Page 117 of Beautiful Collide

I make a left and head down one of the back hallways, then I turn another corner. This place is a maze, but right now, I welcome it.

In the corner, outside a closet, is a stack of crates holding equipment.

I glance around, confirming we’re alone. “This will have to do.”

She furrows her brows. “What will have to do?”

I maneuver us so we’re hidden out of sight.

Once we’re blocked by the walls, I turn to face her. “I can’t stop thinking about you.”

Her eyes widen at my admission, she looks stunned.

Her lips twitch into a grin.

Reckless Molly is coming out to play.

Molly flips her hair over her shoulder. “Let me get this straight . . . you just won your game, and you’re thinking about me?”

“Yeah.” I move closer, my fingers toying with the edge of her shirt. “That’s right.”

Molly opens her mouth, most likely to fire back a witty rebuttal, but whatever she’s about to say dies on her lips the moment I cup her cheeks and bring my mouth to hers.

The kiss isn’t soft or gentle.

It’s filled with want and desire. Fueled by weeks—years—of tension.

Molly’s fingers clutch the front of my shirt, pulling me closer yet pushing me away at the same time.

This woman is one big contradiction.

But as long as she kisses me back, I don’t care.

She freezes for half a second.

A sound penetrates my ears. Footsteps, maybe. But I don’t care. I’m lost in this woman. All that matters is how she feels. How she tastes. The world could implode, and I wouldn’t fucking care.

“Hudson?” It’s Mason. The fucker has the worst timing on the planet. “You back here?”

Shit.

Molly jerks back like she’s been electrocuted.

Her hands press against my chest to create space between us, but I don’t budge. Her breath hitches, and for a split second, she looks as rattled as I feel.

I don’t let her get far.

I cage her in without thinking, one hand braced against the wall beside her, the other curling loosely around her waist.

My heart slams in my chest, hammering against my ribs like it’s trying to escape.

I look down at Molly. Her eyes are wide, and her cheeks are flush, pink streaking up from her neck to the tips of her ears.

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to kiss her again, Mason be damned.

She sucks in a breath, her chest rising and falling against mine. Her lips are still parted, still red.Still mine.

I lift my finger to my mouth to signal for her to be quiet.

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