“I think it’s fate trying to tell us that we’re made for each other.” His tone is light, but I wonder if he’s not entirely joking.
Not knowing how to respond to that, or to the totally creepy fact that Raph and I were apparently born at exactly the same time, down to the very second as he says, I shift my attention to the fuzzy bear that I’m clutching. I eye the angel wings on the bear’s back and its blue eyes, and I shoot Raph a dry look which he returns with one of feigned innocence.
“Is this meant to be you?” I ask, quirking an eyebrow at him.
“No—why? Do you think there’s something angelic about my perfect face?” he asks with a cocky grin.
I roll my eyes.
“Don’t flatter yourself.” I lie because I definitely did think the first time I saw him that he looked exactly how I thought an angel might.
“I think we both know that there is nothing angelic about you.”
His grin turns wicked, and I regret my words because I’m now flushing so hard, I feel like my face is on fire.
“Hmm. I don’t think you’ve given me the chance to show you just how un-angelic I can be … yet.”
The promise in his words sends a thrill racing through me, although I try to stamp down on it. I’m well aware that despite all that he confessed to me last night, apart from holding me as we slept and again as we hurtled through the depths of time and space, he hasn’t made a single attempt to touch me or to kiss me. I try not to think about it because something inside me knows that when he does kiss me again, this time, he won’t stop. The thought of his lips moving on mine, for real this time, makes heat pool in my core and I so should not be feeling this way right in the middle of a goddamn amusement park.
I can sense the anticipation building in both of us. The dull ache as sweet as it is almost painful, until the tension between us is so thick, that I’m almost choking on it. I’m too aware of every movement, every accidental brush of his hand against mine, every breath that he takes a few inches too close. I feel like I’m about to come out of my skin by the time we reach the photo booth near the pier entrance.
I find myself thinking of the strip of photographs that was now lost along with all of the other memories of my mom. Raph notices the change in my expression and tugs at my hand gently.
“I think we should make some new memories,” he says as he pulls me into the booth. I don’t have the chance to object because the next thing I know, I’m sitting on his lap in the cramped booth and his arm is firmly around my waist.
I shift on his lap and I don’t miss the way the bulge in his jeans hardens. I’m embarrassed as hell, but the burning look in those blue eyes, sears away any thought or feeling that isn’t about his lips on mine or his hands on my body. God, what is happening to me?
He leans forward and just as I think he’s going to kiss me, he lowers those impossibly long golden lashes, shielding me from the intensity of his burning gaze as he feeds some coins into the slot next to the screen. I groan inwardly in frustration and part of me thinks he’s doing this on purpose, teasing me almost.
Four flashes go off in succession as we sit there, our faces inches from each other’s, our gazes locked. Neither one of us even bothering to pose for the photographs. I wonder if they’ll even develop properly given all the fire and heat I can feel in the booth right now.
The last flash goes off but neither one of us moves. Raph’s eyes are like twin flames as he raises a hand to cup my cheek and I feel the touch like a brand. He leans closer again but again, it’s not to kiss me. At least not on my lips.
I feel his lips against my neck, at the sensitive spot where my pulse is hammering against my skin and my fingers are digging into his shoulders as he trails open mouthed kisses all along the side of my neck. He lets out a groan as he seems to breathe me in and it’s got to be the sexiest sound that I’ve ever heard in my entire life. The moan that comes out of my own mouth is one of equal abandon, because I can barely think past the feeling of his lips licking and sucking the sensitive skin along my neck in a way that tells me exactly what it will feel like to have him do that to my lips and other places, too.
It’s impossible to remember that we’re still sitting in a photo booth in the middle of an amusement park, as my fingers find their way into his hair. I grip onto those silky strands and bring his head closer to my skin because nothing feels close enough. I can feel a shudder race through his powerful body as I move on his lap again, the softest part of me pressing down on the hardest part of him. I’m aware of the tremor racing through me and the way his body quakes as his hands travel over mine. Even through our clothing, I can feel the fire in his touch. The ache inside me is almost painful now, and I’m clutching at him to try to ease that ache, although I have no idea how.
He curses as I press down on him again and his arms around me tighten as he shifts me so that I’m straddling him. From this angle, I can feel just how equally affected he is. He thrusts upwards at the same time as pulling me closer, so that his hard length presses into the building ache at my center. I gasp at the contact and I think I lose all coherent thought.
“Is this what you want, baby?” His voice is gruff and I can’t even form words, let alone answer.
I want him to kiss me and I can sense that he knows it, too. But I was right about him teasing me or at least making the ache between us build enough so that when he does actually kiss me, I know that the universe will probably explode.
A loud buzzing sound goes off, signalling that our prints are ready. I couldn’t care less because all I want is for Raph’s lips to keep moving on my skin.
But Raph just chuckles as he pulls away, and grabs the strip of photographs.
What the hell just happened?
I slowly return to my senses and as I step out of the booth. I’m mortified when I look down at my dishevelled clothing and even more so when Raph steps out of the booth. His golden hair is sticking up and mussed, as if someone was just running their fingers through it. Yeah, me—I remind myself. That was me in there pulling at his hair, grinding almost shamelessly against him. Those breathy moans were also mine, coming out of my mouth as I reveled in the feeling of Raph’s lips and tongue working on my throat. I can barely believe that those sensations were real or that I was the one feeling them, but Raph … Raph does something to me that makes every fiber in my body come alive with feelings and sensations I’ve never experienced before in my entire life.
Raph flashes me a wicked smile that tells me he knows exactly what I’m thinking and how shaken I feel, but the slightly dazed look in those vivid blue eyes tells me that he’s equally affected.
I expect him to tease me then, but instead, he takes my hand in a surprisingly sweet gesture.
“Walk with me,” he says.