Page 10 of Pieces

“So, are you staying near here? Can I walk you back to Liv so she doesn’t chop my balls off?”

She chuckles lightly. “I’m at the Lake Hotel.”

“Oh, me too.”

There’s something unspoken in her expression, her eyes wide but sure. “Shall we…”

“Get out of here?” I finish for her, my voice rougher now, like gravel giving way to smoke.

With an eager nod, she bites her lip again, and something tight unravels inside me. I’ve been trying to hold on to my self-control all night, but it’s useless.

“Let’s go,” I say as I stand and hold out my hand for her.

I leave cash to cover our tab and the tip, then we’re weaving through the tables and pushing through the door and into the cool night air. It’s sharp against my skin, a shock to my overheated system.

The distant hum of traffic and the soft slap of our footsteps on the sidewalk fill the spaces where my brain should be coming up with reasons to slow this down. But there’s nothing. No second-guessing. Just her hand in mine, her hair catching in the wind and smiles on both of our faces.

“I can’t remember which way, do you know?” she asks, glancing up at me as we round the corner.

I nod toward the old brick building a block away. “There.”

She slows as we reach the steps, her eyes flicking to mine. I wonder if she’s about to change her mind, if reality is about to crash down on both of us. But then she’s leaning closer and squeezing my hand. She hesitates for a second, so I push forward, our bodies touching at every curve.

I swallow the sudden nerves erupting in my throat. “Daphne?”

She licks her lips. “Hm?” Her baby blues glitter up at me, and I’m entranced by them. By her.

“I’m going to kiss you now.”

And when she nods, I press my lips to hers, the sweetest taste invading my senses.

Yeah. I don’t care about having superpowers anymore.

I’d give this girl anything she asked for if she lets me kiss her again.

Chapter six

Daphne

Myheart’spoundinglikeI’ve just sprinted a mile. The world around us feels hazy, distant, as Hudson’s hand comes up to cup my cheek. His touch is warm, steady, and when he tilts my face slightly, it ignites a tsunami of heat that spreads throughout my body.

And then, just like that, he closes the space between us, causing my heart to stutter.

The first brush of his lips is feather light, so tentative it feels like a question. I didn’t expect him to kiss me like this. I thought he’d dive in and claim me, but he’s being so gentle it’s making my chest tighten. It’s so overwhelming, the sensation coursing through my veins, down my spine, warm and insistent in my core.

Without thinking, my fingers find his shirt, clutching the fabric as if it’s the only thing tethering me to the ground. And when his lips move against mine again, deeper this time, everything inside me responds in kind. There’s nothing hesitant about it now. It’s slow but consuming.

His hand slides to the back of my neck, his thumb brushing against the rapid beat of my pulse, caressing my skin. I taste the faint sweetness of maple syrup on his lips, and it’s completelyhim, or what I’ve quickly learned of him. Sweet and addictive.

I breathe a soft, involuntary sound against his mouth, and it’s like his control snaps. His hand tightens slightly, pulling me closer, until I can’t tell where I end and he begins. My arms wind around his neck, holding on to him.

When he finally pulls back, both of us greedily sucking in air, his forehead rests against mine. My eyes stay closed, the warmth of him still pressed against me, and a dazed, breathless smile tugs at my lips.

“I’ve wanted to do that all night,” he breathes out with a laugh.

His words blanket me in warmth, and I open my eyes to find his dark and focused on me. “What took you so long?”

His thumb traces a line along my jaw. “I wasn’t sure if you’d let me.”

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