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Neither of us moved.
My chest tightened. It was supposed to be easy—a clean break—one night to step out of my comfort zone, no strings attached. But the thought of not seeing him again scraped against something raw inside me, and I wasn’t ready for how much it stung.
“I had a really good night, Dalton,” I whispered, more to myself than him.
His smile softened, the sheepish grin back. “Me too, Ari.” His voice was quiet, but there was something in the way he said it that made my heart stumble. “A lot better than I expected, if I’m being honest.”
Maybe I should just hop in the car and run away, lessen the blow of goodbye…
Ariella. When did you become a whiny bitch? Take what you want, and enjoy your one night.
It’s not like I’ll see him again.
He tilted his head, eyes glinting under the streetlight. “What’s that look for?”
“I was just thinking of something that would make the night perfect instead of just good,” I answered, the electric tension humming between us.
I wasn’t sure who moved first, but Dalton’s hand slid along my jaw, his fingers brushing just below my ear. It was like I forgot how to breathe for a second. His touch was warm and steady.
The regret I halfway expected to feel was noticeably absent. I wanted this.
He closed the distance. The kiss started soft, like he was testing if this was okay. His lips were warm and smooth, with a hint of hesitation as he waited for my reaction. Waited for my lead.
That realization made the kiss better.
There was no rush, no demand—just patience.
I pressed in a little deeper. The scratch of stubble against my skin had me sighing in pleasure. His lips curved into a smile against mine at my reaction.
God, that stupid smile.
His hand shifted, thumb brushing my cheekbone in a way that sent a maelstrom of shocks down my spine. The kiss was unhurried, as if we were both savoring something we knew might never happen again. When we finally pulled back, I swallowed, keenly aware of the tension crackling between us and the temptation to dive back in.
“That,” I said, my voice a little breathless, “wasn’t bad.”
He chuckled, the low sound curling around me. “Not bad, huh? That’s all I get? Because if I remember correctly, you practically purred.”
“Don’t get cocky.”
“Too late,” he whispered, brushing one last kiss to the corner of my mouth, light and teasing.
My heart did this weird little flip, and I had to bite my lip to avoid smiling too much. Even without the kiss, tonight would linger in my thoughts.
Maybe not everything needed to be so rigid in my life. Maybe there was room for spontaneity.
I slid into the backseat of the RideOrder, my heart doing another weird flip I wasn’t used to as I looked up at Dalton.
“I’ll see you around, Ari,” he said, though we both knew it was a lie.
“Yeah,” I whispered, unable to bring myself to correct him.
The soft click of the door sounded too loud in my ears. Too final. The driver pulled away, and I used every ounce of discipline not to look back one final time.
SEVEN
ARIELLA
GRACIE’S SERIAL KILLER TRAIT IS SITTING IN THE DARK UNTIL SHE CAN INTERROGATE YOU…
