ra'

he sink, staring at the restroom door

aked, his hair in disarray-nothing like

t the frame and swung

myself to breathe. The nausea twisting in my stomach hadn't faded. My skin still seemed to r

shown up. what w

h churn. I almost wished I had k

bas

e ruth

ed from across the r

folded across his chest, one brow arched, tha

he was about to piss himself

traightened my spine. "

d no desire to

r. Instead, he pushed off the counter and walked toward m

lower back hit the edge of the sink.

s tr

could catch his scent. Close enough

hed to m

" His voice dropped, almost a

p at him. His gaze was lowered, heavy and intent, stud

do you

eek, tucking it behind my ear. His fingers grazed th

thanks. I d

eath. "Fine. What

way he leaned closer

s eyes darkened. "I want

r ki

head to th

red his face slowly, deliberately, g

I

It was solid, warm, unyielding. He didn't step back. Instea

not to my mouth, b

ath caught

ht, he pressed a lingering kiss, then

't fully suppress it. A faint, traitorous soun

tion glinting in his eyes,

to grab him and kiss him properly. In the d

e it," h

deny it. I

burst from me wasn't

d you m

t my mouth, I regretted

" he said

pu

hundred questions

e act on impulse with eve

didn

in my chest, and I cou

self, he leaned down aga

ed away

nly wanted to ruin whatever he was plannin

e. Didn't deny it. He only sh

ally. "I like your kisses. You

iatingly indifferent expressi

n h

all

that, I wanted to run, from the heat coiling in my stomach, from the foolish

," I sai

him and headed

ere quick.

was f

t call a

d over me as I stepped out of t

e private room fel

had forced a smile onto

ss, eyes sparkling, words

heerfully. "Touch-up or murde

ed, trying to kee

ile turned sly. "You missed t

o idea. Ordered three more bottles?" I arched a

tumbling over her shoulders. "I submitted one of your old pieces-the garnet and obsi

mach d

ay

ust stepped into the spotlight!" She let ou

ngers curling tightly. "You crossed into

!" She thrust her phone toward me. On the screen was an em

red a

out," she said, almost trembling with

g," I managed.

as if I were still trapped in that dim restro

cited," Raya pointe

st. pro

many people want to work with you, we h

odd

redible ne

owan hadn't stirred up feelings I didn't