Page 34 of Igniting Sparks

“I did. Want to play?”

I shake my head. “I’m not into pool. What about darts? I’ve never tried it, but it looks like fun.”

Braden snorts. “Throwing sharp objects while drunk?Yeah, I’m going to pass. Pretty sure my insurance doesn’t cover that.”

I rise from my seat and slide between his legs, my courage swelling with every passing second. “Maybe you’re just scared I’ll beat you.”

His smile fades, replaced by a slow-burning heat in his eyes. “Is that so?”

My gaze meets his as I press my fingers against his chest. “Only one way to find out.”

“Actually, I have a better idea.” He clasps my hand, dusting a soft kiss across my fingertips. “Want to take a walk?”

“Yes.” I answer without hesitation, knowing I could spend every day with Braden and never grow tired of the man.

And if the look in his eyes is anything to go by, his plan is far superior to a silly game of darts.

He leads us down a winding path to a gated garden area, far from the din of the party. The stars dot the night sky, and the late spring air carries the scent of blooms on the breeze.

An outdoor lounger sits on the far side of the garden and Braden plops down, patting the cushion next to him. “Figured you could use a change of scenery. My friends can get a bit loud.”

“This is beautiful,” I whisper, gazing at the blanket of stars surrounding us.

“It is, and so are you.”

My breath catches as he brushes my hair over my shoulder, his fingers igniting sparks along my skin. “You really think so?”

“Absolutely. I always have. Honestly, I think you’re the only person who doesn’t realize how special you are.”

Maybe it’s the alcohol. Maybe it’s Zane’s comment about Braden being my man. Maybe it’s the soft light in Braden’s eyes. Or maybe it’s the memory of the last time I was brave—a moment that resulted in me living with him.

Sometimes bravery has its moments.

And this is one of them.

I grab the beer from Braden’s hand and place it on the table next to mine. “I’ll take that.”

“Stealing my beer?”

I shake my head and stand, facing him. “I don’t want the beer.”

Then I straddle his thighs, his sharp intake of breath slicing through the air as I settle onto his lap. My hands roam over his chest, lightly raking my nails across his shirt. “I wantyou.”

For the second time in my life, I kiss Braden Hammond.

But unlike the first time, there’s no hesitation.

The moment my lips brush his, he pulls me in like he’s been waiting forever—his arms banding around my waist as his mouth claims mine.

My fingers dig into his shoulders as the kiss turns savage, urgent. He palms my ass, dragging me tight against him, and when I grind against his cock, a fire bolts through me, hot and unforgiving.

Braden breaks the kiss, his breathing erratic as he works the zipper of my dress open, sliding it down my shoulders to pool at my waist.

In the moonlight, I catch the hunger etched across his face as his gaze trails over my body. His fingers slip beneath my bra, just enough to graze my skin. “Fuck, you’re beautiful.”

And for the first time, I believe it.

For a moment, I feel like the most stunning woman on the planet. Gone are the doubts—that my breasts are too small, my waist too narrow, my ass too flat. That my long, lean dancer’s frame could never compete with the soft, curvy women who came before me.