Page 84 of Our Little Moments

“Go, Stella! Kick his ass!” Jay calls.

“Come on, Adrian, get both of you down here soon!” Isa calls laughing.

“I’m waiting for you, Stella Brookstone. You better hope Adrian doesn’t succeed because I am ready!” Layla teases.

“You can do it, Stella!” Hazel says playfully.

Their investment in this makes me chuckle and unfortunately distracts me long enough for Adrian to run my way before I can stop him. I yelp as I feel him try to grab my arm, bolting to theother end before he can succeed. His hand finds mine as I run and we both stumble from the push-and-pull.

I reach for his other hand and push him backwards toward the water.

“You almost had me there.” I chuckle as I push, push, push.

He laughs, and I have to fight with everything I have to keep focus despite the butterflies spreading all the way to my toes at the sound. He pushes back against my hold as he says, “It’s not over yet. I still have a chance.”

A very, very big chance at that. His eyes are diving back into mine and I want to drown in them. They’re like an enchanting forest, calling to me in a way I can’t describe.

He smirks and I focus again, using the magic at my fingertips to twist the cliff’s shape, making it a downhill slide so Adrian can fall in the water as I push him that way.

He realizes what I’m doing too late, trips over his own feet and loses his balance.

I’m about to celebrate when his hand grabs mine, making me tumble right along with him. He laughs as we start falling.

“If I’m falling, you’re falling right along with me.”

Crap.

I inhale right before we hit the water.

The water is peaceful and it’s easy enough to swim back to its surface. Everyone is laughing and splashing each other. It’s a beautiful kind of chaos.

Ugh, I love these people.

Adrian swims back to the surface quickly after me, and Layla’s playful smirk finds me. In seconds, there’s water coming at me from all sides. I laugh as I try to catch my breath, completelydrenched in the few seconds it took Layla to have her revenge. We’re both laughing from our spots.

I try to squeeze out some water from my hair and wipe my face.

When my vision clears from the water that’d been clinging to my lashes, I find Adrian’s eyes on me. His smile unravels me, and electricity shoots up my spine. His eyes are so full of wonder as he looks at me that every inch of my skin tingles.

I hold my breath as he swims closer, the entire world slipping away with only my heartbeat echoing in my ears.

His smile is gone now that he’s right in front of me, and neither of us are amused. His eyes track over my face and now the pull between us feels unbearable.

Kiss me. Kiss me. Kiss me.

It’s the only thing I can think about as we stare at each other. My heart rate is sky high when he gently grabs my wrist and pulls me closer. Taking my legs, he guides me to wrap them around him, and I hold on to his shoulders as he treads the water for us both.

I can feel my magic everywhere, and I feel something shift beneath my feet. Adrian’s body steadies and I realize I gave him a platform from the rocks of the cliff to stand on, giving him the support he needs to hold me without treading water. I can feel his smile at the realization of what I did. The sunshine, combined with his gaze sweeping over my skin, is scorching.

One of his hands lifts above the water to push my curls to the side of my face, and any resistance I had left simply floats away. And then, I kiss him.

Going for it, I slide my arms around his neck and press my lips against his. Adrian is frozen for a second, and I immediately try to pull away. But then, as if struck by lightning, he inhales, and his hands tighten on the sides of my face.

Adrian is kissing me back, oh my god.

My world bursts into a kaleidoscope of sensations. It’s bliss, it’s wonder, it’s magic.

My heart kicks frantically against my ribs, and my skin is on fire. If it’s even possible, I hold onto him tighter, eager for more.

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