Page 27 of Midnights
I smile, trying to drown out the way my body is suddenly very aware of him. “We didn’treallywin, did we?”
He lets out a laugh, shaking his head. “Not even close.”
Didn’t think so.
Well, at least I’ve learned something valuable tonight. That picturing his smug face on the dartboard might actually be the key to winning.
Rachel, naturally, gets right in Kane’s face. “Wewonfair and square because we got a bullseye!”
Cam steps in, still laughing, as he starts explaining how darts actually works and how, technically, we lost by a landslide.
Honestly? Don’t care. I got a bullseye, and that’s all that matters.
I turn back to Kane with a grin, crossing my arms. “I guess that means you get to know my name after all.”
But before I can get another word out, Kane chuckles. “Good game, Raven.” His voice dips as he says my name, like he’s savoring it.
Raven.
I lose all sense of time, the pub noise fades and the way he says it slams into me like a fist to the gut.
“Well, now you know,” I say, tilting my head. “And you can finally sleep like a baby knowing you’re the reigning champion of darts. A skill most people don't possess because, you know, they have better things to do with their time.”
There’s that look again. The one I can't quite decipher, but my bodylovesit all the same.
Kane leans in slightly, eyes twinkling with mischief. “Looks like youarea sore loser after all,Princess.”
All right.That’s it.I’mneverdrinking again. Clearly, this is not working in my favor.
I roll my eyes, masking the fact that my body is entirely too happy about his teasing. His smartass comments, despite my best efforts, make me want to bite back.
“Just so you know,” I toss my hair over my shoulder. “I was picturing your face on my last throw.”
I turn on my heel, sauntering toward the bathroom, leaving him to sit with that and when I glance back, he’s shaking his head like he doesn't quite believe me.
Good.
Chapter 4
Knowing When to Quit
Kane
This is one of the few places where I can actually breathe. No tourists, no whispers about who I am, no unwanted eyes tracking my every move. Just a low hum of conversation, the scent of aged whiskey, and the kind of anonymity that’s hard to come by.
That’s why I come here.
But tonight, the air feels different. And I know exactly why.
From the second she walked in, the entire atmosphere shifted.
It wasn’t just her looks. Though, fuck me, she’s beautiful. The kind of natural, effortless beauty that isn’t drowned in pretense. She has long, dark, wild hair that looks too soft for its own good, and a body that could make a man stupid. This woman is all curves and confidence wrapped in something entirely untouchable.
Then she walked by, and I nearly fucking lost it.
Those leggings? A goddamn crime.
Her perfect curves were impossible to ignore, and trust me, I tried.
