Kiss the Stars (Falling Stars #1)(70)

I buzzed through the gate, legs carrying me faster than they should as I made my way along the edge of the pool toward the main house.

Truth was, I had no idea how to face what was waiting inside for me.

And still, I was unable to stop.

Damn the consequences.

Here I was, stepping into Eden. Just a quick deviation on my way to Hell.

I let my backpack slide from my shoulder and drop to the ground, never slowing, just picking up speed while that bitch Karma ran along beside me ranting in my ear.

She could fuck off right about then.

I punched in the code, threw open the door, and stepped into the great room.

No doubt, I appeared half deranged. Raging. Body shaking with a type of adrenaline that I didn’t know how to shake.

Violence, I got.

But this?

It was an entirely different thing.

Kids were in the living room, but I moved right for Mia who was in the kitchen. She gasped and whirled around, and she leaned against the refrigerator door for support.

The girl the best thing that I had ever seen.

Wearing a silky robe that was doing stupid things to my head and desperate things to my dick.

I eased her way, and those sable eyes that had already told me goodbye filled with caution and confusion, and it was clear from the moisture still clouding them that I’d made her cry.

“I . . . I thought you left,” she whispered over a harsh breath.

An entire gulf separated us. A sea that I didn’t know how to cross.

I choked down the panic that had chased me in here. “I couldn’t.”

“But did you want to?” Hurt bled from her words. Her delicate throat trembled.

“Felt like I should stay.” The words grated free, scraped from a block of stone.

She almost laughed, her head shaking.

“You felt like you should stay?”

It was an accusation.

“Yeah.”

Sweat gathered at the nape of my neck when she turned away like she couldn’t look at me.

Nerves going haywire.

I inched around the island.

That crazy energy banged.

My pulse got swept up in the force of it.

I stopped a foot behind her, not sure what the hell I really thought I was going to do. Tell her that I never wanted to leave. That I wanted to stay. That I’d be with her if I had the choice.

She swiveled back around.

“You don’t owe me anything, Leif,” she whispered below her breath to keep the conversation from the kids. “I knew what I was getting myself into last night. I was the one who chased after you.”

She gave a couple bumbling nods. No question, she was trying to convince herself that was the way she actually felt.

My head shook, and I eased a fraction closer.

“You know better than that, Mia.” Words came out gruff. “You said yourself that this has been coming. You and I were going to happen. One way or another.”

If I stayed in the same place as her, we were going to collide.

Diverting her gaze to the floor, she chewed at her lip. “But you regret it.”

Harsh, low laughter rumbled out, and I was moving forward, backing her to the counter without even giving a thought to what I was doing. My mouth hovered an inch over hers as I stared her down. “Yeah. I might regret it. But don’t think for a second that I didn’t want it, Mia. I’ve never wanted anyone the way that I want you. Not once. Not ever.”

That in itself was a mortal sin.

Another lumped onto the growing pile.

Redness streaked across her chest and lit on her cheeks. The sweet scent of her made me want to do wicked, bad things.

“What does that mean?” she murmured, her voice raw and laced with misunderstanding.

I understood the affliction.

Only thing I knew was I couldn’t stay away.

This girl had me hooked.

I planted my hands on the counter on either side of her, boxing her in. I leaned in closer, close enough that our noses brushed. “Means I couldn’t leave.”

And there we were.

Full circle.

Our bodies a mess of desire and our eyes a disaster of questions.

An annoyed groan echoed from behind us. “Would you kiss her already? I’m about to revoke your man card, Leif, and I don’t even have one yet. That’s just embarrassing.”

My attention swung around to Brendon who was smirking all over the place. Kallie smacked her hand over her mouth to stop a laugh. And Penny . . . Penny blushed like she’d just witnessed something salacious.

I pitched my attention back to Mia.

Beautiful Mia with her carved cheeks and her full lips.

Yeah.

I wanted to. I wanted to kiss her.

So, I did. I kissed her soft. The girl so sweet where she sighed against my lips.

My forehead dropped to hers, and I whispered, words just for her, “I’m sorry, Mia. I told you I didn’t want to hurt you. I meant that.”

She barely nodded, unsure, and she seemed almost relieved when my phone buzzed.

I looked at the message.

Rhys: Keep your moody ass in Savannah. Put out a 9-1-1 and booked a show at The Hive. Tomorrow night. Maybe it will give you a second to come to your senses. Strap on your boots, the cavalry is coming, baby!





This guy. Couldn’t stop my smile if I tried.