Dark Hearts (Light in the Dark 3)

When he exits onto the street I shiver from the sudden temperature change.

“Put me down,” I say again, knocking my fists against his legs.

“No.”

“Ugh,” I groan.

He walks a block or maybe two when I cry out in panic. “Put me down.”

He must hear the panic in my voice because he obliges. I stumble over to a bush and try to empty the contents of my stomach but nothing will come up.

His cool fingers touch my neck as he pulls my hair away from my face.

I feel like crying. Reality is creeping back in and I realize what a fool I looked like back there. He probably thinks I’m pathetic and stupid, and I don’t blame him one bit for thinking it.

His other hand rubs against my back, trying to offer me some small smidgen of comfort.

It’s not working. If anything, it only makes me feel worse.

I stumble away from him when it becomes obvious I don’t need to throw up. Tears wet my face, and I hadn’t even noticed I’d started crying. I wipe at my cheeks and walk away from him.

“Nova—” he pleads.

“Leave me alone,” I mumble, crossing my arms over my chest as I walk.

A breeze blows my hair around my shoulders and the coolness feels good against my heated cheeks.

I hear him groan behind me and I snap. I’ve already made a fool of myself—might as well make it a homerun.

I turn sharply on my heel and face him, shoving a finger into his stupidly muscular chest. It’s stupid because I like the way it feels beneath my touch. I’m a goner when it comes to him.

“How dare you dance with me like that and make me feel like …”

His green eyes flash with a flicker of … annoyance? Desire? Confusion? “Like what?” he prompts.

“Like you feel it too,” I finish on a whisper. “Like the attraction between us isn’t just one-sided. That you want me as much a

s I want—”

In a flash, he has my face clasped between his large hands.

In a breath, his lips touch mine.

In a heartbeat, I fall into him.

His large body shields mine, clinging to me like I’m the only thing centering him to the world.

I forget that we’re standing on a street in Miami. Instead, all I can think about is the fact that he’s kissing me.

Jace is kissing me.

I’d pinch myself but my hands are otherwise occupied as they skim up his chest and latch around his neck.

His tongue presses against the seam of my lips, and I gasp softly.

I keep waiting to wake up back in my bed, but instead, the kiss continues.

I’ve never been kissed like this before.