Page 30 of Out of the Dark

"Okay, what’s got you so quiet?" Mark asks as he tosses his coat over the back of the couch.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, you were talkative and outgoing for most of the night, but once midnight hit, you practically went silent and haven’t said much since."

"I’m just tired."

"Bullshit."

His sharp tone startles me. He’s never cursed at me like that before. So… do I tell him what’s really on my mind or do I make up something else? It’s not like it would be hard to lie about it, even though lying still makes me cringe internally a little every time I do it, even if it’s a small white lie.

Well, I did make a promise to myself earlier tonight that I would be brave this year. No time like the present, right?

My head drops as I consider how I’m going to say this without making a total fool of myself. I take a deep breath and look up just as Mark closes most of the space between us, though he still leaves a couple feet as a sort of buffer.

"Hey, are you alright?" His tone is softer now.

I lift my head to meet his gaze and speak before I can convince myself to back down. "I wanted you to kiss me earlier."

His brow furrows. "What?"

"Please don’t make me repeat myself," I half-whisper. This is already mortifying enough.

He’s giving me that same look that he’s been giving me all night, so full of intensity, but it’s only now that I’m up close that I see it for what it is—desire.

He’s frozen for a moment before he murmurs, "I didn’t realize you wanted that."

"Well, I do." I manage to keep my expression impassive despite my heart hammering in my chest.

"You’re sure?"

It’s only then that I realize I said "I do" rather than "I did." Present tense.

I nod.

Whatever sense of hesitation he had snaps. Mark’s voice is practically a growl when he mutters, "Fuck it," before covering the space between us in two quick steps, wrapping a strong arm around my waist, and kissing me like his life depends on it. His free hand cradles the back of my neck as his lips press against my own, and I melt into his touch as I experience what I can only imagine is the most passionate kiss I will ever have in my lifetime.

His lips are demanding but gentle, his arms holding me tightly against his large body. He feels exactly how I expectedhim to—warm and soft and strong. Every inch of my body is alight with need for him as I kiss him back.

There is no question in this moment of what he feels—it’s written in every brush of his lips and the way he holds me so tightly as if he doesn’t want to let me go. Every worry I might have had dissipates, and my mind and body are consumed by him.

The kiss feels like it lasts both seconds and hours. Either way, it’s not long enough. When he finally pulls away, just a few inches to look at me, I’m breathing hard and my pulse is pounding in my ears.

"You okay?" he asks with a playful half-smile.

I blush. "Way better than okay. That was… wow. I didn’t know it could feel like that."

He loosens his hold on me but keeps a hand on my waist as he takes a tiny step backward. "Best first kiss you’ve ever had?" He’s teasing now, giving me that playful smirk that makes me weak in the knees.

But his comment makes me realize that he doesn’t know just how significant this is for me. "Well, you could say that…"

"Hmm, that sounds like a non-committal answer."

"It’s not just the best first kiss I’ve ever had—it’s theonlykiss I’ve ever had."

His expression falls. It only lasts a second, but by the time he’s recovered it, it’s already clear that this isn’t good news to him.

"Oh. Well, I suppose there’s a first for everything." He’s smiling again, but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes this time. He takes another step backward and glances at the clock on the wall. "We should probably get to bed."

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