“Arina,” I managed, not sure what to say next.
What was there to say?
She’d been grinding on my cock for countless songs, and she hadn’t turned down any of my advances so far.
Maybe she wants me too…
The air caught in my lungs, nerves wiggling through me. I didn’t drink nearly enough to be tipsy, and my anxiety was out in full force. If I wanted to make a move, there wouldn’t be a better time.
This was my chance.
I cupped her cheek with my hand and guided her face upward at just the right angle to press my mouth against hers. For a second, her lips were hard and unyielding, and I worried I’d ruined everything with the single impulsive move. But after a beat, her lips parted against mine, giving my tongue access.
She tasted like strawberry margaritas with something sweet underneath, like candy. Cotton candy? I wasn’t sure, but she was delicious.
Heat pooled low in my stomach as she spun in my arms without breaking the kiss and pressed against me, her hands dipping beneath my shirt and brushing over my abs. My brain stalled out, trying to reboot.
My tongue slid over hers, swirling inside her mouth, and I forgot what to do with my hands. I forgot what to do at all, completely lost in the moment and the emotions sparking through me, until she gasped and pushed me away.
Nerves gripped my insides, threatening to rip me apart. My eyes flew open to see her staring up at me, confusion evident in her gaze.
“I’m sorry,” I said quickly.
Maybe I had completely misread the signs. Maybe I pushed too much, went too far.
“I should have asked. I…” Panic fried my thoughts, and the words spilled out before I could stop them. I’d ruined everything. I knew it. “We can leave if you want… I won’t do it again.”
“Daze, stop.” She held up her hands. “It’s okay. I promise.”
I froze, thankful that the rest of the dancers were completely oblivious to what was happening between us. I was embarrassed enough without an audience.
“I guess I’m just a little confused,” she said, chewing the corner of her mouth. The pounding music nearly swallowed her words. “What about Night? I don’t want to step on any toes. If you two are together, I don’t want to come between you.”
I gently shook my head. “I told you it was complicated. Night and I aren’t together. Fuck buddies at best, if you want to give it a label, but he’s had years to make things official, and he won’t. Besides, I’m just a beta, Arina. What could an alpha like Night want with me in the long run?”
She stared up at me for a long moment without responding, and I could see the gears turning in her mind.
“Exactly. Nothing.” Disappointment punched me in the gut, but it wasn’t anything I didn’t already know. I’d always known that Night and I couldn’t be together forever. He was an alpha, and he’d eventually find another mate.
I was just a placeholder.
“I’m sorry?—”
“Don’t be.” I reached for her hand, and she allowed me to pull her against me. As soon as she was in my arms, the throb of pain in my chest ebbed. “I’m the one who should be sorry. I shouldn’t have assumed. So this is me asking, can I kiss you… again?”
Every second that the question hung in the air between us, my insides tightened and twisted until it became unbearable.She was thinking, calculating, and I couldn’t blame her. I’d thrown a lot at her, but I didn’t want to pressure her. I wanted her to make the choice.
Even if it was just this once, I wanted to taste her again. To savor her sweetness, commit it to memory. I wanted to milk this moment for everything it was worth.
“Yes,” she said finally, and a sigh of relief rushed out of me. “But hurry up before I change my mind.”
I laughed. I didn’t need to be told twice.
My lips crashed against hers, and I breathed her in, determined to brand this moment on my soul in case it was the last chance I ever had to be this close to her.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
REVEL
