Page 57 of Danger

I don't answer, my fingers twist in the fabric of his shirt before I even realize I'm doing it.

"Say something," he says quietly, "I'd rather not have to work my way through the crowd to find out."

I know that look. He's not bluffing. And while some part of me melts at the fact that he'd tear apart this whole place for me, another part would prefer not to be responsible for the night's casualty count.

I glance toward Rylee. "I ran intoher."

His expression hardens. "What'd she say?"

I clear my throat. "She said you'd never actually be into me." I shrug, trying to make it sound smaller than it feels. "That she knows you haven’t been with anyone since her and.. that she's never even seen us kiss."

Silence. Then—"She said that?"

I nod. His jaw ticks. More than once.

"Listen to me…” He says, running his hand up and down my back. Slowly. Not rushed. Almost protective. And it’s weirdly comforting. "Don't let anybody tell you what I'm into."

Heat creeps into my cheeks.

"The only person qualified to speak for me is me."

His gaze slides over my shoulder. Toward Rylee. Toward everyone pretending they aren't watching before he continues. "And people only say shit like that when they're threatened."

Everything inside me stills. Because for one impossible second... I can't tell if he's acting anymore. Somewhere between the way his voice sounds when it's just for me and the way he’s holding me, I forget Rylee is standing twenty feet away.

Forget this whole stupid fake relationship. There's only him. His large hands. His steady breathing beneath me. The impossible closeness between us. So close that I can feel his hard length straining against his jeans. Fuck, he feels huge—thick and heavy, and the way he’s already hard just from me being on top of him? Jesus.

A slow grin pulls at the corner of his mouth. "So..."

I raise an eyebrow. "So?"

"You think we should give her what she wants?" he asks.

"You mean... wearegoing to kiss?"

"Oh, we're gonna kiss." There’s no hesitation in his voice. "If she wants proof, we'll give her proof."

My pulse jumps.

"But listen to me." The grin fades, leaving something steadier behind.

“I’m not kissing you just to prove her wrong.” His thumb drags slowly beneath my jaw. “I’m kissing you because she doesn’t get to tell me what I want. She doesn’t get to speak for me.”

I swallow.

Then in one smooth movement he grabs my thighs and slides me closer. “Stay with me.”

This was supposed to be a statement. A performance. Proof I could play this game without losing my goddamn mind.

But the way he’s looking at me doesn’t feel like pretend.

Then it happens before I can stop it. My mouth crashes against his. It’s not sweet. It’s intense, like I’ve been waiting too long for this. His mouth is hot and demanding as he kisses me back, tongue sliding against mine like he’s discovering me, claiming me.

This might have been a mistake because I'veneverbeen kissed like this before.

One hand slides up my back until his fingers thread through my hair, fisting tight enough to hurt. The other grips my waist like he’s afraid I’ll pull away—like he’ll fucking chase me if I try.

The rest of the world disappears, leaving only the slick heat of his mouth, the rough scrape of his stubble against my chin. His fingers dig into the soft flesh of my hips as he adjusts me, tilting my hips until I’m grinding against the bulge in his pants.