Page 23 of Toxic B!tch
I chuckle, laying a hand on her thigh, feeling the soft material of her coat beneath my fingertips. Her body is warm through the fabric, a reminder of what’s waiting underneath, a promise of what I’m hoping to see later.
“Well, we should get going then, shouldn’t we?” I say, squeezing her thigh lightly, relishing the way her eyes darken, a flicker of that dangerous spark that draws me to her.
The silence during the drive is comfortable, the kind of silence you only get when two people are completely at ease with each other. Outside, the streetlights cast a soft glow through the cab, illuminating her face in flashes as we drive. I glance over, catching her staring out the window, her expression a mixture of excitement and mischief, like she’s already planning some sort of trouble for us tonight.
Her coat is open just enough to show a hint of ink peeking out from the collar, teasing me with flashes of the tattoos I know cover her skin. I smile, shaking my head as I let my gaze linger. She catches me looking and raises an eyebrow, smirking. “Eyeson the road, babe,” she teases, though I can see the hint of a blush coloring her cheeks.
"Hard to keep my eyes off you, you know that." I grin, tapping my fingers on the wheel, feeling the thrill of just having her here beside me.
By the time we reach the carnival, the night feels charged with unspoken promises, the tension between us growing with every look and touch.
Lights flash in a riot of colors, casting a warm, golden glow on the crowd. The air is thick with the mingling scents of popcorn, fried dough, and caramel—sugar and grease all wrapped up in nostalgia. It feels like stepping into another world, a place where rules don’t apply, where Indigo and I can just be.
As we weave through the carnival crowd, I spot a ticket booth with a long roll of bright red tickets hanging from the side.
I hand over a bill to the guy, and he gives me a massive roll of tickets in return. Indigo snatches them up, clutching the roll against her chest with a gleeful grin. “Look at all these!” She laughs, unspooling a few and waving them in front of my face. “Enough for every ride here, and then some.”
I chuckle, shaking my head as she tucks the roll into her coat pocket, a few tickets still peeking out. “Just let me know if I need to win you anything, alright?”
Her eyes gleam, and she tilts her head, a smirk tugging at her lips. “You better be ready for it, because I have a thing for ridiculous prizes and carnival games,” she teases, her fingers trailing over the roll of tickets as if it’s a precious treasure.
"Challenge accepted,” I say.
With the tickets in her pocket and a glint of mischief in her eyes, we head off, our adventure only just beginning.
Indigo’s eyes are wide, her mouth parting as she takes in the sights, looking like a kid in a candy shop. She bounces on hertoes, clutching my arm, and then she spots it—a stand shaped like a massive caramel apple on a stick.
“Oh! I want a caramel apple!” she squeals, gripping my hand tightly as she eagerly leads me toward the stand.
I follow behind, unable to look away as her hips sway side to side in that over-the-top coat. She’s pure, unfiltered joy wrapped in dark fur and vintage green, and damn if that isn’t the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.
“One caramel apple, no nuts,” she tells the cashier, flashing that bright, mischievous smile that makes her eyes shine.
The cashier rings up the caramel apple and says, "Eight dollars."
I beat Indigo to it, pulling out a ten and handing it over before she can reach for her own cash. “Keep the change,” I say, but I’m barely aware of the cashier’s response because all I can see is Indigo, standing there with her eyes fixed on that caramel apple like it’s the most precious thing in the world.
She takes a big bite, the caramel sticking to her lips as she chews and hums in delight. My hand finds hers, our fingers lacing together as we start to walk, but my gaze keeps slipping back to her, caught by the sight of her lips glistening with caramel, her eyes closed as she savors each bite.
She catches me watching and raises an eyebrow, smirking around her mouthful of apple. “Like what you see, Malik?” She leans closer, lowering her voice to a husky whisper that sends a shiver down my spine. “I’d like to wrap my tongue around something else later.”
I nearly choke, caught off guard, and laugh, shaking my head. “You really don’t hold back, do you, baby?”
She shrugs, all casual confidence. “What’s the point? We only get this one life, right? So why not say what I want to say, do what I want to do… and fuck who I want to fuck?” Her words ringout loud and unapologetic, and suddenly, I realize we’ve drawn some unwanted attention.
A mother nearby gasps, clapping her hands over her teenage son’s ears as she glares at Indigo. “Language!” she hisses, looking absolutely scandalized.
I raise my eyebrows, feeling my cheeks heat up, but Indigo just laughs, utterly unbothered. “Oh, please,” she scoffs, rolling her eyes. She glances at the boy, then smirks at the mother. “Little Johnny there is probably balls-deep in some freshman slut inside the janitor’s closet, at least once a week.”
The boy’s face turns crimson, his lips disappearing as he clamps his mouth shut, and the mother’s eyes widen in horror. She pulls her son away, muttering angrily under her breath, and Indigo just watches them go, chuckling to herself.
“Was that really necessary?” I ask, trying to sound stern, but a grin slips through.
“Completely necessary,” she replies with a shrug, tossing her apple core into a trash bin with a practiced flick of her wrist. She turns to me, that devilish glint in her eyes. “Come on, I want to ride the Ferris wheel.” She grabs my hand, practically dragging me toward the giant spinning wheel glowing against the night sky.
We hand over our tickets and climb into the cart, which rocks gently as it lifts us off the ground. As we rise higher, the carnival below grows smaller, the sounds fading into a muffled hum. It feels like we’re floating, suspended in our own little bubble, surrounded by the glittering lights of the Ferris wheel.
Indigo leans into me, her hand resting on my thigh, fingers tracing little circles that send warmth flooding through me. My breath catches as her hand moves higher, her eyes locked on mine with a smoldering intensity that makes my heart race. She leans in closer, and before I can say anything, her lips meet mine in a kiss that’s soft at first, tentative, as if testing the waters. Butthe moment I respond, it deepens, our mouths moving together in perfect sync.
