Page 16 of Give It a Day (Song-Smith #1)
Kayla
When my mother-in-law, or kinda cutely, Clo , has to go take care of something, I’m left with Elle, who I pull outside of the crowd, so she can fix my hair.
Elle and I keep walking until we find a corner away from the crowd, so that we don’t have eyes on us, because my hair’s become a mess! From perfectly straight to a frizzy tangle. The seawater’s mist makes me feel like I’m losing control, because I can’t even control my hair, damn it!
Though, I have to say, hearing Clo talk about my mom made me feel like my mom was here, enjoying my wedding reception—you know, the wedding she forced me into.
Would’ve been nice to have you here, mom and dad!
But fuck it, I miss them, and even though it was a short conversation from my nostalgic mother-in-law, it feels really reassuring somehow.
It almost makes me want to check my phone again, if it weren’t for the fact that I left it on the vanity table in the bedroom I was in.
I wouldn’t stop worrying about my parents otherwise.
Deep into the rows of vines, Elle’s by my side with her crossover bag, grabbing a spray of seawater mixture to use all over my hair while she bunches the strands section by section into her free hand.
Then, after a minute, she shows me a compact mirror, and I see my long straight hair flow into dark waves around my neck and over my shoulders. In that magical moment, she’s turned my unruly hair from a fluffy mess to flowing waves.
“Wow, you make it look so easy to style me. You’ll have to show me how to do it again sometime,” I say to Elle, who’s bashfully nodding.
Suddenly, Dae walks up to us, resting his hand on the small of my back. I look at him with furrowed brows, stunned that he found us so easily, but then again, this is his estate. Or rather, it’s ours .
“Oh, my husband’s here.” God, why do I sound excited? Calm down, Kaye. I clear my throat, presenting my friend to Dae. “This is Elle, Dae. She did my hair and makeup, and helped me fit this dress better with her talented stitching.”
“Elle.” He greets her with a charismatic smile like a seasoned politician, reaching out to shake her hand while keeping his other hand firmly on my waist. Hm, I quite like that. Then he tells her, “I’ll be sure to leave you a generous tip. My wife looks more gorgeous than ever, thanks to you.”
Elle blushes. Girl, I would, too, if I met this charismatic side of Dae, but I got the dominant brute side of him first. How lucky of me!
Elle hides her pink cheeks with her hair that looks golden in the sunset. So pretty! “It was my pleasure, Mr. Song-Smith.” She smiles at me. “Kaye’s a natural beauty, so there really wasn’t much work to do.”
“We’re best friends now, do you realize that?” I grab her hands, making her smile turn sheepish and her brows raise in surprise.
Dae chuckles at the exchange. It almost sounds like he’s enjoying himself, but there’s no cruelty to it. Odd, but I guess there’s a first time for everything. “Elle, would you mind if I stole my wife away for a moment?”
I turn to him, lips parted in a quiet gasp as I stare at that gorgeous face of his. God, that got me wet. Stop calling me your wife in front of people, you handsome demon!
“Oh, goodness, of course! I didn’t mean to be rude. Excuse me.” Elle turns around a bit stiffly, like she doesn’t know where to go. I don’t blame her, this vineyard is as much of a maze as the halls of the mansion. But with steadfast feet, she walks toward a direction.
Now that we’re alone, I turn to Dae. “You just had to have me all to yourself, didn’t you?”
Dae lets out a laugh. A real laugh . Hell must’ve frozen over with this demon loose on earth. I mean, Dae would be the hottest demon in hell, so with him here, hell’s definitely down a few degrees.
But damn it, I laugh with him too. Must be the soju and seawater. And how serene the sunset is from this cliffside view.
Silence stretches for a nice little while until he has to ruin it. He faces me, his hand on my wrist tightening as he pulls me closer to him, making me stumble over my heels. “Why haven’t you run away, Kaye?”
I raise my brow at him. He’s being ridiculous all of a sudden. “And exactly where do you expect me to run? Into the arms of your gunmen?”
His lips curl as he huffs out a laugh, but his eyes are sharp. So he’s back to mocking me. Fine . “Are the rumors true?” he asks.
This feels more like a sudden interrogation. I grind my teeth, feeling my anger rise. He was so sweet up until a moment ago, and now he’s acting like the same arrogant jerk.
When I only glare at him in response, he smiles darkly. “I suppose there’s always a kernel of truth in those sorts of talks.” All I do is narrow my glare at him. “Why don’t you show me the legendary Kayla Knight those gossipmongers spoke of?
