He shifts, eyes flicking toward Otis up front, who’s still driving like he’s got nowhere to be and all day to get there. His grin is plastered wide, nodding along to the music playing low through the speakers.
I jerk my chin at him. “Fisher, crank it up a little, yeah?”
Otis flashes a thumbs-up, turns the dial, and the bus fills with sound, some old-school French pop song, upbeat and ridiculous, but it makesPetitsoften more into me, the edge of his mouth tugging toward a smile.
He lets out a soft huff of breath. “We already had me spilling my guts. How aboutyoutell me something?”
“What do you want to know? I’m an open book.”
“You said you weren’t well either,” he reminds me, his voice softer now. “I didn’t forget that. I just wasn’t… in the state of mind to ask. I’m sorry. You can tell me now.”
“You don’t seem in the state of mind now either,” I tease, keeping my voice light.
He tucks his head under my jaw. “Oh, right now?” he murmurs. “I’m perfectly fine.”
That flips something inside me. Hard.
“Well, I probably should save that kind of story for a friend.” Pulling back just enough to catch his eye, I smirk at him. “And like you told me…” I let my knuckles glide gently along his faintly flushed cheek and watch the way his lashes flutter at the touch. “You’re not my friend.”
“Right.”Petithums, averting his gaze down to his handas his fingers drift lower, skimming over the waistband of my sweats. It’s like he doesn’t evenrealizewhat he’s doing.
Heat pools low in my stomach, and I hold my breath, my pulse kicking. My hand flies to his wrist, catching hold before that innocent little touch turns me into a goddamn mess right here in kicking distance of Otis.
“Don’t tempt me,Petit,” I murmur, linking our fingers as my lips brush the shell of his ear. “I’m already hanging by a thread.”
His lashes lift, and when those big brown eyes meet mine, there’s something there that says he knowsexactlywhat he’s doing. Like maybe none of this is accidental at all.
“I’m pretty sure you’re just talk,” he whispers back.
Mon Dieu.
I let go of his hand, but only to slide mine up, fingers trailing along the line of his jaw until I catch his chin between my thumb and forefinger, so I can tilt his face toward me and ease him into my orbit. My thumb traces the curve of his bottom lip slowly, feeling the soft give of it beneath my touch.
His breath stutters, lips parting just enough to let me feel it ghost against my skin. My eyes flick between his mouth and those wide, searching eyes, soaking in every flicker of hesitation, every crackle of want.
I lean in, closer still, until there’s nothing but heat between us. The faint brush of his breath mixes with mine, the space tightening until it feels like one wrong move will tip us over the edge.
“Give me permission,” I whisper, lips grazing his but never quite touching. “Let me show you just how much I’m not talk.”
I hold there, suspended in the space between us, the air charged and vibrating. The tension is so tight it could snapwith a breath, andmon Dieu, Iwantit to. I want him to close the gap, to sayyes, tolet me.
But then hehiccups,breaking the spell just enough to pull a grin from me.
I chuckle and lean back, but only to gather him in again, and wrap him up, tucking his head to my chest like I’m afraid he might float away if I don’t hold him close enough.
His ear is right over my heart, and I know he can hear it pounding hard and fast like I just crashed out at full speed.
I’m so hard it hurts, every nerve thrumming withneed.Just holding him, feeling his breath on my neck, his weight in my lap is enough to undo me.
I close my eyes, dragging in a breath that’s supposed to calm me.
Think about something else, Luc. Anything else.
Dirt trails. Bad espresso. Payne’s perfect little scowl. Wait!Fuck, not that.
“I can’t wait to introduce you to mymaman,” I murmur, the thought slipping out before I even think twice about it.
That tension snaps back in an instant.
