Page 11 of The Art of Deception

We make our way as close to the edge as possible without being dangerous, and we just stand. Bodies aligned with this pulse, this electro-charge surging through the air.

Xander has gone out of his way to make me feel special today.

I don’t know why, though.

Why now?After two years of periodically coming into the shop, he takes this up a notch. But I’m glad he has. I’ve felt this pull, this buzz, this chemistry we have from the first time I saw him, but I’ve tried to ignore it.

I’m not ignoring it now.

His arm brushes mine, sending a wave of goose bumps along my skin and then down my spine. He does something to my body that I can’t even comprehend. If I don’t do something to break this intensity, I’m going to rip his clothes off right here. That wouldn’t be entirely appropriate.

I turn to face him with a genuine smile. “How the hell do you know about this place?”

He glances at me sideways. “I found it one day when I took the off-ramp by mistake. It’s off-limits to the public, but I like to take the risk every now and then. The view’s worth it.” He turns, bringing his arm up, and wraps it around my shoulders, pulling me to his side. I welcome the move, cuddling into him. Feeling our bodies together in an embrace is doing all sorts of things to me. My breath quickens. The warmth radiating from him is like an inferno setting me on fire. My hand slides to his chest, and I can’t help but let out a small laugh as I recall our food fight at the Mexican restaurant.

He slowly shakes his head like he’s in awe of me or something. As his eyes meet mine, his piercing orbs stare right into my damn soul, like he knows everything about me, like he’s known me my entire life.

My heart leaps into my throat as my breaths come hard and frantic. His chest heaves as if this moment is affecting him too. As we stare into each other’s depths, the air fills with intense energy, surging, pulsing around us, drawing us together like a powerful magnet. His hand moves up, gently caressing my cheek. The warmth of his smooth fingers on my skin makes me gasp, my lips parting as I let out a staggered breath. His eyes shift down, focusing on my lips as he moves in closer. My toes lift up on their own as we angle toward each other, my arms instantly wrapping around his waist while his hand slides into the back of my hair, pulling me closer to him. His breath tickles my lips, my breathing rushed as our lips graze the edges of each other’s.

“Hey!”Someone yells loudly and in a thoroughly annoying voice, making me pull back from Xander’s almost kiss.

My eyes widen as I turn to a security guard holding a baton walking toward us. “Oh shit,” I murmur.

Xander reaches out, grabbing my hand. It tingles immediately, but I don’t have time to dwell on that fact as he yanks me with him, and we start running. The crunch of the pebbles echoes through the air. I squeal as we rush toward his bike. The guard takes charge after us, but thankfully, he’s a fair distance behind as we scurry to Xander’s bike, chuckling like damn fools.

We slide onto the bike, a cloud of dust swirling around us as Xander quickly hands me the helmet. Jumping on the bike while I shove it on without doing it up, he starts the engine. With a quick glance back, I see the slightly chubby guard stop to take a rest break. He throws his hand in the air, waving the baton at us.

Xander revs his engine, then skids off away from the guard and the lighthouse. A plume of pebbles and dust radiates up in the air in our wake as I cheer and raise my arm.

My entire body shudders as a giggling fit takes over. I lovehow we were caught doing something we shouldn’t have been. Being there without permission makes this all the more fun as Xander speeds back toward my shop.

Unfortunately, I guess the date is now over. If that’s what this was.

But I know one thing for sure—we almost kissed, and it was fucking magical.

As we arrive at the shop, Xander pulls to a stop but doesn’t turn off his engine.

I know it’s my cue to jump off.

Our time together is over, and as much as I don’t want to, I have to get back to work.

I’m guessing he does too.

Regrettably, I let Xander go as I slide off from behind him, standing to the side while I pull off his helmet and hand it to him.

Xander’s lips lift upward, causing one dimple to dip in. His teeth are perfectly aligned and so white, the glow exudes his happiness like a ray of sunshine on this beautiful spring afternoon. He is the sun, and I’m burning in his blissful rays. How one man can be so utterly stunning and masculine at the same time, I have no idea as I stand on the sidewalk staring at him, him at me.

I don’t know where we go from here.

We almost kissed.

I want to know what it would be like to kiss his delectable lips. But I also know that behind me, all my workmates are probably watching, staring at him, waiting for me to make a move.

So, instead, I play it cool.

“Thanks for lunch. Tacos are my jam.”

His eyes sparkle as he watches me. “Taco… jam… got it!”

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