I roll my eyes. “Who in this day and age says gossipmongers ?”
He chuckles. Goddamn, that sound sends a shiver down my spine. Unexpectedly, he takes a step back, fixing his cuffs as he looks at me. “I’ll ask again. Why haven’t you run away? ”
My teeth return to grinding, my eyes throwing daggers at him. “Keep egging me on, and I just might.”
Tipping his head back, his gray eyes gleam, and his lips curl into a wicked smirk. “Run, Kayla.”
“You’re a twisted asshole,” I sneer, stepping out of my heels and carrying them in my hands.
He tilts his head to the side even more. His tongue slips out a little, licking his upper lip. “Language, little bird.”
“Fuck you.” I bolt as soon as I say the words, sprinting with all my might as I carry my heels in one hand and my dress’ hem in the other, balling it up so my legs can move freely.
The cool air rushes past me as I sprint through the vast vineyard, the scent of sun-ripened grapes filling my lungs.
The grass under my bare feet feels slippery from the sea mist, and the dirt beneath is uneven ground, but I don’t care.
All I can focus on is the sound of his heavy footsteps behind me, moving faster than my own.
I run and run, following the upward slope where the sounds of the sea are calling me. I glance over my shoulder and immediately regret it. Damon is so much faster than me. His breathing looks steady, controlled, while mine comes out as ragged gasps. He’s closing the gap with his long strides.
When I face forward, still running, I can feel him, sensing his presence like a storm cloud bearing down on me.
Then my feet slip on the grass, too close to the edge of the vineyard, the cliff looming ahead. I’ve miscalculated and reached the end of the cliff faster than I thought.
My widening eyes watch how my toes curl, trying to grasp what they can to keep me steady, because right in front of me is a freefall onto the shore where I’d be splattered.
With an alarmed gasp, I plant my feet to stop myself from falling, dropping the heels in my hand, and gripping the hem of my dress with the other.
It feels like slow motion, waiting for the inevitable—my body still bending forward, no matter what I do. I shut my eyes, not able to witness my own freefall to death. But then Dae’s arms are around me, pulling me back.
The sudden momentum makes us fall back on the grass, then he rolls us, so he’s on top. He doesn’t even look the slightest fazed that I almost fell to my death. In fact, he’s grinning viciously, his gaze depraved as his chest heaves against my galloping heart.
Glaring at his smiling eyes, I can’t believe I almost accidentally jumped off a cliff, just because he taunted me on purpose. Lucky for him, it isn’t my first brush with death. I have such a great life, I know.
“Did you have fun catching me, you speed demon?” I indignantly huff out heavy breaths from the run—and from, you know, the shitty close call to my doom—tiring me out. He constricts me in his arms, making it harder to breathe. “Do you enjoy making me feel like a captive?”
“I’m afraid I’m the captive here, dear wife.” His lips land on my cheek, and that spot feels warm when his lips move to my ear. “You’re the most captivating thing I’ve ever seen.”
“Flirt.” I roll my eyes, trying to wriggle out of his hold, but that goddamn sleeper bod of his is too strong. “Are you always so forward with women, Dae?”
“Only with my wife. You bring out a certain intensity in me.” He moves closer. “I haven’t stopped thinking about this whole day—at the church, in my car, in my study, at our reception.”
He lays me down on the dewy grass. His stormy eyes are mesmerizing me to behave, at least for now. And that run wore me out. Was that his wicked way of wearing me out again? Goddamn it.
He sits up, keeping me under him. He unbuttons his shirt, and I gaze over the sharp lines of his toned chest, while his hands take my wrists, bringing them above my head and pinning them there.
His warm lips meet mine in a soft, tender kiss. “Maybe I’ll have you here too.”
I pull back slightly, my breathing unsteady. “Here? Someone might catch us.”
“Then let them watch.”
He releases my wrists and places his hands on his belt. He unbuckles it, loosening his pants and shoving them down along with his black boxers, just enough to free his cock. I can’t stop staring. The sight of him alone gets me wetter.
Dae is my sculpture-like husband, but he’s real. And he’s mine .
He moves on top of me, positioning himself between my legs. I spread them for him easily. All the while, we lock eyes. But mine close when he kisses me, cradling my head as he slowly sinks his throbbing shaft into the aching core of me.
I cry out in pleasure as he stretches me, pushing into me more and more. Grabbing his arms, I break away from our kiss and watch him claim me. Breathily whimpering, I wonder how his massive size could ever fit inside me, but I see the proof right between us.