Leaning in... To kiss
1218 Words
TESSA
"Delete it, Kyle," I said, my voice sharper than I intended. "Don’t mess with me."
That picture in his phone was like a weapon. He was staring at the screen but I could feel his gaze on my body, travelling down my cleavage.
The corner of his mouth curled slowly.
I tried to snatch the phone from his grip… But he was faster. With one single motion, he pulled me flush against him. My hands landed on his chest, feeling the hard rhythm of his heart beneath the leather.
“You can't win, Tessa Vance.”
He was inches closer, his eyes seemed to be going deeper into mine. Strangely, my heart started pounding, the sound was almost identical to a drumbeat.
For a long second, neither of us said a word. Only the warmth of his breathing tracing my lips, smooth and gentle.
I felt something strange.
I felt his deep gaze was devouring me, and I wasn't even fighting it.
An engine groaned in the air, pushing my mind back to senses. I pulled away abruptly, needing the space to breathe.
Crossing my arms over my chest, I narrowed my eyes. "How could you even give your phone to Raven earlier?" I snapped, my face flaming.
"What if he had seen it? What if anyone had?"
Kyle leaned in slowly, closing the space between us. And just like that, every defense I had built around myself began to crack.
My hands fell to my sides, and before I realized it, I was already taking a step backward.
But my eyes never left his.
There was something about the way he looked at me, unwavering, and impossible to escape.
For a brief moment, I forgot every argument, every reason I had for keeping my distance.
All I could think about was the dangerous pull of his presence and how he made my walls come tumbling down.
"Tessa, I have a biometric lock on my gallery. Only one person is allowed in. And trust me, nobody else is getting a peek."
A part of me was relieved.
“You’re worried someone else might see it.” He took a step forward, the space between us shrinking as his shadow fell over me.. “So does that mean I’m the only one who’s allowed to?”
The corner of his mouth curved slightly, equal parts teasing and challenge, as he waited for my reaction.
I wouldn't lie.
I was taken aback. Silent for a minute. Then, I forced myself out of the silence.
“The picture was never meant for you, Kyle!”
“Who was it for? A new boyfriend?" He tilted his head, his blue eyes narrowing slightly. "Because as far as I can tell, I'm the only man currently circling your life."
He managed to get under my nerves.
"How can you be so sure, Kyle? Are you stalking me?"
The air between us shifted from playful to something electric. Without warning, he captured my personal space, his scent overwhelming my senses. He hovered just inches from my lips, his voice barely a breath.
"Who knows, glasses?" He whispered his gaze dropping to my mouth. "Maybe I am."
Adrenaline rushed down my veins. But this time I didn't allow him to play with me. Instead, I snatched the phone from his grip.
He raised a brow, surprised.
But when I tried to swipe into the gallery, the screen mocked me with a locked icon.
"Unlock it," I demanded, holding the phone out. "Delete the picture, or I swear I will smash this phone right now."
Kyle let out a soft chuckle. “You're quite dangerous, glasses.”
He didn't look worried, his thumb brushing my knuckles as he took the phone back and tapped in a quick code. With a flick of his wrist, he opened the gallery, found the picture, and held the screen up to my face.
He didn't look at it. He looked at me, his eyes searching my face as he tapped the trash icon.
The photo vanished.
"There," he said, tucking the phone back into his pocket. "It's gone. Happy?"
I nodded.
“Tessa Vance…” He muttered against my ear. “You've grown up.”
My eyes widened slightly.
Before I could answer, the roar of the other bikes drew our attention. The Reapers were already mounted.
Zen leaned over toward us, shouting over the noise. "Tessa, whose bike are you taking?"
I hesitated, looking at the line of bikes, then quietly stepped toward Kyle. A playful smile glinted on his lips as he signaled the others to go ahead. We were alone on the track.
“Can't stay away from me? Can you?” He nudged my arm.
I didn't answer. I simply rolled my eyes.
The ride back wasn't the race it had been moments ago. I was enjoying the cold breeze dancing through my hair.
This was something my soul craved.
"I don't want to go home," I whispered against his jacket when we reached a red light. "I can't sleep anyways."
He knew about my condition. There was no point in acting clueless.
Kyle didn't say a word. Instead, he drove slowly, changing the direction, and pulled up in front of a building that made my breath hitch… Our high school.
The gate was locked, but the familiar sight of the brick facade, the lawn where we used to study, and the bench where we’d argued over grades washed over me like a tidal wave.
"This is..." I started, my voice failing.
"Where we started," he finished.
We hopped off, standing on the curb in the empty street. “You come here often?”
The clouds that had been growling ever since the race finally tore apart. The sky opened up.
"It's raining."
The rain started as a drizzle and turned into a torrential downpour in seconds. I looked up at the sky, feeling the cold sliding down on me.
“Let's go!” Kyle grabbed my hand.
He pulled me toward the school entrance, quite a meter away, ducking us under the wide, glass-covered umbrella shade of the main doors. We were breathless, shivering, and soaked to the bone.
My white dress had clung to my skin in the rain, turning almost translucent.
I was embarrassed, my bra was visible.
Inhaling a breath, I covered my chest with my arms… Until he took off his jacket, stepped into my space, and his gaze slowly climbed up my bra to meet my eyes.
For a moment, I thought he was going to say something. But he was quiet.
Kyle didn't step away, his hands resting on my shoulders, his thumbs tracing the line of my collarbone. The rain hammered against the glass roof above us, matching the speed of my heartbeat. Fast and uncontrollable.
Something was different in the air.
He leaned in, his face so close that I could feel the heat radiating from his skin.
I looked up at him, my lips slightly parted.
There was nowhere left to run.
He dipped his head lower, his hand moving to the back of my neck, his fingers tangling into my damp hair.
The tension was a taut wire, ready to snap.
He stared at my lips.
And I could already feel him tasting them.
- Writer
