Page 116 of Ignition

Chad wisely paused in his steps, eyes widening at the cool smile on my face that didn’t quite hide the teeth.

“Mind if I cut in?”

She stiffened at the sound of my voice, as if warring with herself whether to turn or tell me to get lost. Pride versus pull.

Time stretched, ticked by the throbs of my frantic heart, before she peered over her shoulder at me, eyes glimmering with a hundred unspoken things, pink-cheeked from dancing, mouth painted the same wine red as her dress.

Christ.

She offered an apology to Jason without looking at him, and I watched his hands peel off her with disproportionate satisfaction.

“You could’ve just waited.” She clicked her tongue at me as she turned, which only made me grin.

“When you look like that? Not a chance,” I chuckled roughly and held out my palm, wearing a gentleman’s skin, when all I wanted to do was haul her into my arms and devour her.

Her smaller paler hand landed in mine, and an entirely too warm smile pulled at my lips, until I must have resembled a dazed idiot.

Which, incidentally, was exactly how I felt.

“I take it I look good?” she taunted.

“You always do.” The answer was automatic. “This…” I gestured at her, from the crown of her head to her heels. “Is just…”

I searched for the words as my other hand brushed the dip of her waist, before curling around it.

“Unfair.”

My smile tugged into a half-smirk as her blush deepened before my eyes, and her fingers crept up to rest on my shoulder, as if she hadn’t fallen apart in my arms the other day. Cute.

“You’re… not so horrible either.”

Her nose wrinkled up at me, like she’d fought to say it.

“Ah, stop it. Am I blushing yet?”

I laughed, both hands finding her waist as the opening notes of Until I found you had me dragging her closer, until her chest brushed mine.

“Did you see my gift?”

Her ears turned scarlet and she ducked her gaze, until I leaned in to catch it with mine again.

“Eyes on me. Or are you planning to get distracted by someone else?”

The hum of the crowd and the excited buzz of the party faded around us, until all I could see was that green shimmer, the deepening blush, and the freckles I wanted to trace with my lips.

“The whole school saw it,” she reprimanded, trying to glower and landing on adorable again.

Stifling another chuckle, I thought of the twenty-four roses I’d left in front of her locker. A fitting end to the Valentine’s tradition. And by the way her neck gained colour, standing out stark against the green of her pendant, she’d liked it more than she wanted to admit.

My fingers trailed up her spine as we swayed to the music, until they brushed right below her hairline in slow strokes.

Her scent danced in my nose, underscored by the warmth of her skin, and mingling with a hint of salty sweat.

“How did you know pink roses were my favourite?”

I dipped her low, savouring the way her breath caught.

“Let’s just say I have my ways,” I hummed back, snatching her up and guiding her into a pirouette before catching her against my chest.