Page 60 of A Discovery: Love and Other Things

James stared at me like I had just won the lottery—a mixture of shock and amazement.

I squealed as I jostled his shoulders, the excitement too much to handle. “She built the temple!”

“I can’t believe it,” he said, shaking his head. “All this time, it was her.”

I climbed onto his lap, straddling his hips, and cupped his face in my hands. “We did it!”

Grinning, he placed the block gently beside us and held onto my waist. “Youdid it.”

Our lips fused in a celebratory kiss, the rush of our discovery electrifying the air around us. I opened my mouth, inviting him in to take all of me. All the hard work and struggle had been worth it.

Our tongues tangled enthusiastically as we released the strain and uncertainty of the past few weeks. My fingers weaved into his hair, tugging on it slightly as the intensity of our celebration increased. His hands snaked up my waist, riding underneath the hem of my shirt. The roughness of the sand still on his palms abraded my skin. My pussy wanted him. It always wanted him. Just as his hard bulge wanted me. I undulated my hips on his lap, helping myself to some much-needed friction. His fingertips gripped into my skin as he moved me against his cock. I let the man I loved consume my mouth. I was his, and even though I hadn’t gotten to say it properly for the first time, I was certain he knew it.

“Kitten, my brilliant girl,” he hummed against my lips.

I couldn’t hide my smile. Everything was so right. For the first time in my life, I felt like I belonged. I was meant to be here with James.

“James...I never want this to end,” I whispered.

He tugged on my lower lip with his teeth. “I won’t let it.”

“Oh, my God!”

Our heads snapped to the entrance of the temple, which we had stupidly left open. James and I ripped away from each other as fast as if lightning had struck between us.

Isabella.She stood gawking at us in disbelief. Her hands covered her mouth as she stumbled backward.

I swiped at my lips with the back of my hand, as if that would erase what she had just seen. Scrunching my eyes shut, I prayed that this was all just a terrible nightmare. When I blinked my eyes open, Isabella was still there, her glare darting between James and me in horror.

My heart hammered so hard in my chest that it felt like my ribs would break from the pressure.

Fuck.How could we have been so irresponsible?

I sat on the ground, shaking, waiting for her to do something—scream, curse me out, throw a rock, anything. But she just stood there, eyes gaping and completely mute, almost a mirror of my own expression.

James made the first move. He stood up, maintaining a straight spine and lifted chin. His body language was steady and controlled, like he was trying not to startle her. He took two careful steps toward her, but she backed away like a frightened cat.

“Isabella.” His tone was gentle.

“I have to go!” she squeaked and ran out of the temple, nearly tripping to get away from us.

“Shit. Shit. Shit,” I repeated over and over, holding my head while rocking back and forth. “This is bad. This is bad.”

“It’s going to be okay.” James was staring at the entrance. He looked like a robot just spitting out consolations.

“What are you talking about?!” I tried my best to keep my voice at a whisper, but the words crackled as they came out. “Isabella is going to blab to everyone!”

Of all the people to walk in on us, it had to be Ms. Goody Two-Shoes. She was probably on her way to file a formal complaint to the ministry.

But then again, we had bonded at her birthday party, so maybe she felt a sort of kinship with me. I had let her suck a lime out of my mouth, for God’s sake! I prayed that for once in her life, she’d obey girl code and keep her mouth shut.

“Sanura. Breathe.”

“How can you be so damn calm? Our careers are on the line! You could be fired, and I could never have a career to begin with if she says anything.”

“I’m not afraid of her, and you shouldn’t be, either.” His reassurances were getting on my damn nerves.

“Afraid?” My voice came out high-pitched and maniacal. “I’m not afraid. Who says I’m afraid? It’s no big deal that the most competitive person on the team saw your hand up my shirt. No big deal at all.” I brushed my hand through the air, doing a terrible impression of ‘nonchalant Kitty.’ Kitty was not nonchalant right now. Not one bit.

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