Page 29 of Collide (The Rhapsody of Heartbeats #1)

“You should. I hook ‘em in, line and sinker, have my fun, and toss them back. Swim, little fishy, swim away.” She grins wickedly. Like the heartbreaker that she is.

We laugh, clinking our glasses together.

“I don’t doubt it.” I chuckle.

Riley’s smile fades slightly, her gaze sharpening.

“Do you know if Alex is seeing anyone else?”

The question slams into me harder than I expect.

Something twists inside, tight and sour.

Jealousy.

A new, unfamiliar shade of it. I’ve only really ever felt envy toward my sister, and even then, it always felt petty, childish. But this is different. This feels palpable.

“I hope not,” I say, a little too quickly.

The next day, after the shoot, Riley and I spend the afternoon shopping and taking in the sights.

She’s arranged a date with Connor later that evening, the same night Alex and I have our second date.

To say I’m tingling with excitement is an understatement.

I called Alex earlier, and he told me to dress casually. Thank God Rio is easily accessible—he helps me put together an outfit that fits the brief, but is still sexy: fitted jeans, a black off- the-shoulder top that clings to my body, tucked neatly into the waistband, paired with strappy heels.

Rio suggests wearing my hair up to accentuate my neck. I don’t even hesitate. I loved the way Alex kissed me there, and I hope tonight he will again.

I head down to the lobby to wait for him.

My phone buzzes in my hand, and I answer.

“Hey, where are you?”

“I’m in the parking garage. Come downstairs.”

“Okay, on my way.” My voice comes out shrill as I’m already moving toward the elevator, pressing the down button. “I’ll see you soon.”

“I’ll be here,” he says before ending the call.

My stomach flutters in anticipation.

The elevator arrives, and I step inside, tapping my foot impatiently as it descends. When the doors slide open, there he is, dressed in a navy polo, jeans, and sneakers, leaning casually against a sleek silver sports car, looking like something out of a dream.

“Well, damn.” He smirks. “You’re the best thing I’ve seen all week.”

I bite my lip, heat rushing to my cheeks, as I walk toward him.

“Come here,” he growls, grabbing me by the waist and pulling me flush against him.

His hand cups my jaw, tilting my face up before he presses a soft kiss to my lips—warm and full of promise.

He holds me there, firm and possessive, his body solid against mine.

My arms instinctively wrap around his neck. With heels on, I don’t have to stand on tiptoes. We’re almost perfectly aligned, like it was meant to be.

He takes my hand, his fingers threading easily through mine, and leads me to the car.

Opening the door, he lowers me gently into the seat. It’s low, and in heels, I’m grateful I manage it gracefully enough.

He rounds the car, sliding into the driver’s side with a casual ease that only makes him more dangerous to my already fragile composure.

“Nice car.”

“Had to do something to impress you,” he teases, throwing me a sideways glance.

“You’re already pretty impressive,” I blurt out, surprising myself with the honesty.

He chuckles low in his throat, shaking his head, a slow, knowing smile curving his mouth. “I could say the same about you. You look…” His eyes skim over me, setting my skin on fire. “ Fucking sexy. ”

He kicks the engine over, the deep rumble roaring to life and vibrating through the seat, through me, pooling heat in my belly. I press my knees together, clenching my thighs without meaning to.

And it’s like he knows. His hand slides casually onto my knee—claiming me.

Our eyes meet, and the air between us thickens, charged and electric.

“I’m excited for tonight,” he murmurs.

“Where are we going?” I ask, breathless.

He laughs under his breath. “The aquarium.”

I stare at him in disbelief. “I’ve never been to an aquarium before!”

“Really?” He flashes me a grin, puffing out his chest as if he’s proud he’s giving me yet another first.

“Never.” I shake my head, clapping my hands with glee.

His smile grows, boyish and heart-stopping as he pulls out of the garage, humming along to the radio.

His hand stays on my knee the entire ride, tapping lightly to the beat, a silent anchor between us.

When we pull up at the aquarium, the lights are dim, the entrance deserted.

“It looks closed.” I pout, glancing over at him.

He grins, that secret, devastating grin, and takes my hand again. We approach the doors, and a security guard appears, unlocking them as we step closer.

“Sir,” the guard greets, nodding.

“Everything all set up?” Alex asks.

“Exactly as you said,” the guard replies.

My heart pounds. We’re here…alone?

Alex turns to me. “Let’s go.”

His fingers graze my chin, just enough to make my breath catch. That gaze, steady and sure, burns straight through me, melting away every last shred of hesitation.

When he looks at me like that? I’d follow him anywhere. No questions. No logic. Just yes .

