He tilts his head.“What’s that?”
Sighing dramatically, as if I have a major issue with his choice, I say, “Messy.I’m dressed up, and I’m going to get all dirty.”
Blade holds up a finger, his expression mischievous.He walks over to the table, and when he returns, he’s holding a napkin and a packet of wipes, his grin wide.“These are for you.”
I blink, taken aback for a moment, before I laugh.“You’re really prepared, huh?”
“Better safe than sorry,” he says.
He hands me the napkin and wipes as if offering me the perfect solution to what could’ve been a messy situation.
“Thanks,” I say with a smile, holding them up.“I’ll probably use both.”I laugh.“Best burgers and wonderful customer service.I’m sold.”
Blade winks, clearly enjoying the playful banter between us.“Let’s see if you still think that after you try them.Please make yourself comfortable.”
“How about I make my tea while you do what you need to do?”
“Teamwork.I like it.”
“What are you drinking?”
“I’ll grab myself a beer out of the fridge.”
Holding up a hand, I place it on his chest to stop him.He looks down at my hand and covers it with his own.
“I’ll get it.Teamwork, remember?”
Blade nods and takes a step closer, his gaze intense.“Stand still for a moment.I want to try something.”
His fingers brush my cheek, so soft, I almost don’t feel it.A shiver runs down my spine as his hand moves to the back of my neck.My breath hitches when he steps even closer, the space between us vanishing.
Then, his lips hover just above mine, a silent question in the air.His presence fills the space, bigger than any man should be.And yet, I don’t feel small.His lips brush mine, featherlight at first, testing, waiting for my response.
When I don’t pull away, he deepens the kiss, and it’s as if the world around us falls away.The scent of pine and earth, the intensity of his touch, everything sharpens.His hands slide down to my shoulders, pulling me closer, and I feel the rumble of something in his chest, a low, contented sound that vibrates through his body.It resonates beneath my hand, which rests on his chest, and I swear I can feel the steady thrum of his heartbeat, warm and strong.
The sound is primal, not quite a growl, but something more, and it sends a wave of warmth through me.I don’t know what it means, but I feel it deep in my bones, and I never want to pull away.
But as abruptly as he started the kiss, he stops.My eyes flutter open, and I find him standing there, looking at me with such a serious expression.Blade’s hands are on his hips, and he’s not saying a word, simply staring at me as if he’s trying to figure something out.
“Was it bad?”I whisper, suddenly unsure of myself.
“No, it was perfect.”
My heart skips a beat, but the uncertainty lingers.“Why’d you stop?”My eyes drop to his chest, and even though he said it was perfect, I wonder if I did something wrong or worse, it’s simply me.“I-is it the scars?”
He doesn’t answer right away, and for a moment, time slows down.The space between us is thick with unspoken words, the air heavy with everything I’m afraid to ask.His chest rises and falls with each breath, but I don’t know if it’s my nerves or something else I feel in the air—there’s this strange hum, a low, steady vibration.
I glance up at him again, but his eyes are hard to read, and the silence is suffocating.I almost wish he would say something, anything, to break it.
A knock at the door makes me jump, and Blade swears under his breath as he walks toward it.
He opens it, standing tall in the doorway.“What?”
“I thought I heard—” The voice cuts off when Blade opens the door wider, revealing Vex standing there with a sheepish grin.
“I’m having dinner with Hannah,” Blade says, his tone firm but not unkind.
Vex raises his hand and awkwardly waves at me.“Oh, right.”His eyes flick to Blade, and suddenly, they widen.He grins and punches Blade on the shoulder.“I get it now.You were—”
