Page 67 of Avidian
“Left or right? I’m thinking left,” I ask.
“Right,” he says without hesitation.
“Why?”
He grins. “Because you asked, and I like being contrary.”
I roll my eyes but follow his suggestion, only for us to hit a dead end a minute later. I stop and turn to face him, narrowing my eyes. “Contrary, huh? What’s it like always being wrong?”
“I wouldn’t know,” he fires back, stepping closer, his grin widening.
I’m about to retort, but he catches me off guard, backing me gently into the icy wall behind me. The chill seeps through my coat, but the heat of his body so close to mine is enough to keep the cold at bay.
“Malachi,” I warn, though I lack any real conviction.
“Yes, Kat?” he says, the mischief in his eyes softening into something deeper. His free hand comes up to tuck a stray strand of hair behind my ear, and I swear the world outside the maze fades away.
“Are you trying to distract me?” I ask, my breath visible in the cold air, mingling with his.
“Maybe,” he murmurs, his lips curving. “Is it working?”
“Not even a little,” I lie, my pulse racing.
“Good,” he says, leaning closer. “Because you deserve to be distracted. From everything.”
And then he kisses me, slow and deliberate, like he’s savoring the moment. The cold of the ice at my back vanishes under the heat of his touch, and I lose myself in him, in the way his lips move against mine, in the way his hand slides to my waist, anchoring me like he never wants to let go.
When he finally pulls back, I can’t help but laugh softly.
“What?”
“I’m pretty sure we’re lost,” I say, and he chuckles, pressing a quick kiss to my forehead before taking my hand again.
“Good thing I’m an expert at finding my way out of tricky situations,” he says, tugging me back through the maze.
Malachi navigates us out of the maze so quickly it feels like he’s been holding back and letting me stumble around a little longer. The thought makes me smile. By the time we emerge on the other side, cheeks flushed from the cold, he grabs two mugs of boozy hot chocolate from a nearby stand.
The first sip warms me from the inside out, the alcohol cutting through the chill in the air, and we spend the next hour playing carnival games. He wins me a small plush polar bear at the ring toss, which I absolutely do not gush over, even though it’s kind of adorable.
“Let’s ride the Ferris wheel,” I say, pointing toward the glowing wheel lighting up the sky. Malachi doesn’t hesitate, guiding me through the crowd to the line. He exchanges a few words and slips a bill to the teenage operator before ushering me into one of the creaky little carts.
As soon as we sit down, he drapes his arm over my shoulders, pulling me closer. I tuck into his side, grateful for the warmth radiating from him. “What did you say to that kid?” I ask, squinting up at him suspiciously.
“I paid him to stop the ride while we’re at the top,” he says with a teasing grin.
“You didn’t,” I laugh, but the ride slows sooner than I expect, and our cart jerks to a halt at the very top. “You did!”
I turn to him, my laughter spilling out into the quiet night air.
He grins, unapologetic, as the first snowflakes of the evening start to fall. I look out over the carnival, the snow glittering in the glow of the twinkling lights below. The flakes catch on the air, sparkling like tiny stars as they drift lazily around us. It’s stunning, and I lose myself in the beauty of it all.
But when I glance back at Malachi, I realize he’s not looking at the snow. He’s looking at me. His expression is warm, steady,and unflinching, and when he leans in, brushing a few stray flakes from my beanie, my heart skips a beat.
His lips press against mine, desperate and wanting, I let him explore my mouth as I try to get closer to him. The snow falls around us, catching in his hair and melting against my cheeks. It’s perfect, almost too perfect, like something out of a dream. His hand cradles the side of my face, his thumb brushing lightly against my skin as he deepens the kiss, and the world fades away.
When he pulls back, his forehead rests against mine. “Worth every penny,” he murmurs.
“You bribed a kid so you could make out with me in the sky?” I ask, my own smile spreading wide despite the teasing lilt in my voice.
