Darkness blanketed all of us. I could barely see anything around me, just silhouettes of moving people in the moonlight. Alvarez placed his hand on the center of my back and whispered in my ear. “Are you okay?”

“Yes. It’s just your brother puts on quite a show.”

“You have no idea.” He pulled me into him so that the curve of my behind pressed into his front. “I would just like you near me while it’s dark to make sure you’re okay.”

“Just in case murderous clowns come around?”

“I’m keeping count of all your jokes until the day you’ll get this same humor turned back on you.”

“I’ll be waiting for that day. Until then, let the jokes continue.”

“Are you looking to the sky, everybody?” Hex shouted.

“Yes!” We all screamed back.

“Good.” Hex laughed. “Tonight I want to paint the sky with color. Ladies and gentlemen, check out my interpretation of fireworks.”

Color exploded in the air. Sound boomed right after it. Fluorescent sparks of blue scissored through the sky. Blinding pinks crashed against gold sparkles. White flashed with the crash of glowing hearts and violet bright smiley faces that stuck out a candy apple red tongue.

“Holy shit!” I laughed.

“My words exactly.”

Then the sky went black. Singing began in a light voice.

“When tomorrow bleeds through darkened skies.”

A piano flowed with the notes.

“You and I will be alive, in this memory of you and me.”

Red globes rose in the sky, paused at the center, and burst ten times bigger than they were, raining down turquoise, silver, and emerald glimmering drops. They filled the air and painted the darkness with the most beautiful glowing portrait I’d ever seen—flaming orange fire flowers that blossomed with twinkling petals, thousands of copper glints that looked like a school of shiny fish swimming in a black sea, and even more blazing colors and surprises zipped through the air.

The lanterns’ light came on, yet the fireworks continued. I could finally see Hex on the stage, complete in his top hat and white tuxedo suit with tails.

“Although the date isn’t here,” Hex spread his arms out, “Happy New Year!”

Silver confetti rained down from the lamps. Everyone cheered. I shrieked with glee and raised my hands to catch a few. So many sprinkled down on me. Their slick material was smooth against my skin. Horns blew. People clapped. Others hooted with laughter. I turned to see Alvarez watching me with a huge smile on his face in the rain of glittery papers. My chest warmed. That odd sensation tingled across my skin. I didn’t even know he was capable of forming his lips into such a big display of joy. Confetti lay in his hair and on his shoulders as it continued to pour on us.

“Dance everybody! Dance!” Hex yelled.

“This is awesome!” I danced as the drums beat an upbeat tempo. Alvarez moved with me.

Others joined and then more and more fell into the energy of the moment. Alvarez and I danced together. We bobbed our heads and swung our hips. We twisted and bent, looped around others in spiraling movements and rubbed against each other when the beat decreased to a steady pound and the seductive groan of a feminine voice saturated the air.

“Take me. When the moon is full and the water’s calm. Take me.”

He drew me into him like earlier. My body pressed against his hard, muscular chest. I could feel his heartbeat through the thin material of my dress. It pounded faster than the rhythm of the song that played all around us.

“And when I’m there, never let me go.”

He leaned forward and pressed his lips into mine. I should have stopped it and left the floor, but I didn’t. I couldn’t. Instead, I liquefied in his arms. I was on fire from the power vibrating around us. When he dipped his tongue between my lips, I lost my balance and he seized my hips and kept me up, molding into him, with no opportunity to get free from his arms and taut frame.

“Take me. Under a waterfall of clear blue.”

He had me, and I didn’t want to escape.

“Take me in the rain. Just take me with you.”

I groaned as his tongue explored my mouth some more, flicking its wet tip against mine and sucking on my bottom lip.

Oh, this is so good.

Desire coursed through my veins and sizzled my skin so that I swayed off balance, ready to collapse at any minute. If I’d thought Michael devoured me with his love, then I was certain Alvarez would consume me. There would be nothing of me left. Already, I could feel the intensity of him pulsate all the way through to my core. It rattled my senses.

I was a blank canvas, and he an artist. He painted me with seduction and I glittered back at him with my own images of lust decorating my face. He created more inside of me and I responded with groans that I tried to keep locked away in my mouth, but shoved through my lips just the same. He slipped his hands down my back and seized the curve of my bottom, squeezing and cuddling the soft flesh. A fire burst between my legs, so molten hot, I gasped from the heat.

Tags: Kenya Wright Mystery
Source: readsnovelonline.net