Page 82 of Stealing Infinity (Stolen Beauty)

Over the last two days, this boy has become my closest companion, and while he seems to know practically everything about me, I know virtually nothing about him.

“Don’t ever mistake this for a game,” he says, breaking into my thoughts, and again leaving it unclear just exactly what he means.

I’m about to ask him to explain, about to ask him so many things, when he tips his index finger to the underside of my chin and the questions instantly fade.

There’s a hunger that burns deep in his eyes, and I know without question it’s the same hunger he’s seeing in mine.

A sudden mad flutter stirs in my chest, as a low-key quiver trembles deep in my belly. And I know in this moment that despite the promise I made to myself to steer clear of moments like this, kissing Braxton was nevernotgoing to happen.

Still, I need to at leasttryto protest. Let him know that I’m fully aware of just how irrational this is. I mean, he may claim to know all about me, but the fact is, we just met. Clearly this attraction we feel is purely physical, and not based on anything substantial or real.

“Tasha,” Braxton says, his voice a gruff, throaty whisper. “You okay?”

A jumble of thoughts swirls through my brain, but the only one I can manage to voice is, “Um, here’s the thing…”

I swallow hard. Braxton squints.

“Just to be clear—I don’t even know if I actually like you.” With knees gone wobbly, I pitch onto my toes.

Braxton just nods. “Totally understandable.”

“I mean, I’m much more inclined to hate you.” My lips part ever so slightly as I check for his reaction, but Braxton doesn’t look the least bit offended.

“It’s not like I blame you,” he says, the lilt of his accent fading on a sigh.

“And yet…” The tip of my tongue slides across the roof of my mouth as Braxton stands silently before me, breath held in his cheeks, eyes blazing with heat. “While I’m pretty sure this is a terrible, regrettable, lamentable idea…one of the worst I’ve probably ever had…”

His head moves toward mine as the tip of his finger trails up and over my chin, where it lingers at the base of my bottom lip. “Go on,” he says.

“I, uh…” I swallow hard and force myself to continue. “Well, I can’t help but think that maybe we should just…get it over with, you know? I mean, obviously, we’re both curious, so why not finish what we started and kiss each other already so we can put it behind us.”

My heart crashes hard in my chest, and I’m pretty sure my toes have gone numb.

“Is that what you want?” Braxton’s finger begins a slow slide across the length of my lip. “Toget it over with?”

I watch as his own lips curve into a grin, and it’s such a rare sight, part of me wishes there was more time to admire it.

But the other part, the more insistent part, is already thinking of a much better use for that mouth.

“Yes,” I say, wondering if he can hear the frantic rush of my pulse, see the way my skin flushes and glows. “But only so we can get it out of our systems and move on as just friends. A sort of…one and done, so that—”

Thankfully, Braxton doesn’t let me finish. Because all I know is that the feel of his mouth crashing onto mine makes for the most glorious kiss I’ve ever known in my life.