Page 23 of Reckless Hearts

“Yes. A star could have exploded hundreds of years ago, but if it’s far enough away from us, we wouldn’t know about it yet because we’re still only seeing light from the past.”

The innocent twinkling suddenly takes on a different meaning.

They’re a reminder that the past is always present. That you can’t leave it behind.

Only for me, it’s not the light from the past I’m concerned about.

It’s the darkness.

I rip my gaze away from the stars and turn to stare at Seb instead.

“I really should have paid more attention back in science class,” I say lightly.

“You probably wouldn’t have actually learned this in class. It’s a flaw in our science curriculum that astronomy is not really taught,” Seb says seriously.

Seeing that serious expression on his face, I suddenly have a throb of…something toward him. What is it? It feels almost as straightforward and as basic aslike.

I like the fact Seb has no artifice, no pretenses. He doesn’t seem to strap armor on himself like everyone else does.

He’s so different from anyone else I know.

But while I’ve been sitting here thinking that, Seb’s thoughts have obviously gone in a different direction. Because his gaze has dropped to my lips, and he’s flushing again.

And fuck it, yet again I’m reminded of how the color spread down his chest, how it felt to follow the path of his blush with my lips.

He raises his eyes to meet mine, and the heat there would melt tar.

“Seb,” I say. I mean it as a warning, but my voice betrays me, coming out husky and hoarse.

And apparently, that’s all the encouragement Seb needs to close the gap between us.

My head spins at the sensation of his lips on mine.

Somehow, I managed to forget exactly how good kissing Seb is. To forget the exact feel of his tongue sliding against mine, to forget how he kisses like he’s trying to pour his entire soul into the act.

I could lose myself completely in him.

And right now, I want to get lost.

That thought has me pulling back.

“We really shouldn’t do this,” I say against his lips.

Seb withdraws instantly, and it reinforces again just howgoodhe is. He accepts the first rebuttal and pulls away.

And the contrast between that goodness and the way he kisses me so wild and unrestrained is intoxicating.

I want to corrupt him and protect him in equal measure.

His chest is rising and falling rapidly, but he meets my gaze dead on.

“I was just thinking I never repaid the favor. I mean, you sucked me, and it was amazing, and I didn’t even do the same back to you. It’s like…bad etiquette or something.”

Oh, holy fuck.

I can’t be cruel to him. I can’t be cruel to Seb when he looks at me with such wide-eyed hope.

Unlike Liam’s calculated flirting, there’s no artifice in his desire. And that somehow makes it so much more potent than the skilled advances I usually field.