fluttering my newly styled hair as he chuckles, then whispers, “Pretty sure I not only can but just did.”

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