I place my hand in his, and he leads me inside, through a dimly lit lobby roped off for crowds. Now empty.

He lifts the rope with a grin, and we sneak underneath, laughing quietly like we’re kids about to cause trouble.

The exhibits are lit up in soft neon hues, casting the world in dreamy blues, greens, and purples. We wander between glowing tanks of fish, marveling at the strange, colorful creatures. The jellyfish are my favorite—translucent, pulsing softly, hypnotic.

I stand mesmerized, lost in the dance of the jellyfish, when I feel Alex move behind me, his arms wrapping around my waist, his chest solid and warm against my back.

I nestle into him, breathing him in, my heart stuttering against my ribs.

“You’re so beautiful, Elena,” he whispers, his breath brushing the shell of my ear. “I can’t stop thinking about you.” He holds me tighter, like he’s trying to memorize the moment, the feeling of me in his arms.

“You should probably get help for that,” I tease, turning in his embrace to face him.

He smiles, and before I can say anything else, he leans in and plants a soft kiss on my lips, a kiss so tender it makes my knees weak.

“I should,” he murmurs against my mouth, “but I won’t. I’m too far gone.”

“What is it that you like about me?” I ask, brushing a soft kiss to his mouth. “Aside from my beauty,” I add, rolling my eyes.

“I don’t know,” he murmurs. “I feel like we’re both searching for the same thing.”

“What’s that?”

“Someone who understands us.”

The words land hard—simple, honest. He sees me. Not just the surface, but the part I keep tucked away. My heart thuds hard against my ribs.

“Do you think I understand you?” I whisper.

“I hope you do,” he says, brushing a loose tendril of hair behind my ear. “Or at least will…with time.”

After a short while, he leads me deeper into the aquarium, down a hallway lit only by electric candles lining the walls, soft golden light flickering in the dark.

At the end, the space opens up into a breathtaking room where the exhibit stretches from the floor to the ceiling, towering at least nine feet high, columns of kelp swaying in the water. Alien-like creatures floating around.

The whole room glows an ethereal turquoise. It’s magical.

In the center, an indoor picnic is set up—cushions and padded blankets scattered across the floor, surrounded by candles of all different sizes, flickering like tiny stars.

I gasp, covering my mouth with trembling fingers. “Alex… you really did this for me?”

He shrugs, almost sheepish. “I had some help.”

“Oh my God,” I breathe, my voice catching. “This is incredible.”

I walk toward the picnic, moving slowly, taking everything in.

He stands back and waits, watching me with his hands tucked into his pockets.

I press my hand over my open mouth, completely awestruck. The tempo of my heart feels like it’s grown wings and taken flight, soaring out of my chest.

I close the distance between us, launching myself into his arms.

He catches me easily, his hands cupping my ass as I wrap my legs around him, holding on like he’s the only solid thing left in the world.

“What are you doing to me?” I whisper, my voice trembling.

“Is it working?” He grins, smug but impossibly soft at the edges, like even he can’t believe this is real.

My breath stumbles out of me as I confess, “No one’s ever done anything like this for me.”

He leans his forehead against mine, voice rough with emotion. “I want to give you the world, ?lskling.”

“Alex,” I whisper, my hands framing his face. “I don’t want the world. I just want you .”

I kiss him, pouring every dizzy, overwhelmed feeling into it. His lips part for me instantly, his tongue sliding against mine with a tenderness that makes me moan into him. My fingers tangle in his no-longer-neat hair, pulling him closer, needing more.

I feel him lower us onto the cushions, his body pressing down against mine, fitting perfectly. Alex breaks the kiss just long enough to look at me— really look at me —seeing me in a way no one else ever has, his eyes touching every part of me that’s been waiting to be found.

I trace the line of his jaw with my fingertips, feeling him tremble under my touch.

“Where have you been my whole life?” I whisper.

His only answer is a kiss. Slow, deep and endless.

His fingers glide along the curve of my jaw, a touch so light it makes me shiver.

“Beautiful,” he whispers, leaning up and off me. “I could kiss you all night…” he murmurs, voice low, lips brushing mine, “but I thought you might enjoy dinner first.”

“You thought right,” I manage, voice barely above a breath. “What’s on the menu?”

I push up onto my elbows and sit upright.

He grins, rubbing his hands together. “You might not know this, but San Diego has a pretty legit Filipino food scene.”

My brows rise in disbelief. He didn’t.

He unzips a black cooler bag beside us, and I’m instantly hit with the rich, familiar scent of garlic and soy, something smoky and sweet blooming in the air.