Page 80 of Lights, Camera, Love

I shake my head, and Kye lets out a frustrated breath.

‘What more do they fucking want?’ he complains. ‘Why haven’t they sacked him yet?’

I shrug a shoulder. ‘I’m not sure I even care anymore. I’m glad I did the movie, but I don’t think the big screen is really for me. I just want to dance and keep things relaxed and low-pressure. Do you think that’s bad?’ I glance around at my humble apartment and shabby furniture—things that won’t get any fancier with the budget I’m on.

‘Fuck no.’ Kye catches my chin between two fingers, steering my eyes to his. ‘Being a celebrity doesn’t mean shit,’ he says. ‘I’ve been around enough of them to know. If you want to be a movie star, be a movie star; if you want to be a road maintenance worker, be a road maintenance worker; if you want to teach dance, teach dance. Just be you, Evie. That’s all the world needs from you.’

The edges of my smile push against his fingers.

‘And for the record,’ he adds, his soft gaze penetrating mine, ‘I’m glad you did the movie, too.’

I feel the surprise hit my face, knowing how bad the film is turning out, but then I realise what Kye means. I flush with warmth, wishing I could stay in this shoddy kitchen forever. But it’s not the paint-chipped walls and yellowing linoleum counter I’m feeling attached to right now.

‘So, I did something,’ Kye suddenly says, his throat flexing.

‘Oh no, notsomething,’ I joke, smiling.

Panic blows across his features. ‘I booked a visit with the jail. To see my brother.’

My brows fly up. ‘You did?’

He nods, his face growing taut. ‘For this weekend. I put in an application, and Jace didn’t reject it, which is a good sign, right?’

‘Yeah, of course. It’s a great sign.’ I squeeze his hand. ‘That’s amazing. I’m so happy for you.’

‘Maybe don’t be happy for me just yet. It might not go well, or Jace could cancel—or I could. I mean, am I really going to do this?’

‘Oh, Kye,’ I say. ‘This is really brave. I’m proud of you.’ It feels odd saying that when I’ve only known him for a few months, but my words summon a look of relief in his eyes.

‘Thank you,’ he says. ‘You’re actually the one who inspired me. I mean, if you went and saw your father, I can do this.’

‘You can.’ I caress the knuckle of his thumb. ‘But Kye, I hope you don’t cancel. I mean—do, if you reallywant to. But your brother can’t … he can’t come and see you. You have to go to him. And if you don’t show up after you said you would, well, let’s just say that I know how that feels—a version of it, at least—and I wouldn’t wish it upon anyone.’

A soft furrow appears on his brow as he sits forward on his stool and touches his lips to mine.

This time, there’s no mauling, no biting, no blindfolds—just the sweet, soft silk of his mouth. He guides my lips open, and I sigh as our tongues melt together, a sensation so intoxicating that I nearly tumble off my stool.

Kye steadies my shoulders, awarding methat smileat close range. I kiss him so hard that, this time, it’s him who almost topples over.

‘Come on,’ I whisper, linking my fingers with his and leading him to my bedroom.

The moment I close the door, Kye turns me around and pushes me against it, his mouth crashing onto mine. He brushes our tongues together until I turn limp, then sinks to his knees. His palms run up my thighs, then continue their glide over my bare midriff and beneath my crop top.

I slouch against the door as he pushes up the lycra, freeing my breasts and closing his hands over them.

‘Fuck, I haven’t stopped thinking about these,’ he says, his voice hoarse. Then he takes one of my nipples into his mouth and lets out a hungry grunt over the tight bud, licking and sucking until I’m so wet and achybetween my legs that I seem to be dissolving into the doorframe. Like he knows exactly what I need, Kye flattens his huge, warm palm over my centre, digging in firmly with the heel of his hand. My eyes practically roll into the back of my head as he plays with me over the cotton of my leggings.

‘I need to taste you righthere,’ he says, grazing the pad of his thumb across my most sensitive spot.

I’ve lost the ability to speak; I become boneless against the door as Kye presses his mouth to the apex of my thighs through the fabric. He burrows his nose in there, then peels the leggings away from my soaked skin.

‘You’re so perfect, Evie,’ he rasps. With both hands, he grips my behind and brings me to his mouth, swiping and swirling his tongue while he sinks two fingers inside me. With both of us moaning, he carries my pleasure higher and higher with his mouth and hand until a wave of tension surges inside me, crests and then crashes, unleashing a torrent of pleasure that floods my insides.

Murmuring sounds of delight, Kye nuzzles his mouth against me. After the euphoric fog has lifted, I take hold of his arms and wrench him up so that I can strip him naked.

Once we’re both undressed, he yanks me down onto the bed, and I laugh as I crash on top of him.

I then sit up, curve my palms around his shoulders and shove them onto the mattress. His chuckle blends into a groan as I bend and take him into my mouth. Hisfingers lift my hair away, giving him a clearer view as I swirl my tongue. He tells me, again and again, how beautiful I am, and I close my mouth over him, gliding my lips up and down, savouring the broken moans that tear from his throat.

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