Page 92 of Renegade Rift
My heart thunders against my rib cage. I suck in a sharp breath, but before I can exhale, he’s gone, turning toward the table. He picks up a small velvet drawstring bag and reaches for my hand, dropping it in my palm.
“These are for you.”
The bag is heavy, and the contents rattle as I move to pull the top open and tip the contents into my hand.
Out fall a beautiful set of pink dice that have a soft white swirl to them and intricate gold numbers etched into each side.
“They’re made from rose quartz,” Ford explains.
“These are—” I’m at a loss for words, my gaze darting from his face to the gift in my hands. “You bought me crystals.”
He nods, a sheepish smile spanning his lips. “I figured you’d need something to play with tonight, and why shouldn’t they be a beautiful something you can add to your collection?”
My mouth gapes like a damn fish, but at least it hides the unease blooming in my chest. I don’t have the heart to tell him I sold most of my crystals in order to make ends meet while I was trying to pay off Tyler’s debt. Or that I haven’t collected any new ones because they remind me of my family, who I still haven’t had the courage to call and straighten things out with.
“Thank you,” I whisper, but really, I’m freaking out on the inside.
These dice—crystals—they’re too much. They aren’t pretending. They’re very real. Very penguin-like. And even though my heart is absolutely swooning, my mind isn’t sure what to make of it.
Ford slips his hands around my waist, holding me against him as he lowers his lips to my ear. “You never have to thank me for taking care of you. It’s my pleasure.”
It might be the heat of his body against mine or the wordpleasurefalling from his lips, but with every breath that coasts along the crook of my neck, tension builds low in my belly.
“Are we still not talking about the other night?”
The tension crackling between us surges and settles like an electric current neither of us can quite snap free from.Part of me wants to explore every nuance of our phone call, but still, I shake my head. “I don’t think we have enough time to cross that bridge before everyone gets here.”
“That’s a shame.” Ford pulls back slowly, and even though his words are playful, his eyes betray his desire. “But it does bring me to one last point I’d like to talk about before our friends arrive.”
“Which is?”
His eyes trace myface, pausing briefly on my lips. “Everyone coming over are people I trust and have been informed that we’re seeing how things go between us, but I need to know what you’re comfortable with.”
“Meaning?” I breathe, but I’m more focused on the way his gaze hasn’t left my lips.
“Can I brush your hair away from your face?” He tucks a stray strand behind my ear and trails his fingers down the exposed flesh on my neck, over my shoulder and down my arm, sending a pulse of need through me. He laces his fingers through mine. “Can I hold your hand?”
“Yes,” I whisper.
I swear he inches closer.
“In front of everyone?” he asks, almost having me believe this action is some kind of monumental breakthrough that will change everything.
“Yes, please.”
His lips twitch with amusement, but it’s the heat flashing in his eyes that does me in. He wants me too. Even if it’s just make believe. I roll up onto my toes, my eyes leveling with his, and lean in…
Only to be interrupted by three loud raps on the door.
We both tense, neither of us moving an inch either way.
“That’ll be the guys,” Ford whispers.
I nod. “Then you should get that.”
He presses his forehead to mine. “I’d rather stay here.”
“Ford.” It’s less whisper and more breathy declaration.
