Page 16 of Fade (Fighting Fate)

I looked over her features, studying her for signs of stress. The slight darkness under her eyes worried me.

She’d told me all about her parents and their unrealistic expectations over the last few days. While I’d been listening to her, I found it was just like that first night I’d met her when Ryan had been such an asshole. My protective instinct was unstoppable. I wanted to pin every one of them up against a wall and make them apologize to her.

“Are you still going to the mall with your mom this afternoon?” she asked, lying back to look up at the sky.

“No, she got called into work.” I eased back beside her, propping myself up on my elbow and turning to the side a little so I could see her better. “You could come back with me if you want. We could watch a movie or something?”

I watched her carefully. I was going to add that she didn’t have to worry about Ryan being there, but I kind of wanted to see if the idea of Ryan being home would stop her from coming. I wasn’t sure why. I guess I wanted her to want to be with me enough that she’d face that.

But Amy surprised me by giving me a shy smile and answering, with no hesitation, “I’d like that.”

Picking up a section of her hair off the blanket, I softly rubbed my fingers over it. It’d been like this every day. I couldn’t stop myself from touching her in some small way. The memory of that first night we met was always right there, taunting me. I could remember exactly what she felt like against me, practically taste the sweetness of her lips. It was maddening.

Deciding it was time I just asked the damned question that had been plaguing me for the last week, I stopped what I was doing and locked my gaze with hers. “Would you think it was weird if I asked you on a date?”

Her expression didn’t change, but her breath stopped, and if it was possible, I swore her eyes darkened. Slowly, she shook her head. “No.”

“What if I asked if I could kiss you? Right now?” I asked, my gaze automatically falling to her full lips. “Because I can still remember how amazing you taste, and I’m dying to taste you again . . .”

Her lips parted with a little gasp. “Okay,” she whispered.

Okay? Holy shit, she said okay. I inhaled deeply. It wasn’t that I’d expected her to say no. I just hadn’t really thought past asking her the question.

Taking another deep breath, I reached out and softly brushed my fingers through her hair, suddenly wondering why this moment felt like it could very well be the biggest in my life so far.

Leaning closer, I let my hand rest gently on the side of her face and brushed my thumb across her cheek. She looked so damned beautiful lying there, her big doe eyes never leaving mine. It made something inside my chest hurt.

With slow, cautious movements, I closed the distance between us.

The second I brushed my lower lip over hers, I felt her melt. Her eyes fell closed and she exhaled a little sigh. A flash of some kind of ache coursed through me at the sight. I tried to breathe through it, unsurprised to find my breath a little shaky.

Fingers tensing, I tasted her again, this time deeply. Her lips parted, and she tilted her head back a little, giving me better access. I tried to keep it to a PG version, seeing as we were in the middle of a public park, but damn, it was hard not to just devour her. But after what Ryan did to her, I didn’t want to scare her, either. I didn’t want her to think I was anything like him.

Knowing I should pull in the reins a little, I went to ease back, but then her hand moved over my waist, and she arched her body toward mine. A silent growl coursed through me, and I automatically pulled her harder into my kiss, my tongue taking a stroke against her lip without my consent.

A tiny little whimper escaped her, making me just about lose my sanity altogether. Forcing myself to break away, I rested my forehead against hers and tried to catch my breath. It was harder to do than when I’d just run three miles.

“Damn,” I muttered. “That was better than I remembered.”

I felt her nod her head a fraction, and something that sounded like, “Uh-huh,” came out with her breath.

Pulling back from her, I met her gaze. “You know I’m going to do that again at some stage, don’t you?”

Her answering smile made my heart warm. “I hope so . . . ”

I growled. I couldn’t help it. Knowing she wanted it just as much as I did was like a damned invitation. Before we went there, though, there was something I needed answered.

Sighing, I put a bit more distance between us. “I really don’t want to ask you this, but I need to know about Ryan,” I said, my tone a little defeated.

I watched her blink at me, surprise flickering over her features. “What do you need to know?”

“I don’t know.” I rubbed my hand over my head with frustration. “I guess, I just wanted to know if you ever wanted to be with him . . . like that . . . ”

Her brow creased with confusion before they rose with understanding. She immediately shook her head. “No. Never. I . . .” She looked past my shoulder into the distance. “I thought there was something wrong with me. I mean, he was nice and he’s attractive . . . ” She gazed back at me and grinned before turning serious again. “But anytime he wanted to go past kissing, it was like a giant wall would pop up—like big, flashing neon signs that said, ‘Stop. Wrong way. Go back.’ It was weird.”

I didn’t realize how tense I’d been waiting for her answer until I felt myself relax. “I don’t like thinking about you kissing him,” I said, surprising myself.

She sighed and reached up to run her fingers through my hair. “I like your kisses a lot better, if that helps . . . ?”

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