Page 30 of Lights, Camera, Love

He locks one arm behind my back and we perform the basic step, back and forth, with our hips moulded tightly together. The audience whistles and claps as our hips gyrate and circle, down low then back up again.

We both step out, and as soon as we’re no longer touching, my mind resumes racing. Did Kye and Austin plan this together, deciding to reveal my father’s identity tonight because the media would be here? Did they do it to get more publicity for the movie—and Austin’s career?

Kye moves behind me again, raising one of my arms up over my head and wrapping his other arm around my waist. Facing the audience, we drop our hips together, first to the right, then to the left.

All of a sudden, a camera light pans into my sightline, blinding me, and I stumble on the next turn.

With his chest still locked to my back, Kye brings his lips to my ear. ‘Look at me,’ he says. ‘Focus on me.’

His fingers catch my jaw and tilt my face up and around to his.

I gaze right into Kye’s eyes as his hips loosen against my backside a touch, then press forward.

A sigh escapes my throat, and my fingers grip tighter around his thick forearm.

He does it again—pulls back a touch, then grinds into me, harder this time. I can’t help but push back against him.

Oh my. What was I thinking about just now?

While I’m still facing away from Kye, he guides my arms back, moving them up and around his neck, and my eyes sink closed while I lose myself in the rhythm … in the movements … in him .

There’s no Gabriel anymore. There’s no Austin. There is only me, and Kye, and the music.

Towering behind me, he drops his face down to my clavicle, and I turn and rest my nose against his upper cheek.

His arms tighten around my torso, and my world blurs into soft focus.

I imagine turning my face all the way around and brushing my lips against his, capturing his mouth and tasting everything I want but can’t have.

Then, like a slap to the face, the song cuts out, and a fierce chorus of clapping rises in my ears. Kye steps forward to stand beside me, his fingers find mine, and we bow.

Austin marches onto the stage clutching the microphone, his mouth pulled tight and his skin absent of colour. Still gripping my hand, Kye guides me down the short staircase. As soon as we’re off the stage, though, the fog of music and desire lifts.

‘You okay?’ he asks when I let go of his hand.

‘I can’t believe she’s Gabriel Dean’s daughter ,’ I hear a woman gasp.

‘I know!’ chimes another.

I can’t seem to catch my breath, and I’m by no means out of shape. I turn away from Kye’s concerned stare and escape through the closest exit I can find, a black door beside the stage. I need air.

‘Evie?’ Kye follows me down the dimly lit hallway that connects the back storage rooms to the loading dock. ‘Where are you going?’

I don’t turn around, or even answer—I have no idea what to say.

‘ Evie. ’ Catching up to me, he reaches for my elbow and pulls me to a stop midway down the corridor. The naked light bulb above our heads casts half his face in shadow.

‘Did you tell Austin?’ I ask, still breathing hard. ‘Was it you who told him who my father is?’

Kye’s brows meet in a deep frown. ‘ No . No, I wouldn’t—’

My head shakes as I blink away. I don’t know what to believe.

He reaches to cradle my face in his hands.

‘I’m so, so sorry Austin did that,’ he says, his eyes clouding with compassion.

‘I honestly can’t believe he fucking did that.

I know you didn’t want anyone to know. I should’ve …

’ He shakes his head at himself; his thumbs graze over my cheeks. ‘What can I do, Evie?’

When I say nothing, Kye lets go, his eyes burning harder into mine. ‘What can I do?’ he repeats.

‘Put me first,’ I whisper, the words leaving my lips before I know what I’m saying.

He blinks at me. ‘What do you mean?’

‘Choose me.’

His confused eyes trail over my features as I look up at him, allowing the aching want that’s been slowly building inside me for months to fill up my gaze.

‘ Evie. ’ Kye whispers my name like a warning. His eyes dip to my mouth and hover there.

‘Come on, Kye,’ I breathe back. ‘You know there’s something between us. You know I’m not interested in Austin in that way. You know we’re not doing anything wrong here.’

My heart trips over itself as he steps so close to me that our thighs scrape together, his lips moving to my ear. ‘And you know it makes me crazy when you look at me like that.’

‘Like what?’ I ask, feeling my eyes grow heavy as I rest my back against the wall and curve my body up to his.

Gently, he reaches around to cup the back of my neck, his other hand curling around my jaw. He angles my face to his until I can see every ring of brown, black and gold in his tortured eyes. ‘What do you want from me, Evie?’

‘You know what I want,’ I say, my voice throbbing with need. ‘I want to kiss you. I want to taste you. I want to touch you … everywhere.’

A hungry rasp rattles out of Kye, and his mouth comes down hard on mine.

Before I can locate my breath, he coaxes my lips open with his and makes a tentative brush of his tongue against mine.

He groans and pushes forward, clutching my face with both hands and paralysing me with a silky, warm, electrifying kiss.

I melt against him, scorching pleasure coiling through my body as he winds our tongues together.

His lips are so full and soft—I suck and bite at them until he draws back a touch, his eyes sparkling with desire.

‘How can you taste this good?’ he says thickly, thumbing my chin to part my mouth again.

His lips slam back against my own, and I fling my arms around his neck, reaching for more, desperate for more.

He grips my jaw firmly so he can kiss me deeper, and I practically lift off the floor, mauling him like I’m starved.

Our breaths are hot and frantic, and I completely forget where I am— who I am—until Kye suddenly breaks apart from me.

His hair is tangled up where I clawed at it, his pupils are dilated, and his lips are red and swollen. He looks edible .

I just stare at him, transfixed, as he threads our fingers and wraps our joined hands around my lower back.

He pushes a thigh between my legs, our hips colliding as he returns his mouth to mine.

But instead of kissing me wildly like before, he just presses his lips to mine and stays there, breathing in my exhalations like I’m giving him life.

‘Oh my god, Kye,’ I whisper. Every cell in my body is igniting into a fireball. ‘Don’t kiss me like that.’

‘Why not?’ he murmurs, his soft lips moving against mine.

Because I’ll fall in love with you.

A sharp inhalation cuts through the air. Kye twists around, and instantly, his hand releases mine. I lean past his broad shoulder to peer into the shadowy corridor, my breath lodging in my throat when I see who’s there.

Austin stands watching us, an expression erupting on his face that doesn’t look like frivolous jealousy or resentment over a friend kissing a girl he likes.

No, this is something else.

Austin looks utterly heartbroken.