Page 264 of The Heart You Kept

“My god,” I whisper, embarrassed. “It’s you who is beautiful.”

Her eyes drift to my lips as if she wants me to kiss her.

The air leaves my lungs and for the first time in my life I think I’m too nervous to actually pull this off. There are no words in my head, none.

The air between us is electric and I don’t remember anyone having this effect on me before.

Unable to help it, I lean in and takes her face in my hands and kiss her softly, her lips a gentle whisper across mine. Her eyes close and oh….

Thump.

Thump.

Thump, blood rushes from everywhere to the erection she’s incited.

Fuck….

We kiss again, this time with a little tongue, and I feel it all the way to my toes.

“Dear lord,” she murmurs against my lips.

My hand snatches around her waist and I pull her to me with hunger as our kiss deepens and she pulls out, flushed and panting. “I have to go.” She stands in a fluster. “I have to go now.”

“What?” I stand. “What do you mean?”

She leaves the courtyard in a rush and I follow her out, trying to think of a way to make her stay. We get back out to the main party and she walks straight up to two bodyguards, who appear that they were looking for her.

As I blend into the crowd I watch her, mesmerized by her beauty. After chatting briefly, she walks inside with the two men and out of view.

Who is she?

ALORA

4:30 A.M.

Edward, Thomas and I totter up the private road toward the waiting cars.

“Oww.” I bend down and slip one high heel off. “Wait a minute.”

They turn back as they wait for me.

I slip the other one off and pass them both to Edward. “Carry these.”

He holds them by the straps in one hand and takes my hand with the other.

“My biggest takeaway from tonight was,” I slur, “that stupidly expensive shoes are even more stupidly uncomfortable than cheap ones.” I tiptoe over the cobblestones.

“That is your biggest takeaway from that whole night?” Edward slurs back.

Boy…we are all very tipsy, those cocktails were lethal.

“Uh-huh.” I nod. “What’s your biggest takeaway from tonight, Mr. Prescott?”

“It’s confirmed that I have the hottest woman on earth.” He grabs my behind and bites my neck as I giggle.

“Ugh, make it stop.” Thomas groans. “You two are fucking pathetic.”

“What’s your biggest takeaway from tonight, Stone?” Edward asks.