Theo stroked my temples, then traced the curve of my chin. His eyes followed the movement as if he were memorising me, and I took in his clean-shaven jaw, the softness of his lower lip.
Anytime he touched me, my body swayed toward him, seeking more. I swept my palms up his back, holding his gaze now whenweeks ago I would have shied away. My fingertips trailed down his spine again, my touch featherlight.
He shivered and murmured, “Are you ready for tomorrow?”
A road trip into the unknown with who knew how many undead blocking the way? As far as first dates went, I would have chosen almost any other option. “I don’t know—and I’d be lying if I said anything different.”
“We’ll be fine.” Theo brushed my jaw lightly with his thumb, his gaze dropping to my mouth. “We’ll take care of each other,” he said. “Ease into it… take our time.”
Were we still talking about the drive to his dad’s farm? My thoughts had headed in another direction, my body temperature rising to match the spark in his eyes. “Careful and slow?” I asked softly. “Make sure we’re thorough. Pay attention to every detail?”
He let out an amused breath that almost slipped into a groan. “I’m glad we’re on the same page.”
Theo was smiling when his lips touched mine, the muscles in his lower back shifting against my palms. A frisson of electricity charged through my veins, and I pressed closer to him.
The kiss started off slow and teasing, dimming the ache that had simmered inside me for days.
His fingers threaded into my hair as his mouth moved with mine, combing through the strands until they found their place. A shiver slipped between my shoulder blades, and I rose on my toes to deepen the connection.
He cradled my face and dialled up the intensity, his mouth turning urgent as his hands kept me steady. When his tongue swept across mine, my breath caught, and every nerve ending turned electric. I wrapped my arms around his neck and sighed through my nose, congratulating myself for building the nerve to talk to him for the first time on the rooftop.
Theo’s hand drifted to my waist, sliding over the curve of my ass. When I made a pitiful, desperate sound, he smiled against my mouth. I broke the kiss and laughed at myself, wishing I had it in me to be calm and composed. It was too easy to get lost in him. “I’m so out of practice,” I said, something telling me he wouldn’t make fun of the years I’d spent alone.
The corner of his mouth kicked up, and he brushed his thumb across my cheek. “If it helps, I’m barely holding it together.”
I smiled as I steadied my breathing. “I wasn’t even missing this until I started spending time with you.” My mouth travelled over his jaw and down the side of his neck. I gave the tattooed rose there some attention, smiling at the way he tipped his chin to encourage more kisses. “I’ve wanted you for so long.”
He made a rough sound in his throat and lifted my chin, searching my face. “Why didn’t you say something? God.Anything.”
The shards of silver in his eyes mesmerised me, and it took me a second to answer. “It only just hit me now.”
Theo laughed, a surprised crack that echoed in the quiet room. “Lockdown could have been so much more fun.”
I couldn’t even be annoyed at myself for taking so long to come around to him. Now was the right time, and anything beyond that didn’t matter.
His thumbs stroked my cheeks, and the humour between us slowly faded.
He looked at me for the longest time, and the words he’d uttered during our first time alone in my apartment played in the back of my mind.Everything about you makes sense.
Emotion crept up my throat and blurred my vision.
My reaction ignited something in Theo. His eyes turned stormy and intense, and when his mouth captured mine again, neither of us tried to hold back. The kiss exploded from the outset, taking on a life of its own—lips tasting, hands roaming.
Then I surprised myself by jumping into his arms. As my ankles locked together at his lower back, he let out anoofand supported me with his forearms.
A rush of heat sizzled across my skin as my mouth lifted from his. My gaze travelled over his pretty eyes, his kiss-softened lips, and the tangle of damp hair falling over his forehead. He was stupidly attractive, but that didn’t even scratch the surface of what I liked most about him. A small part of me wanted to pull back and protect myself in case he became yet another person I lost, but I ignored the warning and let myself have this moment.
“You make me happy,” I said, leaving a smacking kiss on his lips.
My sister was missing, and everything around us had collapsed, but he made it all bearable.
Before he could say another word, I kissed him harder, pressing my chest against his, twisting my fingers in his hair.
Theo’s mouth stayed fused with mine as he headed for his bedroom. He bumped into the corner of the island bench on the way, exhaling a harsh breath through his nose that could have been a laugh. I smiled and pulled back, gently tugging his lower lip with my teeth.
He made a gruff sound in his throat and redirected his course, taking the final few steps to the doorway.
When he stepped inside his room, my stomach flipped, and I tried to keep my enthusiasm from overflowing.
