Page 25 of Give It a Day
Dae lets out a laugh.A real laugh. Hell must’ve frozen over with this demon loose on earth. I mean, Daewouldbe the hottest demon in hell, so with him here, hell’s definitely down a few degrees.
But damn it, I laugh with him too. Must be the soju and seawater. And how serene the sunset is from this cliffside view.
Silence stretches for a nice little while until he has to ruin it. He faces me, his hand on my wrist tightening as he pulls me closer to him, making me stumble over my heels. “Why haven’t you run away, Kaye?”
I raise my brow at him. He’s being ridiculous all of a sudden. “And exactly where do you expect me to run? Into the arms of your gunmen?”
His lips curl as he huffs out a laugh, but his eyes are sharp. So he’s back to mocking me.Fine. “Are the rumors true?” he asks.
This feels more like a sudden interrogation. I grind my teeth, feeling my anger rise. He was so sweet up until a moment ago, and now he’s acting like the same arrogant jerk.
When I only glare at him in response, he smiles darkly. “I suppose there’s always a kernel of truth in those sorts of talks.” All I do is narrow my glare at him. “Why don’t you show me the legendary Kayla Knight those gossipmongers spoke of?
I roll my eyes. “Who in this day and age saysgossipmongers?”
He chuckles. Goddamn, that sound sends a shiver down my spine. Unexpectedly, he takes a step back, fixing his cuffs as he looks at me. “I’ll ask again. Why haven’t you run away?”
My teeth return to grinding, my eyes throwing daggers at him. “Keep egging me on, and I just might.”
Tipping his head back, his gray eyes gleam, and his lips curl into a wicked smirk. “Run, Kayla.”
“You’re a twisted asshole,” I sneer, stepping out of my heels and carrying them in my hands.
He tilts his head to the side even more. His tongue slips out a little, licking his upper lip. “Language, little bird.”
“Fuck you.” I bolt as soon as I say the words, sprinting with all my might as I carry my heels in one hand and my dress’ hem in the other, balling it up so my legs can move freely.
The cool air rushes past me as I sprint through the vast vineyard, the scent of sun-ripened grapes filling my lungs. The grass under my bare feet feels slippery from the sea mist, and the dirt beneath is uneven ground, but I don’t care. All I can focus on is the sound of his heavy footsteps behind me, moving faster than my own.
I run and run, following the upward slope where the sounds of the sea are calling me. I glance over my shoulder and immediately regret it. Damon is so much faster than me. His breathing looks steady, controlled, while mine comes out as ragged gasps. He’s closing the gap with his long strides.
When I face forward, still running, I can feel him, sensing his presence like a storm cloud bearing down on me.
Then my feet slip on the grass, too close to the edge of the vineyard, the cliff looming ahead. I’ve miscalculated and reached the end of the cliff faster than I thought.
My widening eyes watch how my toes curl, trying to grasp what they can to keep me steady, because right in front of me is a freefall onto the shore where I’d be splattered.
With an alarmed gasp, I plant my feet to stop myself from falling, dropping the heels in my hand, and gripping the hem of my dress withthe other.
It feels like slow motion, waiting for the inevitable—my body still bending forward, no matter what I do. I shut my eyes, not able to witness my own freefall to death. But then Dae’s arms are around me, pulling me back.
The sudden momentum makes us fall back on the grass, then he rolls us, so he’s on top. He doesn’t even look the slightest fazed that I almost fell to my death. In fact, he’s grinning viciously, his gaze depraved as his chest heaves against my galloping heart.
Glaring at his smiling eyes, I can’t believe I almost accidentally jumped off a cliff, just because he taunted me on purpose. Lucky for him, it isn’t my first brush with death. I have such agreatlife, I know.
“Did you have fun catching me, you speed demon?” I indignantly huff out heavy breaths from the run—and from, you know, the shitty close call to my doom—tiring me out. He constricts me in his arms, making it harder to breathe. “Do you enjoy making me feel like a captive?”
“I’m afraidI’mthe captive here, dear wife.” His lips land on my cheek, and that spot feels warm when his lips move to my ear. “You’re the most captivating thing I’ve ever seen.”
“Flirt.” I roll my eyes, trying to wriggle out of his hold, but that goddamn sleeper bod of his is too strong. “Are you always so forward with women, Dae?”
“Only with my wife. You bring out a certainintensityin me.” He moves closer. “I haven’t stopped thinking about this whole day—at the church, in my car, in my study, at our reception.”
He lays me down on the dewy grass. His stormy eyes are mesmerizing me to behave, at least for now. And that run wore me out. Was that his wicked way of wearing me out again? Goddamn it.
He sits up, keeping me under him. He unbuttons his shirt, and I gaze over the sharp lines of his toned chest, while his hands take my wrists, bringing them above my head and pinning them there.
His warm lips meet mine in a soft, tender kiss. “Maybe I’ll have you here too.”
