The door slams shut. I glance back to see that Gavin and Adam have ditched us. We’re alone.
Kate has her back to me, the gentle curve of her spine torqued into a straight line. I take a step closer, close enough to see that her hands are shaking at her sides. Kate’s shoulders are shifting up and down with each rapid, shallow breath she takes.
The tension in the air is so thick, I can feel it vibrating, wrapping around my body and worming it’s way into my empty heart. It swells with emotion, overflowing after years of forcing it to remain hollow.
When Kate turns to face me, I move on instinct. Stepping forward I take her beautiful face in my hands and lower my mouth to hers.
Okay, so I wasn’t thinking. The kiss could have gone horribly wrong, with Kate getting angry and slapping me across the face. She had every right to do just that.
She doesn’t. Instead, she sinks into it, her body relaxing against mine as she opens up to me. Pure animal need overtakes my brain, the desire to make her mine so overwhelming I can hardly think straight. My hands go to her backside, pulling her hips against me as I devour her mouth.
Kate is like a live wire, opening those sweet lips so I can taste every bit of her with each sweep of my tongue. A soft moan escapes from her throat. It vibrates though me, igniting a primitive fire deep inside. I growl, leaving her mouth to lick and suck my way down her neck. When I reach the tender spot where her neck meets her shoulder and give it a sharp bite, Kate gasps and pulls away.
My eyes find the dark red mark I left behind and a rush of pride fills me. Now everyone will know she’s mine.
“Dax,” she pants, her breath heavy and erratic. She’s gorgeous—her hair mussed from my hands, her lips swollen and red, her cheeks flushed with desire. But those green eyes, they look hesitant, sad. The sight sends a spike of fear into my chest.
“Kate, no. Please, don’t make me stop. I—”
Do it Davies, man up and tell her. Shit, here goes.
“I love you, Kate. I haven’t stopped loving you since we became friends in school. Just, don’t leave.”
“I-I’m not leaving,” she whispers. “I have to go back to the party.”
“Can we meet after? To talk?” Kate looks wary. I can’t let her go without a promise to see me. “Hell, I’m not above begging, angel. Just say the word and I’m on my knees for you.”
A smile breaks through. Kate averts her gaze as her cheeks stain crimson once more .
“Christ, you’re even more gorgeous than you were at eighteen.”
“You’re different,” she says softly.
God that sexy voice. She’s trying to kill me with it.
“Different?” I ask, worried that this is a bad thing.
Kate smiles. “Yeah. Not only are you telling me how you feel, but I can finally see how you feel. No more Iceman,” she says with a giggle.
I grimace. “Iceman? I don’t think I like that.”
Kate leans up and presses a small kiss on my mouth. “I don’t like it either. This is much, much better.” She pulls back and turns for the door. “I’ll meet you here after the party, we can talk then.”
She slips out of the room and disappears.
I can’t help the ridiculous grin that stretches across my face. Then one of my dad’s rules pops up in my head.
Rule 2—Never let your emotions show.
I continue smiling like an idiot. I’m done with that rule. Holding everything in has caused me nothing but pain and heartache and hurt Kate as well. If I have to turn into a romantic, sappy, love-song writing bitch to have Kate back in my life, then that’s what I’ll do.
I’ve finally figured it out.
Rule 1—Do whatever it takes when you love someone.
CHAPTER 18
Kate