He laughed, opening up to me more. “For once, I don’t feel like I have to apologize for the science talk. I remember how your moms were growing up, I know you’re used to it.”
“It’s true,” I agreed. “One of my favorite things about having them as my parents. They taught me to appreciate stuff I wouldn’t have even noticed otherwise.”
I started to ask about his dad but stopped myself. Izzy had never brought him up, and I remembered the man being really absent from Izzy’s life.
Now wasn’t the right time to go down that road. It might spoil his night.
“It takes a little more than meteorology to heat me up, actually,” he laughed. “I need at least a little ecology before I start overheating.”
“Maybe I can remember some of the plants you identified for me this morning. That might do the trick.”
We stopped walking at the other end of the meadow, nearing the tall, dark trees. We stood there a moment in silence, and I saw Izzy toeing the ground. “Are you trying to make me hot, Kai?” he finally asked with his sweet, shy voice.
I stepped a little closer. “I might want to make you hot,” I answered. “Sounds nice.”
Light rain started to fall. The music from inside the hall spilled out, but we stood beyond the lights. It felt good and right, and I took one last step, crossing the night to reach him.
This was the moment, and I met him in it.
I reached out. I moved my hand slowly and traced my fingers above his ear, from his temple back. “Izzy,” I said softly.
Thunder erupted, and a moment later, the rain swelled. Fat drops fell on a cool breeze and plopped against us, splattering the ground. Caught up in the surprise of it, I leaned forward and took Izzy in a quick kiss.
I pressed my lips to his. He laid his hand on my cheek, and I kissed him harder, swiping my tongue against his as I grabbed his side.
We were kissing. We were kissing, and it felt amazing.
The rain picked up, loud on the trees. I was soaked through, and water dripped down my face as we pulled apart.
Thunder crashed above, rumbling. “Inside!” I yelled.
I grabbed his hand without really thinking about it, and we both ran toward the hall. I slipped on the wet grass in my dress shoes. Izzy caught me, and a second later, I caught him as we both slid.
I let go of his hand as we burst back into the hall, laughing. His wet hair was plastered back, which looked goofy in exactly the right way to make it hot, too.
Izzy wiped water off his face. I wanted to kiss him again right there and see if I could make him whimper.
I bet he had a really nice whimper.
Instead, though, I fixed my hair and pulled myself together. He didn’t seem like the PDA type, and since he’d just started to open up more, I didn’t want to scare him away.
“I think this means it’s time to catch a ride back to the cabin.”
Izzy swooped his hand through his hair and smiled. “Yeah,” he said with a flirty half-smile. “Ready when you are.”
Chapter Eleven
Izzy
We ran into the cabin,soaking wet. The rain was still coming down steady and even, pouring through the trees.
He’d kissed me. Kai had actually kissed me. Now that I’d felt his lips close over mine and tasted him on the tip of my tongue, I knew I wasn’t deluding myself.
This was really happening. He was actually into me.
We both stood near the door, puddles dripping at our feet. “Wait here,” he said as he removed his jacket, then hung it carefully on the back of a chair. “I’ll get you a towel.”
He stripped off his shirt, pulled off his shoes and socks, and ran to grab the towels. I undressed down to my pants and T-shirt, which clung wetly to my chest.
