Page 25 of For Cowgirls and Kings

His eyes flutter closed, leaning into my touch a second as his chest rises and falls rapidly.

“What’s going on?” I whisper again, this time softer.

Without opening his eyes, he leans towards me slightly, pulling my gripped arm behind his back, and holding my hand to his face with his other. “You’ll not find someone to kiss youeventually. You’ll not go into this world this innocent. I refuse to let someone else kiss you first—what if they don’tcare about you?”

“Mateo, I’m okay.” I try to be reassuring, but the tornado of emotions in my stomach proves that I’m anything but.

“Kiss me instead.”

I stare at him, my mind no longer forming full thoughts. Did he…Does he want…Is he saying…

“Let me kiss you first, Dale.” He sounds afraid. This suave, powerful, dominating boy is afraid. Afraid of what?Afraid I’ll say no?

That thought fills me with dizzying power.

“You don’t have to do this Mateo. We’re just friends, this isn’t necessary.” He shakes his head, gripping both my wrist and hand tighter, like I might slip through his fingers.

“Don’t make me beg.”

My jaw unhinges, every thought floating away beyond my absolute feral desire to make him do just that. To see himbegto kiss me.

His eyes snap open, looking down at my lips, and I know in this moment he can hear my thoughts. His eyes darken, and heat coils in my stomach like a bolt of lightning.

Is this real?

Before I can blink, he shifts his grip, his massive hands wrapping around both of my small wrists, and then he drops to his knees.In the sand.Where his perfectly pressed clothes that probably cost more than my car will get dirty.

He’s on his knees, his head tipped up just a little, because at this height, I’m an inch or two taller, his eyes level with my quivering lips.

He’s on his knees.

I think I’m short circuiting.

“Dale, please let me kiss you.”

Everything fades away, except my overwhelming need to have him kiss me like my life depends on it. I nod my head, barely a tip of my chin, and he’s standing, towering over meonce more. He drops both of my wrists, his fingers running up my arms, before they land on either side of my face, tipping it up to him.

I stare into his eyes—normally a warm, chocolate brown—glittering black and hungry. I want to swim in the pools of darkness; I want to drown in those voids of light.

I’ve never cared for dark colors.But black is now my new favorite.

One minute I’m looking at his face, tracing every sharp line, and curve, and the next I’m being consumed by his closeness. His lips hover over my own for a breath, his woodsy smell imprinting into my brain, the feel of his hands branding into my body.

And then his lips press into mine. He’s tender at first, just brushing his firm warm mouth onto my own. But when I step into his hands, leaning into his kiss, something snaps in him. He steps closer to me, his hand sliding into my hair, pulling my head back farther to give him better access.

His lips push on my own, encouraging me to open for him, and I do.Willingly and without question.His tongue swipes against my own, and I don’t think I’ve ever been more alive in my life. Electricity dances over my arms, and fire blooms in my chest. He groans, the sound sending vibrations down my body, causing my toes to curl and my hands to fist in his shirt.

He shifts his head the other way, his mouth covering my own now. Gone is the tender kiss, replaced with something feral and hungry. And I never want it to end. I want to die here, in this moment, with his mouth on mine.

Because it’s all downhill from here. Nothing, and no one, will ever be as good as this kiss.

TEN

ADALENE

December 23rd, 2024

“Here’s an apple cider.”I look at the steaming mug of glittery brown liquid and try not to scrunch my nose. The cup remains suspended in the air a beat longer than polite, and Stetson huffs, slumping into the chair across from me, arm still extended. “It has about three shots of whiskey in it, you snobby bitch.”