Page 5 of The Sound of Us

“Skye…?” he whispered like he knew my thoughts, like he could see into my heart. His breath brushed over my lips, sending a flush of heat through my veins that made my body tremble.

I reached up and pulled him down to me, and anything else he had to say was lost the moment our mouths pressed together.

Some great song intros are long and complex, but in Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On,” three simple notes let you know you’re about to be treated to five minutes of soul-deep sensuality. Dante’s kiss moved through me like the rhythm of that song. I melted against him, slowly unraveling as he eased my lips apart. His tongue glided along mine, sending a wave of heat rippling over my skin. I knotted my fists in his shirt and pulled him closer. He groaned low and deep in his throat, and then his arms wrapped around me, and for a moment we were one body, not two.

“Dude.” The voice behind us was laced with irritation. “Break it up. I need to switch out this amp and we’re on in twenty.”

Dante froze and pulled away, breaking the spell. For the briefest of moments, I’d forgotten we weren’t alone in the darkness, that I wasn’t the kind of woman who kissed strangers in dark alleys, that I might very well be leaving and wouldn’t be back.

A gust of cold air blew through the alley, and I gave an involuntary shiver. Dante’s gaze dropped to my arms.

“You’re cold.”

“I’ll be fine once I get back inside.”

“Wait here.” He disappeared into the van and returned a few moments later with an oversize black hoodie. It had a stylized bonfire on the front with the wordsDante’s Infernowritten across it.

I traced over the embroidered lettering. “It’s got a retro look. I like it.”

He hesitated, his mouth opening like he wanted to say something. Instead, he held out the hoodie, his voice quiet, controlled. “Hands up.”

Without giving it much thought, I obediently raised my arms. Dante carefully pulled the hoodie over my head, blanketing me in warmth, his voice dropping to a sensual rumble. “Good girl.”

My brain short-circuited, my face heating to what felt like one thousand degrees, and an unexpected wave of desire pulsed through my veins.

If only he knew.

I’d spent my entire life trying to be a good girl. I’d put aside my love of music and my interest in journalism to join the school basketball team so my father, a former NBA player, could live his dream of playing professionally through me. But it was never enough. I was never enough. I’d never thought that my deepest darkest self might harbor a secret craving. A need that might manifest itself as a rush of white-hot heat, a fire kindled by praise that flamed and licked and begged for more.

Dante tugged the sweatshirt over my head and gently pulled myhair free while I studied the worn, brown leather of his boots. My heart pounded, my traitorous body trembling. I tried to smooth my expression so he wouldn’t know he’d pushed a button I didn’t even know I had.

When I finally looked up, our gazes met, locked with an intensity that made it difficult to swallow.

“Skye…”

I felt everything in that one word… how much he wanted me, how badly I wanted him, how deep he saw inside me. It scared the hell out of me.

“Dante!” the same dude shouted from the open doorway. “You’ve been working that bitch up for over half an hour. Save the groupies for after the show. Christ, how many times are you gonna make us set up without you while you hit up some chick? It’s not fair, bruh. We all want to get laid.”

How many times?

Dante’s face hardened. “Shut the fuck up, Quinn.”

The guy who walked into the alley had a broad, craggy face, straight black hair that hid his eyes, and a thick, muscular body. He smirked knowingly as his gaze slid to me. “You’ve got ten minutes to give him what he’s after, honey, or you’re gonna have to wait until after the show like all the other girlies he’s got lined up for tonight.”

I felt a pain in my chest and had to fight back the overwhelming urge to turn and run. Even with my clothes on, I felt naked in the alley, on display for everyone to see.

Idiot.I should have known. Guys that gorgeous thought they could have anyone they wanted. This had been a game to him, and I didn’t want to play anymore.

“Iz,” I called out. “We need to get going.”

Isla took one look at me and turned off her vape. She exchanged numbers with Scott and caught up with me by the door.

“If you want to stay…” I began.

“We came together. We leave together,” she said. “Also, you look like someone ripped out your heart. I’m not about to let you go home alone.”

I couldn’t have loved her more.

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