“You taste even better than I imagined,” he breathes, pulling back to rest his forehead against mine.
Our breaths mix, fragrant and ragged. Until we kiss again. With each touch, a soft sigh escapes his lips in a blissful tune that heals my soul.
But a sudden burst of fireworks fractures the sky, showering us in brilliant colors. The crowd cheers.
My hands slip from his hair to his chest, his wild heartbeat thudding against my palms.
Another loud bang from the fireworks above startles us. Kai’s eyes flick to the side, scanning the crowd with a sharpness that shifts the atmosphere. For a moment, his expression hardens, the shadows of his past creeping in.
“False alert,” he scoffs.
I turn in his arms to have a better view of the fireworks, and despite my ruined dress, my matty wet hair, and the sludge in my sandals, there’s nowhere I’d rather be.
Kai’s mood switches with the sparkle of the flares. He snakes his arms around me and watches the bursts.
“It’s beautiful,” I whisper.
He peeks down at me, his expression relaxed for a short moment. “Very.”
I bite my lip, feeling that damned pull again. The fireworks reflect in Kai’s eyes, capturing their flickering colors. His arms tighten their grip, grounding me against the night’s mayhem. We stand like that until the pyrotechnics are over.
“Ready to go home?”
I just nod.
We exit the public area and head toward my car, holding hands. Once inside, Kai turns to face me and smiles. “That was fun...”
“It was,” I reply.It was incredible.
Kai chuckles deeply, his eyes twinkling as he studies me. The sensation drives a jolt straight to my core, but it’s not arousal. It’s softer. More wholesome.
My smile dies with his side-eye at the back seat.
That’s hot.
I glare at the two teddy bears sitting in the very place I want to be in right now. But I would need a few tequila shots to have enough courage to live out the scenario playing in my mind.
Kai’s tongue darts out to wet his lips, and my traitor mouth lets out a freaking needy whine. My thighs clench visibly. His eyes snap back to me, and for a second, I swear I can see his nostrils flare.
His stubble isn’t long enough to cover his lips but would certainly rasp against the softer skin of my inner thighs.
I want it.
He releases a ragged breath. “Cutie, goddamn it…” he grunts. “Let’s go.”
My heart drums a chaotic rhythm. “But...”
I don’t want to!
The world outside the car fades away. It’s just us, tangled in an invisible web of desire and defiance.
Kai’s lips parted slightly as if he was already tasting me. His eyes flicker to where my breasts strain against the confines of my dress, and a low growl rumbles within him.
His hand loosens around mine. “We need to get out of here before patrollers decide to check up on us.” He points at two police officers strolling the parking.
And because I’m missing multiple connections in my brain, I put on a big, naïve smile and wave at them with the intensity of a four-year-old waving at Santa Claus. They both wave back with puzzled faces.
A laughing sniff escapes Kai’s nose.