The Fine Print (Dreamland Billionaires #1)(53)

Her skin breaks out in goosebumps. “What are you doing?”

“Having fun.”

“Did I miss the start of the apocalypse or something?”

I unleash a small smile. Her eyes expand as she checks out my face.

She clears her throat, grabs my half-finished hot chocolate, and throws the cups away. By the time she comes back, her cheeks have lost their flush. I miss it.

“You’re cute when you get all flustered. If it was—” My response gets cut off by a chanting crowd counting down from ten. “What are they counting for?”

She beams as she looks up at me. “You’ll see!”

The crowd yells one and chaos erupts. Kids scream around us as foam snowflakes rain down around us. The hidden canisters across the quad spray us all and coat everyone’s hair and clothes in fake snow. Christmas music blasts from the speakers, basking the whole area in holiday cheer.

Zahra laughs as I swipe at my shoulder and bring the foam up to my eyes.

“What the hell is this? I don’t remember this being here when I was a kid.” My parents took us to this same village every year, yet I don’t recall snow being a part of the program.

“They added it last year!”

“This better not stain.” A pitiful excuse for a snowflake lands on my nose.

Her grin widens as she steps on her toes and brushes it away. “Don’t be such a stick in the mud.”

Foam rains around us, dropping onto her dark hair and clothes. Kids squeal and run around as they make foam angels on the grass.

“These people act like they’ve never seen snow before.”

“That’s because some of us haven’t!” She laughs up to the sky.

“Really?”

“Yes. Maybe one day.” She holds out her hand to collect more foam.

A child runs right into Zahra, throwing off her equilibrium. I reach out and grasp onto her arms before she topples to the ground. Another little speed demon runs right at her, but I tug her into me before he mows her down. Her hands smack against my chest and her eyes hold mine hostage. She feels perfect in my arms, and I’m tempted to keep her tucked beside me where I can protect her from all the darkness in the world, including myself.

I’m not sure what’s happening to me, but all I know is that I’m captivated by Zahra.

A piece of her hair flutters in the wind, dragging across her face. Without thinking, I grab onto the strand and tuck it behind her ear. My skin buzzes at the contact, and I cup her cheek to hold on to the moment. Her brown eyes sparkle despite the setting sun.

Everything around us slows as I lower my head. She meets me halfway, and our lips crash together. I’ve been craving this since our first kiss. Our bodies mold together like they’re two missing parts of a puzzle.

Energy crackles where our lips touch, and I feed off it like a desperate addict. Zahra sucks in a breath. I take the opportunity to trace her bottom lip with my tongue. Her body shudders as her fingers claw into the fabric of my suit.

My head grows cloudy and the noise around us fades as Zahra deepens the kiss. Her tongue teases mine as she wraps her arms around my neck. She tastes like mint chocolate, and I’m desperate for more. It’s as if all my senses have been kicked into hyperdrive, with my spine tingling and my lips buzzing for more. More of this. More of her. More of us.

Kissing Zahra is like reaching Heaven after an eternity spent in purgatory. Like I’ve spent most of my life hopelessly ambling around, waiting for her to show me the way back to the light. She’s divine with enough wickedness to make a sinner like me want to pray in devotion.

I groan as she presses into me. My growing erection is poorly restrained by my slacks, and Zahra gasps.

Another child screams as they barrel into us and shove us apart. Zahra wobbles, but she regains her balance by herself this time.

She steps out of my reach as she looks up at me with gaping, swollen lips. “So…”

“Go on a date with me.” I take a step toward her.

“What?!” She presses a hand against her mouth as if the gesture can stop me from kissing her again.

Am I the only one affected by our connection? There’s no way. “Should I repeat myself?”

“No! To both questions.”

“Why?” I step closer to her, taking in her fresh scent of citrus mixed with the soapy smell of the foam snowflakes.

“Do you need a bigger reason besides the fact that you’re my boss?”

“That’s never stopped you from doing what you wanted before.”

Her eyes drop to the floor. “It doesn’t matter. You’re the last person I should want.”

Her words throw me back into the past—of the boy who was rejected until he learned to stop caring.

The vein in my forehead throbs. “Yeah, well, I’m not supposed to be attracted to an insufferable female who drives me to the brink of insanity yet here we are. You represent everything I dislike in someone.”

She winces. “That’s the way you really feel about me?”

Fuck. That came out all wrong. Somehow, I watched Mr. Darcy fuck up seventeen times yet still managed to fall into the same trap.

Her eyes shine, instantly making myself feel shittier.

“Shit. I didn’t mean it like that.” I cup her elbow, but she rips her arm away.