Page 30 of Riot
Nodding mutely, I go to grab my bag, but it’s already over his shoulder. He waits, taking my hand as soon as I’m close, ignoring my efforts to free myself. The man has no shame.
“Oh, look, a photobooth!” He drags me over to the white cubicle shoved in a corner and pushes me inside. I fall into the chair, and he steps in next to me. It’s so small, we are pressed together as he shuts the curtain and hits some buttons.
“Kage,” I warn, but he grins at me.
“Smile, sweetheart. I’m going to frame these.”
I glare at him as there’s a flash, and I turn to the screen just as he leans down and presses his cheek to mine as the flash goes again. “Kage,” I hiss, but he turns my face and kisses me right on the lips. This time, the flash is behind my eyes, and then I lean back, ready to shout, but there’s a reluctant smile on my lips as it flashes again.
His smile is gone, but his hand is still on my head, our bodies pressed together. There are no more flashes, just us, and I watch him glance down at my lips. “I kissed you to get you to smile, but I’m thinking if I don’t kiss you again, I might just die.”
“I never said you could kiss me before,” I murmur, my heart racing for some reason.
Nobody kisses me without permission. Nobody kisses me without it leading to sex. That’s how it is.
“Good, then I don’t need to ask this time.” He leans down, pressing his lips to mine. His tongue sweeps across my mouth as his hand slides down, gripping my face. He presses his thumb into my jaw until I open with a gasp. Instantly, his tongue slides into my mouth, tangling with mine as he holds me prisoner in his brutal kiss, but when he pulls back, he lays a softer one on my lips.
I’m panting, my eyes wide as he sits up. “How about we go to the pier next?”
He kissed me just to kiss me? Not for sex or for anything else, just because he could?
Why didn’t I stop him?
We end up at the fair, but I don’t even remember getting there, still stuck on that kiss. Kage, on the other hand, is almost bouncing up and down. We started at the pier before we stumbled upon this. Now, he’s playing every game and filling a bag with prizes for me. He’s won more stuffed animals than I have ever seen, and I don’t have the heart to stop him.
It’s so fucking cute, even I can admit that.
Nobody has ever cared this much about me before.
It’s terrifying because I know once he sees the real me, he won’t want me anymore.
Nobody does.
As if he can feel my mood darkening, he grabs my hand and pulls me over to the Ferris wheel, wrapping his arms around me as we wait in line. It’s busy this afternoon, since it’s a weekend, so we stand together, and I let him pull me close.
I let myself believe that I could be someone this man loves, even though I never could be.
Kage is all sunshine, and I am nothing but a dark moon.
There is a group of teenagers before us, and their giggles only seem to get louder until I get curious and peek at their phones. My eyebrows rise. It’s some paparazzi shots of Kage and me, his arm almost touching me as he faces me in the hotel lobby yesterday.
I shrink back, expecting rude remarks, but their next words stop me. “She’s just so beautiful. Seriously, it isn’t even fair. They look so good together. I definitely ship them.”
“Nah, she’s way too good for him.”
“They are right,” Kage whispers in my ear. “You are way too good for me, sweetheart, but that doesn’t mean I’m letting you go.”
“He’s so hot,” another says. “Look how he stares at her, and did you see that interview? I keep rewatching their edits on TikTok.”
“Do you think I’m hot, sweetheart?” he flirts in my ear. I elbow him, but he just chuckles, not the least bit bothered.
“Do you think they are actually together, or is it just PR?” one whispers while shuffling forward as the line moves.
“Definitely PR,” another adds seriously.
“No, I think it’s real. Why else would he show up at her hotel? She hasn’t been seen with anyone here, right? He’s said how much he respects her.”
Jesus, just how many interviews of us have they watched? It’s impressive.