Page 29 of Unmasking Her Shadow

I watch their interaction. Ki glances over at us when she spots her ex walking towards her and stiffens when the girl puts her hand on her shoulder. I’m not sure what comes over me, but I don’t enjoy seeing Ki uncomfortable. Maybe it’s because she’s always so confident and strong, or maybe it’s because she came here with me, not whoever this girl is. I get up and beeline straight towards them, stepping in the middle and knocking the woman’s hand off Ki’s shoulder.

“Dance with me,” I tell Kioni. She looks down at me, surprise and curiosity brightening her eyes, and she grins.

“We were talking,” the girl snaps, attempting to shove me out of the way. Ki’s eyes shoot to hers, and she grabs her wrist. “No, we weren’t, and don’t fucking touch her.”

Butterflies tickle my core and flutter like birds on cocaine when she places her hand on my lower back possessively and guides me to the middle of the yard.

“Thank you,” she whispers in my ear.

“You’re welcome,” I reply, my voice shaking. What the hell is happening? Damn it, Shadow. She dips me and my eyes landing on an upside-down Ryker, grinning from ear to ear. Our bodies are as close now as they were on the bike and my heart is pounding too loudly.

“What’s wrong, Red?” she teases.

I clear my throat. “Nothing.”

Her eyes drops to my lips before returning to mine again.

“She’s glaring at us. What you are doing is working.”

She chuckles lowly. “Nothing I am doing is for anyone but you.”

Her warmth is heating me from the inside out. I’m too hot. Too fucking hot.

“I need to use the restroom,” I blurt out.

“I’ll show you where it is.”

She leads me through the crowd and opens the door for me to step inside the quiet confines of her childhood home. I take a deep breath, trying to calm myself.

She steps around me, tilts my chin up, and studies my face. “Are you sure you are okay?”

I remain silent and concentrate on my breathing because her nearness is making it worse.

“Red—” the worry in her tone does something to me, and I cut her off with my lips on hers. They are so soft.

I like soft.

I pull away, my eyes widening. “Ki, I’m so sor—” she smashes her lips back to mine and cups the sides of my face, walking me backwards until my back hits a wall. I grab her hips to steady myself, my body threatening to dissolve into nothing. Our tongues collide, and I moan into her mouth, tugging her closer by her waistband. She abruptly breaks the kiss and rests her forehead against mine. Our breaths mixing and chests heaving as if we had just been running.

“You can kiss me whenever you’d like, Red, but never apologize for it.” She kisses my forehead, her lips lingering for two heartbeats. “The bathroom is down the hall to the right,” she explains, taking a step back.

I swallow hard and make my way there on weak legs, resting my back against the cool door when I shut myself inside. Her touch lingers on my skin. I brush my thumb across my lips and close my eyes. A single kiss and I’m ready to combust. One. Single. Kiss. For the first time in days, I’m not thinking about my masked orgasm supplier. The only thing floating around in my mind is the woman waiting outside this door for me. He can never find out what happened tonight. If he hurts her, I will never forgive myself.

21

Kioni

I desperately try to calm my racing heart while I wait for Sam to get out of the bathroom.

She kissed me.

Holy fuck…she kissed me.

I cover my grin with my hand and lean back against the wall. This feels like my first kiss all over again. Like she wiped away any memories that lingered of anyone else’s lips that had ever touched mine. I’m not sure who was more surprised by her actions, me or her. Probably her. I always knew this would happen, just didn’t know when. The sound of the door has me straightening. A blush creeps across her cheeks when our eyes connect.

“Can we finish our dance, or are you ready to go home?” I ask, giving her the crook of my elbow. She threads her arm around mine, and I walk her back outside.

“Umm—I—” she stutters.