I shivered.
Thinking I was cold, Monte embraced me once more, and this time I wrapped my arms around his waist and allowed him to comfort me.
I breathed in his scent, felt his warmth, and realized that I wasn’t scared anymore, and I wasn’t alone in this moment orin life. He was here, and I could feel our budding bond growing between us.
It could always be this way,I thought.
Loving him would be so easy. But allowing myself to be loved by him, well, that was a personal battle I’d have to address later.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah. I’m good.”
“Liar.”
“You don’t have to call me out on it,” I mumbled, trying to pull away from him, but he just held me tighter.
“Is this why you were so angry about the video?”
“Partially.”
“But also because I was in it, huh?”
“Yes,” I told him honestly.
I could feel his disappointment radiating clearly.
“It’s not what you think,” I protested. “I’m not mad about it. I don’t mind sharing the spotlight. I do not have to be the center of attention. I don’t even like always being the center of attention. But when I record, there’s a disconnect. I often think of Zoey Unboxed as a separate entity in much the same way we think of our wolves. She’s a part of me, but not fully me. Few people ever get to see the real me, Monte. But when I look at this teaser, that’s all I see.”
I dared to look up at him when he didn’t respond at all.
He stared down at me in amazement and smiled.
“I get it. You weren’t wearing the mask. It made you feel vulnerable.”
I nodded.
“I prefer you without the mask,” he confessed, and then he leaned down and kissed me.
It was sweet at first but then demanding and nearly possessive as my mind swam in all the emotions of the day. I was breathless and holding onto him for dear life. It felt much like a dam had burst and we were being swept away.
His hands didn’t move from my waist nor mine from his shoulders as we clung to each other in that kiss.
I wasn’t sure it was possible to climax from a kiss, but Monte might have proved that theory wrong had the suite phone not rang, causing us both to jump as if we’d been caught doing something we shouldn’t have been doing.
He reluctantly answered it while I desperately tried to calm myself.
What the hell was that?
Was this even something I wanted?
Yes!a voice in my head said loud and clear. I was pretty certain it was not my libido talking.
Calm down,I tried ordering my body.
“That was Karla. Words out that you were filming here earlier today. She’s given orders for everyone to say you have already left the resort, but some are not being dissuaded. I’ll admit, I can’t believe how fast that happened.”
“More may come still. What are we going to do?”
