Page 113

He leans in close, the leather groaning beneath his weight, and my breath hitches, all my senses invaded by the pure intensity that shrouds this man. His scent envelopes me, causing me to stiffen as his lips scarcely brush the side of my jaw.

“Your pussy is a delicacy, baby, and I could eat it forever and never grow tired of the taste of you. Is that refined enough?”

A flush crawls up my neck, burning a path to my cheeks, while my mouth opens in shock. I’m entirely embarrassed by the traitorous squeak that breaks free from my throat, only causing my cheeks to grow hotter. He chuckles, then he’s out of the car in the next blink. I glance around, trying to locate where my heart fell out of my ass.

Surely that’s the only explanation of why I feel so empty now that he’s gone. Or the asshole took it with him.

I sigh.

That’s definitely what happened.

Daylight savings is approaching, relieving the world of its depressive claws. Something about the sun setting before five in the afternoon really puts a damper on your day.

It’s still cold outside, yet we’re sitting on a bench outside of Lick n’ Crunch, people-watching and shivering my ass off while I slowly eat my dessert.

Zade got a mint chocolate chip cone for himself, and he smiled wider than the damn Cheshire Cat when I just stared at him.

“My entire world revolves around you. If you want mint chocolate chip, then that’s what I want, too,” he had said.

“Do you even like it?”

“I like you, does that count?”

“No.”

He just went and sat down, a satisfied look on his face as he lapped up the sweet cream. He doesn’t appear disgusted, and I admit that I’ve spent half of my time trying to figure out if he’s fucking with me or if he truly does like the flavor.

I still haven’t figured that out.

Shooting him a narrow-eyed look when he catches me staring and winks, I turn away before he can see the smile threatening to curl my lips.

People are bundled up in their coats, bustling down the street and in and out of shops.

My attention snags on a person walking down the road. They have masculine features and are dressed in a big poofy purple dress. Then I do smile. My mother would turn her nose up at the eccentrics in Seattle, but I’ve always admired their confidence and ability to be comfortable with who they are.

“I hope they’re happy,” I murmur. When Zade looks at me curiously, I nod towards the individual in the purple dress. “This world can be so cruel. So, I hope they’re happy.”

Zade is quiet for a beat. “Happiness is fleeting. All that matters is that they’re living their life the way they want to.”

“You believe that?” I ask, facing him. “That happiness is fleeting?”

He shrugs, tossing the last bite of his cone into his mouth, and chews as he contemplates something.

“Absolutely,” he says finally. “It’s not something solid you can hold on to. It’s vapor in the wind, and all you can do is inhale it when it’s near and hope it comes around again when it blows away.”

I nod, having to agree with that.

Shivering, I eat the last of my cone, the icy breeze stirring up my hair, sending the tendrils dancing. Zade catches them and gathers my hair until it’s lying straight down my back. I can’t help but tense, though I don’t stop him from whatever he’s doing. He removes his leather jacket and wraps it around me, trapping my flyaway hair beneath the heavy warmth.

“Thank you,” I whisper, bundling further into the jacket, overcome with emotion for a reason I can’t explain. His jacket smells of leather, spice, and a hint of smoke, and as I inhale his comforting scent, tears burn the backs of my eyes.

Maybe because this is the best I’ve felt in so long, and that kind of makes me want to cry.

He gives me a soft smile, his mismatched orbs bright. Even the scar slashing down his white eye can’t take away from how at peace he looks right now.

“You’re welcome, baby.”

My heart thuds, and I finally recognize why I feel so emotional.