Page 106 of You + Me – Against the World

That mystery remains unsolved.

Then, the patriarch insists on walking Vadim to the gate so that he can “have a word with him.” I don’t know what they say to each other, but when my father wishes me goodnight, he kisses me on the forehead, with a genuine smile that I haven’t seen on his face in a long time.

“You’ve found yourself quite a boyfriend, Alma,” he tells me. “He has a strength of character that is quite rare for your age. I agree to let you date, but I’m keeping an eye on him, and he knows it.”

He gets ready to leave, but pauses in the doorway of my room, looking at me as if I’ve suddenly grown up all at once and he’s only just realizing it.

“By the way, I gave him my permission to take you somewhere this weekend. For Valentine’s Day,” he specifies, rolling his eyes. “Just one night. Not far from here. And I want the address and the phone number of the hotel. Goodnight, sweetheart.”

“Goodnight, Dad.” I smile at him, even though his need to know and control everything bothers me more and more.

That night, I sleep like a baby, right after sending one last message to Vadim.

[I don’t know how you managed all that.

Surviving dinner, making my brother laugh,

impressing my dad and convincing him

to let you take me away for the weekend…]

[You’re the best, Vadim Arcadi.

I love you, and this koala kiss

is going to be the best one

of your life.]

36

“Ready, Princess?”

“Depends. Where are you taking me?”

“It’s a surprise.” He flashes me that roguish smirk of his.

I climb into his pickup, drop my overnight bag at my feet, and slam the door a little too hard. Excitement courses through my whole body.

Vadim laughs and looks at me, but doesn’t start the engine.

“What are you waiting for?”

“My koala kiss.”

I throw myself at him, grab the strings of his black hoodie, press my nose to his, and nuzzle him playfully.

“What, that’s it?”

I stick out the tip of my tongue and slide it over his lips. Vadim lets out a sigh of pleasure then tries to kiss me, but I tease him by pulling back.

“Not so fast, you little tease…”

He grabs me by the neck and presses his mouth against mine. He smells like Skittles. I moan into his lips when he slips his tongue in and starts toying with me. His kisses always have the same effect, even after the thousandth one. They unsettle me. Carry me away. Then they stop and leave me breathless and disoriented.

When Vadim lets me go, my cheeks are flushed, my legs are shaking, and my heart is beating wildly.

“We just reinvented the koala kiss, Lancaster,” he whispers, both proud and incredibly cocky.