Defiant Heir (The Heirs #3) - Michelle Heard Page 0,3

my skin, and it makes my insides tighten.

Then he pulls back, and the moment fades as he asks, “Are you ready?”

Turning to face him, I nod. “I’ve been ready for years.”

The corner of his mouth lifts in a hot as hell grin. “Years?”

Pushing past him, I playfully bat my eyelashes. “That’s a secret I’ll share with you one day.”

“Hmm, I wasn’t aware we were keeping secrets from each other.”

I reach for his hand as I tease, “Just one.”

Walking into the living room, Noah’s eyes snap to us from where he was watching TV. “Drive safely.”

“Always,” Kao replies.

“And bring the leftovers home,” Noah calls after us as we walk out the door.

“Will do.”

Reaching the elevator, I ask, “Does Noah know we’re going on a date?”

“I didn’t tell him, but I’m sure he knows. There’s not much I can hide from him,” Kao answers.

We step inside as I admit, “I told Hana.”

Kao lifts our joined hands, and he presses a kiss to the back of mine. “That’s okay.”

Walking out of the building, I hear Nate, one of the juniors, call out, “Looking good, guys.”

“Thanks,” I reply.

Reaching Kao’s car, I wait as he opens the passenger door for me, then I climb inside. My gaze follows him when he walks around the front of the car, and then I put on my seatbelt as he slides behind the steering wheel.

We steal a moment to smile at each other before he steers the vehicle off the campus.

This is it. Finally.

“If you take highway thirty-three and then turn off on Fairview, it should get us there faster,” I say.

Kao lets out a chuckle. “Yes, ma’am.”

It’s silent in the car for a moment, then I ask, “What made you ask me today?”

Kao glances at me. “On a date?”

I nod. “Yeah, why didn’t you ask sooner?”

“Like I said earlier, I want to take things slow. I want to enjoy every moment.” His gaze meets mine for a second before it returns to the road. “People are quick to rush into things, and then they miss the good part.”

“The good part?” I ask.

“The falling in love part. The butterflies in your stomach. The build-up to the first kiss. You know, all the romantic things girls like.”

My mouth curves up. “Could you be any more perfect?”

He lets out a chuckle. “Only in your eyes.”

His answer has me asking, “Do you believe in soul mates?”

Kao thinks for a moment, then murmurs, “Two halves of one soul?”

I nod, my eyes never leaving his face.

Then he smiles at me. “Yes.”

Chapter 2

FALLON

It’s a nice night out, and the excitement keeps building in me as we drive to the restaurant.

My mind begins to drift, wondering if we’ll have our first real kiss tonight.

God, I’m not ordering anything with garlic. Just in case.

My gaze keeps drifting to Kao’s face. He’s easily the most attractive man I’ve ever laid eyes on. His features are flawless. And his eyes – the clearest blue. They look like the heavens after it’s rained, and the air is clear.

The corner of his mouth begins to lift, and his gaze darts to me. “Why do you keep staring at me?”

“It’s actually unfair how attractive you are,” I mutter.

Chuckling, he asks, “Why?”

“You just climb out of the shower, slap on some clothes, and you’re good to go. I have to put on makeup before I dare set foot out of my bedroom, or you’ll all have heart attacks.” I remember the incident with the curling iron earlier and add, “I almost burned my face with the curling iron.” I let out a relieved chuckle.

Kao’s gaze darts to me, and it has me saying, “Luckily, I didn’t burn my face off. Can you imagine that?” I roll my eyes. “Then, we’ll be known as beauty and the beast.” I grin at him. “With you being the beauty, of course.”

“Never,” he shakes his head. “You’ll always be beautiful to me.”

I let out a playful huff. “Even when I’m old and wrinkly?”

Kao’s eyes meet mine for a moment, and before he can answer, screeching tires grab our attention.

Kao slams on the breaks, jerking the car to the right. “Shit.” His right arm collides hard with my chest just before the noise of crushing metal fills my ears. It’s followed by a loud bang and then something that sounds like rumbling thunder and lightning striking.

Pins and needles spread over my face from shock. “Kao!” I manage to let out a cry as the breath is knocked from my lungs. My body jerks forward, then to the