Heartbreaker (Unbreakable #1)(56)

She stared up at me, her beautiful blue eyes darkening. “Or about to be…”

Yeah. I led her out of there, holding her hand tightly. We burst out of the double doors at the entrance into the dimly lit parking lot.

When I turned us toward the truck, she tugged on my hand. “Mind if we walk?”

I calculated the distance. Her place was three and a half blocks away. Then I glanced down at her high heels. “You sure?” A few minutes by truck. About twenty by foot.

“Yeah. There’s a place on the way I want to show you.”

Make that maybe an hour, or more. I took a deep breath. I’d been waiting a very long time for Kiki. Another hour? I could do.

The night was mild as we walked hand in hand down the cobbled sidewalk. Without warning, she dropped my hand, skipped ahead, then popped onto the curbing around the last lamppost on the street. A breeze stirred the ends of her softly curled hair, then calmed again as she wrapped her hands around the wrought iron pole.

She stared off into the darkness of a neighborhood park as tree leaves rustled overhead. “This is perfect.” She scanned the sky. “It’s a moonless night.”

Didn’t argue. Any night with her was perfect.

With a slight squeal, she grabbed my hand and rushed forward. The clicks of her heels disappeared the moment we hit grass.

I couldn’t see jack shit, but I jogged after her, barely keeping up. “Don’t step into a hole.”

“There are none. I’ve snuck out here every night this week.” She stopped so suddenly, I crashed into her. She giggled, then half-turned as she reached up, lifting the end of a branch. “Be careful, low bridge.”

Intrigued by what would capture her attention for a whole week of nighttime visits, I ducked under the branch. We picked our way through thick bushes and low-hanging limbs. “A wilderness hike?” This part of Glenhaven was on the outskirts of town, bordering forest land.

She slowed her steps, then stopped altogether. “Close your eyes.”

“Seriously?” I snorted. “Can’t see a damn thing.”

“Close them.”

Her stern tone made me smile. “Fine. They’re closed.”

She led me forward while insects chirped and sang in the trees around us.

“Okay.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “Now open.”

I did. Then I blinked, not quite processing what I saw. Thousands of greenish lights glittered against a black backdrop.

“Wow.” All I could say. “Fireflies?”

“Yep. Aren’t they amazing?” She leaned against me, touching her head to my chest, just below my shoulder.

“Can’t believe they’re here this early.” I rested my hand on her hip.

“Right?” She glanced up at me, then back out again. “Must be the really warm early spring. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen them in April.”

In silence we stared at the spectacle. Tiny lights blinked on and off. If you stared in one spot, the lights would dance, swaying in a ripple anytime a slight breeze would catch them.

“It’s like the miracle of a first snow on…” Her voice turned breathless with wonder.

“Christmas Eve.” I remembered.

I now felt it too, understood firsthand what she’d meant—that quiet moment of before, when anticipation wound tight inside, about to explode.

She let out a sigh. “This is our Christmas Eve.”

I wrapped my other arm around her, brushing my lips along the top of her ear. “Please tell me I get to unwrap my present tonight.”

She shifted in my hold, then stared up at me with dark wide eyes. The weight of the moment crackled with intensity as she pressed her hands to my ribs, then ran them up my chest. In the light of the fireflies, her halo of dark hair shimmered pale green around her face.

“That depends,” she whispered.

“On?” My hands tightened, pressing on her back.

I stared at the incredible girl in my arms. Soft tempting curves. A heart full of wild wonder. One whose first wish tonight was to share her secret miracle. With me.

Nothing on earth had ever made me feel so lucky.

“On whether you’re bad or good.”

I dropped my head, pressed a kiss to her temple, then dragged my lips to the top of her ear. “Bad,” I growled. “I plan to be very bad.”

Her entire body shuddered in my arms. “Good answer.”

I eased back and savored the moment, staring down at her.

Over the rustling of leaves and singing of insects, only our heavy breaths were heard. I swallowed hard. She licked her lips.

Then she bit the plump lower one as she stared up at my mouth.

I lost it. Dipping down, I captured her lips with mine. The kiss was hungry. Insistent. She exhaled a sigh into my mouth as I thrust my tongue forward. She tasted sugar sweet, remnants of those pink drinks she’d been holding.

Groaning, I buried my hands into her soft hair.

Her weight leaned against me as she relaxed in my hold. Our tongues explored, mine dragging alongside hers, hers tangling over mine.

My hands fell lower until they gripped her hips. Unable to stop myself, I ground against her.

A f*cking delicious little moan came from her throat.

Then a shudder tripped through me, the impact of our kiss shocking me down to my bones.