When Stars Collide (Light in the Dark #2) - Micalea Smeltzer Page 0,26

my hands, and kiss her. I kiss her like she’s the sun, and moon, and stars all wrapped in one. She’s everything in this world that dreams are built upon. A quiet moan builds in her throat and it spurs me on. My hands leave her face, ghosting down her sides, where I grasp her legs and lift her up, sitting her on top of the dresser. Her fingers wind into my hair, tugging on the strands near my neck. I know we’re playing with fire, but I don’t give a fuck if we get burned.

Her hands move down to my neck and over my shoulders and then she starts pulling and tugging on my sweatshirt, trying to get it off. I break the kiss long enough to pull it over my head and then I’m back, taking her lips in mine. She tastes sweet, like coconut and I wonder if maybe she’d just put Chapstick on. Her hands roam down my chest settle on my waist.

I yearn for more, so much more, but I know now isn’t the time. We’re still on rocky ground and I don’t want to push her too far, too fast, to the point that I lose her before I have her.

She gasps for air when we part, and I hover there, my nose brushing hers. I’m scared if I move that Thea will go back into her freak-out-zone and I don’t want the shutters to come back down on everything we feel. I want, just once, to not feel guilty for what I feel—for what we feel.

She raises her eyes to mine. “You’re going to be the end of me.”

I chuckle and wrap a piece of her damp hair around my finger. “Funny, I was going to say the same about you. I guess we’ll just do each other in.”

She smiles widely and her eyes squint at me. That’s something I’ve always loved about Thea; when she’s truly happy and gives you a genuine smile her eyes all but disappear. “I guess we’ll go together then.” One arm wraps around my neck and her other hand lies palm flat against my chest over my heart.

My hands settle on her hips and I lift her off the dresser, setting her on the floor. She blinks up at me with wide eyes and says, “You make me happy. You should already know that, but in case you don’t, I’m telling you.”

I do know I make her happy, it’s evident from all the time we spend together talking and laughing, but regardless, it feels good to hear her say it.

I don’t know how to respond so I simply nod and smile and bend down to pick my sweatshirt off the floor. I slip it on over my head and tug it down.

“Maybe we should bring your laptop,” I suggest. “If we’re there for a while we can watch more Charmed.”

She laughs and goes to grab her laptop off her nightstand, putting it in her backpack. “You really like that show, don’t you? And you were so reluctant to watch it,” she tsks.

“Yeah, yeah.” I shrug like it’s no big deal. “You were right, and I was wrong. It’s a good fucking show and I’m addicted, okay? I need to know what happens next.”

I follow her to her door and when she swings it open, Rae is standing on the other side. Thea jolts back and into my chest. I grab her elbow to steady her and she quickly jerks away. I know I shouldn’t be offended, but I am. I don’t let it show, though.

“Interesting,” is all Rae says before heading down the hall to the room she shares with Cade.

Thea looks up at me with worried eyes and I shrug.

There’s nothing we can do about it now.

We fall asleep in the waiting room of the vet’s office watching Charmed, and when I wake up, my body is stiff and hurting. It doesn’t help that I had one hell of a practice yesterday, but I blame most of the pain on sleeping on the wooden bench sitting up. Thea’s stretched out with her head on my lap, sleeping peacefully. I run my fingers through her hair, rubbing the soft strands against my thumb and forefinger.

“Sir?” A hushed whisper sounds somewhere behind me and I turn my head. “Oh, good, you’re awake.” A different woman from yesterday comes over and sits down in the chair in front of me. Instantly, my heart seizes with worry that she’s going