Page 22 of When the Smoke Clears

It took forever to get the check, so I emptied the cash from my wallet, and we left the restaurant. Everleigh was hard to read. She seemed nervous and anxious. Willing, yet a little terrified. As we waited for our ride, I held her sweaty hands, fingers interlaced, while pulling her into me. She swallowed and squeezed my hands while gazing up at me with wide eyes.

“Thanks for dinner,” she said, her voice breathy and shaky.

“Are you nervous?” I squinted.

Her head bobbed in a way that I couldn’t tell if she was shaking it or nodding. “If you’re going to kill me, make it fast. Okay?”

I didn’t move. Not a blink or a breath for several seconds. Then I barked a laugh, throwing back my head. “You think I’m going to murder you?”

Everleigh curled her lips between her teeth either to hide her grin or control her quivering.

“Then why are we going back to your apartment?” I asked.

“In case you’re planning on kissing me instead of killing me.” She wrinkled her nose while giving me a goofy grin.

I released her hands and took a step backward, running my fingers through my hair. “Everleigh, you take the ride when it gets here. I’ll walk to my hotel.” My hands flopped to my side. “We just met. Skepticism is good. It’s safe. If it works out, we can meet up another night this week for dinner again. If it doesn’t, then I’ll see you at the rehearsal, and that’s cool too. It’s been fun.” I retreated another step as the ride pulled up to the curb.

She whipped her head to the left, looking at the car before turning toward me again. “Th-that’s it? You’re giving up that easily?”

I chuckled, shaking my head. “What do you want me to do?”

“I don’t know. Maybe tell me you’re a sane, honorable man. Then kiss me or something like that. Because I’ve never been kissed by a tall fireman with a mustache. And now I won’t be able to sleep without knowing what that’s like.”

Everleigh was different, a little quirky, but in the best possible way.

“For what it’s worth,” I said. “I don’t know what it’s like to kiss a tall fireman with a mustache either. But I bet it’s pretty amazing.”

Her smile engulfed her face.

“Have a good night.” I turned.

“Jeez, just kiss me already,” she said.

I smirked before turning. We stepped toward each other, and I grabbed her face. Before our lips touched, she sucked in a quick breath. It was an arousing sound, or maybe it was the way she hummed while her body melted against mine. It was something. She was something.

“Hey! Do you need a ride or not?” the driver yelled out the window.

Everleigh grinned, ending the kiss. “Just promise not to kill me,” she said.

“No promises. Get in the car.” I rolled my eyes and held open the door as she slid into the back seat.

When the driver pulled away from the curb, I leaned over and kissed her again. She had the softest skin. Silky hair that held a faint floral scent.

“Has anyone told you that you’re a good kisser?” she mumbled while I kissed her neck. Her fingers teased my nape as she giggled. “But your mustache tickles.”

“I’m not sure anyone has said those words”—I smirked—“but it’s been implied.” I kissed her again.

Everleigh wasn’t too shabby a kisser either. She moved her mouth against mine, and hummed when my tongue swept into her mouth. It made my dick so hard that I had to keep adjusting in the seat. The visceral attraction was stronger than anything I had experienced in a long time, maybe ever.

We stumbled out of the car and into the building’s entrance. She swiped a card that got us into the lobby, then she swiped it again to make the elevator ascend.

“Tell me to slow down,” I whispered over her lips while backing her into the corner of the elevator.

“Don’t slow down.” She fisted my shirt and rose onto her toes.

I grabbed the backs of her legs and lifted her off the floor. When she gasped, I quickly swallowed it with another long kiss while guiding her legs around my waist. We staggered to the apartment at the end of the hall on the fifth floor.

She broke the kiss with a little giggle, and I set her on her feet to open the door.