Page 56 of Lights, Camera, Love

I don’t turn around, or even answer—I have no idea what to say.

‘Evie.’ Catching up to me, he reaches for my elbow and pulls me to a stop midway down the corridor. The naked light bulb above our heads casts half his face in shadow.

‘Did you tell Austin?’ I ask, still breathing hard. ‘Was it you who told him who my father is?’

Kye’s brows meet in a deep frown. ‘No. No, I wouldn’t—’

My head shakes as I blink away. I don’t know what to believe.

He reaches to cradle my face in his hands. ‘I’m so,sosorry Austin did that,’ he says, his eyes clouding with compassion. ‘I honestly can’t believe he fucking did that. I know you didn’t want anyone to know. I should’ve …’ He shakes his head at himself; his thumbs graze over my cheeks. ‘What can I do, Evie?’

When I say nothing, Kye lets go, his eyes burning harder into mine. ‘What can I do?’ he repeats.

‘Put me first,’ I whisper, the words leaving my lips before I know what I’m saying.

He blinks at me. ‘What do you mean?’

‘Choose me.’

His confused eyes trail over my features as I look up at him, allowing the aching want that’s been slowly building inside me for months to fill up my gaze.

‘Evie.’ Kye whispers my name like a warning. His eyes dip to my mouth and hover there.

‘Come on, Kye,’ I breathe back. ‘Youknowthere’s something between us. You know I’m not interested in Austin in that way. You know we’re not doing anything wrong here.’

My heart trips over itself as he steps so close to me that our thighs scrape together, his lips moving to my ear. ‘Andyou knowit makes me crazy when you look at me like that.’

‘Like what?’ I ask, feeling my eyes grow heavy as I rest my back against the wall and curve my body up to his.

Gently, he reaches around to cup the back of my neck, his other hand curling around my jaw. He angles my faceto his until I can see every ring of brown, black and gold in his tortured eyes. ‘What do you want from me, Evie?’

‘You know what I want,’ I say, my voice throbbing with need. ‘I want to kiss you. I want to taste you. I want to touch you … everywhere.’

A hungry rasp rattles out of Kye, and his mouth comes down hard on mine.

Before I can locate my breath, he coaxes my lips open with his and makes a tentative brush of his tongue against mine. He groans and pushes forward, clutching my face with both hands and paralysing me with a silky, warm,electrifyingkiss. I melt against him, scorching pleasure coiling through my body as he winds our tongues together. His lips are so full and soft—I suck and bite at them until he draws back a touch, his eyes sparkling with desire.

‘How can you taste this good?’ he says thickly, thumbing my chin to part my mouth again. His lips slam back against my own, and I fling my arms around his neck, reaching for more, desperate for more. He grips my jaw firmly so he can kiss me deeper, and I practically lift off the floor, mauling him like I’m starved. Our breaths are hot and frantic, and I completely forget where I am—whoI am—until Kye suddenly breaks apart from me. His hair is tangled up where I clawed at it, his pupils are dilated, and his lips are red and swollen. He looksedible.

I just stare at him, transfixed, as he threads our fingers and wraps our joined hands around my lower back.He pushes a thigh between my legs, our hips colliding as he returns his mouth to mine. But instead of kissing me wildly like before, he just presses his lips to mine and stays there, breathing in my exhalations like I’m giving him life.

‘Oh my god, Kye,’ I whisper. Every cell in my body is igniting into a fireball. ‘Don’t kiss me like that.’

‘Why not?’ he murmurs, his soft lips moving against mine.

Because I’ll fall in love with you.

A sharp inhalation cuts through the air. Kye twists around, and instantly, his hand releases mine. I lean past his broad shoulder to peer into the shadowy corridor, my breath lodging in my throat when I see who’s there.

Austin stands watching us, an expression erupting on his face that doesn’t look like frivolous jealousy or resentment over a friend kissing a girl he likes.

No, this is something else.

Austin looks utterly heartbroken.

CHAPTER 15

Kye

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