“Yes,” she repeated.
“It’s embarrassing, but I haven’t, I mean, it’s been a long time since I’ve…”
“Since you’ve what, Niko? Talk to me,” she said, her voice lower in tone.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve...” I couldn’t say it. I couldn’t tell her how badly I wanted to kiss her, that my chest ached. It was under the guise of practice, but who was I kidding? I wanted to kiss Leyla until she forgot her own name.
She blinked and waited. I needed to get closer. On impulse, I grabbed the side of her chair and slowly pulled it as close as I could, making her gasp. But as much as I wanted to know if her lips tasted like vanilla, I wouldn’t do this without her consent.
Leyla must have realized the reason for my hesitation, because the next words out of her mouth almost took me out.
“Kiss me, Niko,” she said, her husky voice giving me goosebumps.
“As you wish.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Leyla
The noiseof the crowd softened to a whisper the second Niko’s lips touched mine. The world stilled, and all I could hear was the sound of our breaths and the beating of my heart.
What sounded like a growl in his throat reverberated through my body, and I whimpered. All the feelings, all the admiration, all the attraction that had been building for weeks bubbled over. It felt like coming home.
Niko grabbed me around the waist and stood us both up, tilting his head and drawing me closer as my heart pulsed with every breath and my arms went around his neck.
This was heaven. I remembered asking Vicky and Sofia how they knew they were in love with the Austin brothers. They both said the same thing: you’ll just know.
They were absolutely right. I was in love with the man who kissed me with such tenderness, such heat that my toes curled in my heels. Far too soon, he pulled back, laying his forehead on mine.
We were both breathing heavily. The kiss had not been scandalous, but the spark between us had left us both breathless.
“Leyla,” he whispered.
With the loud music, I felt the word more than heard it, but it sent chills over my whole body.
I blinked back tears at the sweetness of the moment. Nothing I had ever experienced compared to the feeling of being kissed by this beautiful man. Suddenly, the need to ask the question from dinner the other night was overwhelming.
I had to know.
Leaning back so I could look him in the eye, I stayed close enough not to have to yell. “Let’s get out of here.”
Niko hesitated for a moment, then pulled me from my chair, grabbed our jackets, and led me to the exit, his hand firmly on my back.
All I could think about in that moment was how it had felt to be in his arms. The warmth of his hand holding mine to his heart was so gentle yet so intimate. I wanted to live in his arms forever.
The fresh night air cooled my warm body, both from the venue’s heat and from Niko’s nearness. I sighed as I took a deep breath. He stood in front of me like a sentinel, caging me against the brick wall, guarding against any danger that might lurk in the darkened city street.
Those warm chocolate eyes seemed to melt as he gazed into mine. His breath was still shallow as he waited, always waiting for my next move.
“I need to know, Niko.” My ears rang from the sudden reprieve from the loud music and my own heart.
His brows pulsed downward, his voice raspy and raw. “What do you need to know? I’ll tell you anything. Everything.”
Gathering my courage, I answered, “The note. What did your note say?”
He visibly relaxed. I had a feeling the note was important, important to what came next for us.
There was a pause, and then he nodded. “The note said, ‘Leyla, if you only knew how much you mean to me, you would never doubt for a moment I could ever hurt you.’” His voice cracked before he continued. “’I am praying for you to find peace as you take your final today. Call me when you’re done. I’ll be waiting. Please. Come find me.’”
