Page 129 of Five Summers

Poppy ends the call and turns off her phone.

Spontaneous laughter bursts out of me, a liberating sensation that has been absent from my life for so many years.

“Don’t laugh,” she says, playfully slapping my arm. “I could totally get my ass handed to me when I go back to the hotel, or worse, get sent packing.”

“Don’t worry. No one is going to make you leave.”

“How can you be so sure about that, especially when dealing with Reg? That man’s temper is off the charts. When I first met him, he was good at hiding his hot temper.”

“Yeah, he acts all professional when he's in the spotlight. But in private, he becomes a total asshole, spewing a bunch of crap.”

A ringing phone grabs our attention, causing us to turn our heads to see Neil answer his phone.

“What’s up?” Neil greets, his deep voice resonating.

"That's probably Reg," Poppy says. “He’s probably asking Neil the same question.”

“No, Sir. I haven’t seen Xander,” Neil replies. “But if I do, I’ll keep you updated.”

Poppy giggles, her shoulders shaking with laughter. “Why am I suddenly having so much fun annoying Reg?”

I know I should head back to the hotel because Reg can be a real pain and he won't quit searching. But screw it, all I want is more time with Poppy. I love when she lets her guard down and talks with no animosity. I've been dying to kiss her ever since I saw her at the bar that night.

Damn, I’m already back to that with her. She's the only one I've locked lips with. Many have tried, but I’ve never felt such a strong desire to be close to someone like I do with her. The urge to lean in and kiss her is undeniable, even though she has made it clear that she wants nothing to do with me now. But you know what? I don’t care. So fuck it. I won’t let that stop me from trying. Holding back has never been my style, and this is a chance to find out if she truly hates me.

I sit up, fixing my wig so I don’t blow my cover and ruin this moment of kissing her. The last thing I want is some groupie barging in and wrecking the moment. As I move closer to her, I see this confused look on her face, like she's trying to figure out what I'm doing.

I seize the chance and make my move.

As I hold the side of her face, our lips meet, igniting a powerful surge of desire within me. For a brief moment, she hesitates, her body tensing before completely surrendering. The warmth of her lips against mine triggers a rush of familiarity, and I cherish the soft moan as I tenderly explore her mouth with my tongue. As the kiss deepens, she matches my passion, and at that moment, I find my answer. She still desires me just as strongly as I desire her. Despite her outward demeanor suggesting otherwise, her actions unveil the truth.

As my hand moves over her body, I can feel the warmth radiating from her skin through the thin fabric of her shirt. The thought of undressing her consumes my mind, as I yearn torelive the fervor of our past encounters. But as quickly as that thought enters my head, her hands come in between us and she forcefully pushes me away.

“God, what am I doing? This can’t be happening again,” she says, her face displaying complete disbelief at her own behavior. Her expression swiftly shifts from shock to anger. With a stern look, she fixes me with a serious glare.

"You can pretend all you want, Princess," I say, smirking. “I can see through your act. Quit playing games and be real.”

“An act? You honestly think this is all an act?” Her voice escalates, and I can tell she’s struggling to find the right words.

It’s a little disappointing because I was hoping for her usual sassy comeback. However, she shakes her head, trying to regain control of her emotions. I’m still in disbelief that she kissed me back. I can’t help but smirk, knowing that if she felt nothing for me, she would have reacted angrily and left. Yet, here she is, still sitting beside me. It gives me all the answers I need and makes me realize that there’s still a chance for a fresh start with her. This time, there is no way I’m going to fuck it up.

“Stop staring at me like that,” she snaps back, her irritation prompting a reaction.

"Enough of this crap already," I respond.

"You're the one talking crap," she replies, crossing her arms, clearly annoyed.

I lean forward, closing the gap between us until our faces are almost touching.

She takes a sharp inhale in response to my close proximity.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought, Princess. You can pretend all you want, but there’s no denying it.” I lean in and press a kiss to the side of her face. “Let me know when you’re ready to admit the truth. Goodnight, Princess. Get some rest; we have a busy day tomorrow.” I get up and leave her there alone on the grass as I make my way over to Neil.

“Asshole!” Poppy says, letting me know I’ve hit a nerve.

I can’t help but grin, relishing in the impact of the truth now that it’s out there.

I stop in front of Neil. “I'll be good getting back to the hotel. Stay with Poppy and please let me know when she is back safe in her room.”

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