Page 45 of Collision of Winters
As I advanced on him, I heard his heavy breaths and whispered chanting.Oh God, oh God, oh God, oh God. He can’t catch me, he can’t catch me.Except, I could. I was gaining on him, not necessarily because I was faster than him, but because he seemed to think making sharp turns would confuse me.
I wasn’t a fucking alligator, and that was a myth anyway.
He gasped and redoubled his efforts, but he was almost within reach. Adrenaline pumped freely in my body, with every breath misting in the cold, wet air.
I jumped over a slippery-looking rock, then sank into the soft moss below, before I pushed myself harder and finally reached him. He choked as I grabbed a fistful of his jacket?—
“No!”
—and hauled him back against me.
Yes.
I strapped my arms over his chest, trapping his arms along his sides, and forced some of my weight on him so he couldn’t fight back as easily.
Caught you.
I gave his neck a big smooch.
Now I had to stop. The lines could quickly become too blurry, and we weren’t ready for a proper takedown.
Loosening my hold took more effort than the quick chase, to be honest.
He spun around and peered up at me, with something wild raging in his eyes.
Those stunning blue eyes.
Goddammit.
I took a step back and drew a breath. “That was fun. I won.”
He turned incredulous. “You think that was it, Sir? Come on, I was totally holding back! I wasn’t sure you’d actually run after me.”
Bullshit. He just wanted more. And fuck, so did I, but this was a slippery slope. I could feel myself too drawn to that darkness in which we’d turn into animals. A place I’d never visited with Kayden.
“I’m not sure any of this is real,” he added as a joke. It sounded like a joke anyway, but perhaps I was wrong. The look in his eyes whispered of a pinch of uncertainty, and that wouldn’t do.
I wanted zero doubts.
I’d show him.
I swallowed and nodded toward the north. “You can find out. Run. We’ll level up a bit.”
Only a bit. Right?
“Yeah?” He lit up and reached out to adjust the pocket zipper on my parka. Too cute. “Whatever level you want, I’m so there.”
Good to know.
He took off once more, quickly picking up speed, and the air around us changed.
Could I keep this playful?
The clouds looked angrier in the direction he was running.
Soon, I ran after.
Kayden stumbled a few times, righting himself quickly, but it was enough for me to advance.
