Page 101 of Fame & Chaos

I groan dramatically. “Oh God, you still believe in all that fate and omen bullshit?”

She looks up at me with a smile that nearly knocks the breath from my lungs. “I do. And I think you came back into my life for a reason. Maybe to help me heal. Or maybe just to remind me what it feels like to have someone good around again. It’s nice knowing you still care about me.”

My heart starts hammering hard enough to hurt. I know this friendship thing is what she wants, but sitting here holding her while she looks at me like that is making it impossible not to want more.

I have to try.

“Indi… what do you think about us dating?”

She stiffens slightly against me, and I rush to keep talking before she can panic. “Nothing serious. No pressure. And if it ever starts feeling too serious, we back off. It’s just…” I glance down at her tucked against my side, “… having you here in my arms like this feels right. I really think we could be good together. We don’t have to start planning marriage and a million kids or anything—”

“What are you asking, Caleb?” she interrupts softly.

I swallow hard. “I’m asking if maybe I could kiss you without you worrying it means I’m trying to—”

“Yes.”

I stop and stare at her.

“Yes?”

A small nervous smile crosses her face. “Caleb, I know there’s something between us, and I know pretending we’re only friends is probably going to be difficult. But if we keep it simple… if it’s just a kiss with no expectations … then yes, I want you to kiss me.”

For a second, I genuinely forget how to function.

My pulse pounds wildly through my body while I stare into her sparkling blue eyes. She’s giving me permission. After six years of wanting her, dreaming about her, missing her… she’s asking me to kiss her. And somehow my body has forgotten how to move.

She giggles softly before lifting her hand to my cheek, her fingertips brushing gently across my skin. “Kissing you always felt right, Caleb,” she whispers. “But don’t mistake it for something bigger.”

I nod slowly, my eyes dropping to her lips. “Just a kiss,” I murmur.

Then she leans in and presses her mouth to mine, and the second our lips touch, something explodes inside of me. Every bit of air vanishes from my lungs as her softness melts against me, and suddenly, nothing else exists except Indi.

Her lips.

Her warmth.

Her taste.

Her.

Fireworks might as well be exploding across the London skyline because that’s exactly what this feels like inside my head.

I part my lips, and she slides her tongue against mine, soft and hesitant at first before the kiss deepens into something hotter and hungrier.

My entire body reacts instantly.

If I were standing, my knees would have fucking buckled.

I shift closer and cup her cheek before sliding my hand back into her hair, pulling her mouth harder against mine. The kiss deepens fast, years of longing pouring into it all at once. Her breathing turns uneven against me, and mine is no better. We’re both practically gasping through our noses while kissing like we’re starving for each other.

Which, honestly, we probably are.

I slide both hands into her hair, holding her close, terrified she’s going to stop this if I give her half a chance.

Then she shifts suddenly.

For one horrible second, I think she’s pulling away.