Fate's Exchange (Twisted Fate, Book 1)

Chapter Thirty-Seven

The breeze, chilled by the drop to evening temperature, blasted us as we stepped outside. David took a giant step in front of me and then turned so that he was walking backwards, protecting me like a shield from the wind. It was a momentary gust, though, caused by the motion of the doors, and died as fast as it had risen to leave the slightest of breezes. Still, David continued walking backwards through the parking lot, making funny faces and keeping me away from the wind.

When we reached my car, we were side-by-side again. David crowded me in so that my back pressed against the window, my keys forgotten in my hand. He put his hands on either side of my head and leaned forward until our noses met, humor in his eyes.

"Where are you taking me?" He slanted his head and without breaking eye contact and kissed me lightly on my right cheek.

I cleared my throat, too distracted to remember how to speak. "I, uh... for food."

He kissed my left cheek and I thought my knees were going to give out. I placed the palms of my hands on his chest, but still, I didn't push him away. He began trailing kisses along my jaw and I angled my head for a moment, just enough to grant him easier access.

"I want to uh... get s-something so we can... eat at the river," I said, barely managing to form a full sentence as he distracted me.

He stopped kissing me, once again touching his nose to mine, and this time our foreheads met. I could feel his breath mingle with mine and my heart skipped. This couldn't be normal. The way my body had reacted to seeing him that first time was magnified tenfold and if I didn't sit down soon, I would surely fall.

Seeming to be unaffected, David said without any hesitation, "This doesn't take the place of our supper tomorrow night."

I smiled. "I thought we could go bowling instead?"

He returned my smile and kept eye contact, and his hands dropped so his fingers tickled a path down the bare skin on my arms. My body shuddered as his hands came to rest on my hips, his thumb rubbing circles through the fabric of my t-shirt.

"No bowling."

I shook my head, my throat too dry, and my voice too shaky, to answer.

"We'll go to the river now, but we will go for supper tomorrow." He squatted down so that he could look up at me, a half smile on his face. "Agreed?"

David straightened and angled his head so that only an inch separated us. I sucked in a deep breath and nodded my acceptance.

"I need you to say it."

"Fine." I licked my lips and cleared my throat. "I agree. Supper. Tomorrow." I nodded and inched my face closer towards him. Only a half an inch away now. "Totally on your terms."

The moment the last syllable left my mouth, my hands flew from his chest to his neck and I pulled his head down until our lips met. Finally. His hands, already on my hips, circled around to my back and pulled me closer. My keys dropped with a clink to the pavement and I threaded my fingers through the mass of thick, dark hair at the top of his head.

For the next five minutes—Actually ten, but who's counting? —nothing else mattered. Everything around us dimmed until we were all that existed. Even the catcalls from smokers taking a break from gaming couldn't intrude on this moment. I didn't care how public we made it; I was creating the most private experience of my life.

The most cherished.

If I had to die again, this was the moment I wanted to press pause and freeze my life within, the instant that I realized I'd given my heart away. Now that I had this, I wouldn't be satisfied until I experienced more.