Rudy took the hint and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her tighter against him. Warmth flooded over her as his mouth caressed hers. Both giving and taking in a dizzying rhythm.
Stars exploded behind her eyelids, brighter than those in the sky. The dopamine and oxytocin cocktail that surged through her veins at the contact made her giddy. Happy and elated. Like someone had just given her a shot of feel-good anesthesia. No way could mudding be more exciting than this.
After several long moments, his lips stilled against hers. "You taste good." His whispered breath blew hot against her lips.
She giggled, recalling the cinnamon breath mint she'd thrown in her mouth when she changed clothes. "I thought you didn't like cinnamon."
"Mmm... I love the taste of it on your mouth."
And then his lips were on hers again, more possessive this time. Passionate and urgent. And Eden was all too eager to participate in the heated kiss. He released her hand and wrapped both arms around her, holding her so tight, she struggled to breathe. Or maybe that was the way his mouth covered hers so completely that she lost track of where her lips ended and his began.
A loud rustling and chittering sound came from the bushes behind Eden, and she pulled away from Rudy with a gasp. She couldn't believe she'd lost herself so completely to his kiss. They were practically making out on the street.
She turned when another sound somewhere between a snort and a squeal sounded behind her.
Spotting the movement of a fluffy white blob in the moonlight, she peered closer at the bushes. "Is it another rabbit?" She caught a flash of what looked like a long tail as Rudy leaned in beside her. "Is it a cat?"
A second shape, this one with even more white, joined the first.
"Look, there are two cats." She pointed toward the animals.
Three things happened almost simultaneously. So fast that Eden was incapable of movement. Yet time seemed to slow, allowing her to take in every excruciating detail of the nightmare.
The second animal moved into the moonlight, revealing two white lines on a black body before turning and lifting its tail.
Rudy shouted, "Eden, no! That's not a cat!"
Then the first animal's tail shot up too.
"Oh snap!" Rudy grabbed her arm and jerked her back, but it was too late.
The foulest stench she'd ever smelled permeated the air, and a putrid taste filled her mouth.
"Agh!" She stomped her feet and waved her hands in front of her face. "What is tha—" Her words were cut off by violent coughing and gagging.
"Skunk," was all Rudy managed to get out before choking right alongside her.
Eden's stomach roiled when the horrid stench and taste persisted. She'd never experienced anything so vile and all-consuming on the senses. Her eyes, nose, and throat burned. Even her bronchial tubes and lungs protested. A prickly, stinging sensation covered her face and arms, permeating her skin.
"My mouth was open!" She managed to choke out between coughs that grew so violent she vomited on the ground at Rudy's feet. She was too miserable to even be embarrassed about it.
Another rustle sounded behind him, and he grabbed her arm and pulled her away from the bushes and her vomit. The skunks, victorious in having defended their territory, waddled back into the underbrush, leaving the two of them in a putrid fog that threatened to suffocate them.
The burn in Eden's throat eased a little after throwing up, but the vile taste in her mouth persisted, and tears flowed down her face almost as rapidly as snot streamed from her nose. "Tastes like rotten eggs and raw garlic."
"Burning tires and sulfur." Rudy added as he fidgeted, no doubt fighting the urge to wipe away the snot and tears that streamed from his nose and eyes. "And very intense marijuana."
Eden gave him a questioning look through teary eyes.
"Police academy," he explained. "Gah! This burns even worse than the mandatory tear-gas training."
Covered in tears and mucus, Rudy looked as miserable as she felt. He pointed a finger at her and croaked, "No judgment," before doubling over, pressing a finger to one side of his nose, and blowing out hard and fast. He repeated the action with the other side.
It was the grossest thing Eden had ever seen anyone do, but it was brilliant. Blowing snot out in front of Rudy couldn't be any worse than vomiting at his feet, so she mimicked his actions.
Avoiding his eyes, she straightened and wiped the back of her hand across her nose and mouth. The prickly sensation on her skin intensified. "Frick! I can still taste it!"
"Don't touch your face! Makes it worse." He gagged then cleared his throat. "It's on your clothes, too."
