If I Had A Heart

Chapter 11

David didn't try to push his luck again after that, his hands either staying firmly planted on her waist or occasionally trailing up her spine to tangle in her hair to hold her still, but never anywhere she didn't want them.

With her lips swollen and heart beating frantically, Regine pulled away from him, the vertigo enveloping her entire body and threatening to take over for good. It must have been the mixture of vodka and David's intoxicating scent making her feel this way, opening her eyes slowly to look at him only to find it difficult to focus on his face, her vision cloudy, everything spinning around her. She must not have dried off completely before he had stolen her away, because the soft breeze blowing by pricked at her skin like fine needles, her fingers starting to go numb with every passing second.

They continued to share passionate kisses until he broke away, his face mere centimeters from hers as he darted his tongue out to lick his lips, his eyes opening slowly to look at her, entrancing Regine to her very core. His pale irises were smoldering as he peered down at her, still so vibrant in the darkness, a snort escaping his throat as his gaze traveled from her face slowly down to her vibrating body.

"Cold?"

Regine shook her head with vigor.

"No," she lied, looking passed him to stare at the wall instead of his face.

"You're trembling," he stated matter-of-factly, his voice low, a gloved finger tracing a soft line up her arm, making her shiver even more under his touch. He could have stayed out there all night with her, no matter how cold it got. Regine had seen it all over his face before averting her eyes, could hear it so clearly in his voice. Looking passed his tough, callous demeanor, she could see the flame of boyish excitement radiating from within him no matter how hard he was trying to conceal it.

"I think I'll live."

The creamy skin of his exposed neck looked especially appetizing to Regine as she still tried to avoid meeting his gaze, lowering her head so she could nibble softly along his throat and elicit a shallow breath to escape his smirking lips.

"You sure about that? I can think of a few ways to warm you up," he offered while tilting his head slightly to the side, providing her with more flesh to explore with her tongue without giving in completely. "Interested?"

"Do any of those involve going inside by chance?" she asked with her mouth still against him, her arms casually slipping beneath his thick coat to simultaneously feel more of his body while also using him as a blanket.

He pretended to think for a moment.

"Technically, yes," he murmured before crudely bringing her hips flush against his, causing her to yelp in surprise. "But people might stare."

The heat Regine felt rush to her stomach was palpable, certainly warming her up enough to feel white-hot electricity surge all the way down to her toes.

He knew just what to say to make her melt before him, causing her to momentarily question whether or not this was all rehearsed, words that had been repeated over and over during previous romantic conquests. Practiced or not, she couldn't deny the way she felt around him, like he was this beacon for everything Regine was missing in her life. He was exciting, maybe even a little dangerous, and there was so much under the surface she was so desperate to uncover. There was something kindred between them, something unspoken yet clearly shared with the other, she felt it whenever they touched. She wondered if he felt loneliness like she did, the kind that remained even when surrounded by an ocean of people, never really ebbing away until something – or someone – ignited a new spark within her. A curiosity, a glimmer of passion, or maybe just a small crush that made her forget for a little while. Regine would enjoy what David was invoking within her while it lasted, but nothing that felt this good was ever permanent. If she didn't know anything else about him for the rest of eternity, she sure as hell knew that much.