I lock my shaking arms around his neck, clutching him for dear life as he deepens the kiss. His tongue flicks against my bottom lip, tasting my lip gloss. Aiden’s groan vibrates my chest, sending my pounding heart into dangerous territory. He licks my upper lip before allowing me to taste the artificial coconut mixed with a flavor that’s unique to only him.
He said he doesn’t kiss, yet he’s kissing me like he’s been starving for this moment ever since he taught me.
Fuck it. I don’t care. Maybe he’s doing this to make Jake jealous. A part of me hopes it’s because he wants to because it’sme.
I melt in Aiden’s grasp and give in to the moment. The last time we kissed, I was so nervous about messing up that I didn’t get to enjoy it as much as I am right now. His touch burns into my skin while he clings to me like I’m precious. His sweet scent invades my lungs. And the sounds he makes? The shaky breaths and groans of appreciation? It’s life-altering. I won’t be the same. I will chase after this feeling until the day I die.
Aiden is the first to end the kiss, almost begrudgingly. His fingers tighten their hold in my hair as if he’s apologizing for having to stop. He nips my bottom lip, sucks it between his to soothe the sting, then releases it with a wet plop before straightening and steadying me.
“So fucking sweet.” He licks his bottom lip and smirks.
I let out a shaky laugh and avert my gaze.
“All right, you two,” Jake says. He slides the plushie across the counter toward me. “Unless you plan on playing again, you need to move on so others can play.”
Aiden blinks, the cocky look gone like it was never there. He tosses a fake smile at Jake and swipes the prize. “Don’t worry, bro. You’ll eventually win your own prize with that stellar personality of yours.”
I gawk at Aiden, and an undignified sound comes out of me. I can’t say whether it’s a laugh or a gasp. Possibly something in between.
Aiden snickers and drags me away from the stand, his fingers lacing through mine. He hands the doll to me with the other. “I wonder what else I can win from you before the night is over. Maybe that demonstration you mentioned earlier?”
I roll my eyes and squeeze the plushie to my chest. Ignoring the burn in my cheeks, I say, “You can’t be serious. Also, how do you know how to kiss if you have a no-kissing rule?”
“Just because it’s a rule doesn’t mean I haven’t done it before.”
“Okay,” I drawl, and circle back to the last comment he made about the demonstration. “And you really think you can wipe my memory with your dick?”
Aiden squeezes my hand. “You won’t know until you try it.”
I cast a sideways glance at him. The rooted insecurity takes control, and I can’t stop the word vomit without thinking it over. “You don’t actually mean it. I’m not?—”
But before I can say anything else, someone calls out for Aiden.
EIGHTEEN
AIDEN
“Aiden!”A tall man dressed in dark clothes breaks from the crowd and stalks toward us with a huge grin on his face. He’s covered in tattoos, and his hair is styled similarly to mine, though it’s black rather than silver.
Recognition and excitement light me up from the inside. “Haze!”
Haze stops in front of me and claps his hand on my shoulder. “It’s been a while since we’ve seen each other. And you never texted me back.”
I cut him a look. “Yeah, because there’s nothing to say back to that comment. Anyway, did everything work out well after we last saw each other?”
I grin at the memory of helping him with a certain little cockblocking redhead who was getting in the way of his relationship with his twin sister.
“It did.” He winks with a smirk. His gaze flicks to Nova, and recognition flashes across his features before he smooths them out and regards me again. “I’m not interrupting anything, am I?”
I catch Nova around the waist. She looks between Haze and me, her eyebrows scrunched in confusion. I prefer she doesn’t know what and how I helped Haze with his plan, and I intend to keep it that way. There’re some things my girl shouldn’t know.
“No. We were just about to find another prize I can win her,” I say.
He cocks his head and glances at Nova again as she pulls out her cell phone. “I didn’t think you were into dating. Last I checked, you kept distance between you and your deals.”
I chuckle and rub my neck. “I still do. This is?—”
“Oh, he’s here.” Nova breaks out of my hold and throws an apologetic look over her shoulder as she says, “Wish me luck.”
