On His Face - Tabatha Kiss Page 0,66
lungs with fresh air. Tonight, this perfect night. And it’s only just begun.
Music fills the air from small, hidden speakers somewhere along the boat. It’s Marla’s Song by Criminal Records; a smooth, slow song I know by heart.
Drew returns and snatches my glass from my fingers. He sets them down and comes back, slinking in close to dance with me.
I laugh, happy to oblige. I take his hand and place the other on his shoulder. He rests a hand on my side. We drift into a casual, almost lazy, sway beneath the strings of lights.
“I love this song,” I say, my heart smiling.
“I know,” Drew says. “Jenna told me this was your favorite album.”
I raise a brow. “When did you two get so chummy?”
“We have a lot in common.”
“Like what?” I ask.
“You.”
“Oh, that makes sense.”
Drew takes a breath. “Yesterday morning, we talked a lot about you while you were out with Seth.”
“You did?”
He nods. “She told me about a dance you had in tenth grade.”
Well, I wasn’t expecting this.
“Okay...” I look down, my stomach turning a bit. “Why would she even bring that up?”
“She didn’t. Not really. It came up while she was bandaging my nose. She said she broke hers once, I asked how, and...”
I nod.
Charlie Nolan.
“Is that why you asked me to the mask ball?” I ask.
“Partially, I think,” he says. “I guess I thought if you went with me, then I could make you forget all the shitty things that happened to you.” He shakes his head. “But I realize now that’s not my job.”
“Your job?”
“I can’t change your past any more than you could change mine,” he says. “What’s happened has happened. I can’t protect you from it. The best I can do is promise to protect you from now on.” He looks me in the eye. “Heidi, I would never do anything like that to you. I want you to know that.”
I tremble, his words a warm, soothing comfort. “Thank you,” I whisper.
His hand on my side draws me even closer. “And I will never let Seth do anything like that to you again,” he says.
My breath hitches. My chin dips, but he quickly catches it and nudges my face right back up. I dive deep into his eyes, swaying with the waves, basking in my favorite song, and I never want to leave.
“If I kiss you, will it hurt your nose?” I ask.
Drew chuckles. “I’ll bear it,” he says.
I kiss him, soft and slow, and he wraps his arms around me in a firm, protective embrace. I rest my head on his shoulder. He kisses my head. He smells my hair. He gives small, tender shows of affection that radiate down to my knees.
I listen to the swift pounding of his heart and I know he’s telling me the truth. I trust him when he says he’ll protect me. I believe him when he says that he’ll even defy my brother to do it.
“You look so beautiful tonight,” he whispers in my ear.
I laugh as I swallow the tears in my eyes. “Thank you.” I raise my head. “And you look rather dashing yourself.”
“I do?”
“Yeah, you clean up nicely.”
“I don’t usually like to, but...” he smirks, “it was definitely worth it tonight.”
Drew tilts his head at me again. I close my eyes, a girl about to be kissed. His lips caress mine with a simple, soft spark as we continue our dance, lost in our own little world. I submit to the deep feeling taking over me; a feeling destined to leave me breathless and wanting more.
He touches my shoulder, his fingers slowly inching beneath the strap of my gown. He pushes it to the side and bends down to kiss my left shoulder above my new tattoo. His breath feels warm and heavy on my skin. I tingle all over, wanting more of it. I long to feel his lips on every part of me again.
I want him to be my first.
I want to give myself to him.
I want to give him everything.
Tonight.
I take his hand and entwine our fingers together as I take a simple step toward the small stairs through the galley. “Show me the inside,” I say with a curious smile. “I want to see more.”
Chapter 37
Heidi
I gather my skirt as I step down the narrow stairs. Drew leads the way with the champagne bottle in his other hand and one eye on me, watching to make sure I don’t trip. We come to a short hallway within the boat,