He wipes his eyes. “Yeah, you’re right; I did.”

Our laughter has ceased, and now, we’re just staring at each other. Eyes caught on eyes.

Something changes in the air between us. It’s like the laughter cleared the anger away, and all that’s left behind is pure chemistry and heat. And it seems to be strengthening in its intensity with each passing second, drawing me to him.

My pulse starts to beat in my ears. My skin is tingling. My stomach is coiling and tightening.

Kas’s gaze slides down from my eyes to my mouth.

I lick my lips, like an automatic response.

I watch as his eyes heat and flare.

My whole body sets ablaze under his hot stare. If I were ice cream, I’d be melting right now.

Jesus Christ, stop being such a girl, Daisy.

I wrap my arms around my chest. The movement seems to bring him back to the now.

He drops his arms and slides his hands into his front jeans pockets.

“Who are you here with?” I say for want of something to say.

“Friends.”

“I didn’t realize you had any—aside from Jude, that is.” I give a saccharin smile.

“Funny.” But he’s not smiling. Instead, his eyes are making their way down my body, and he’s looking at me like he wants to devour me whole.

I have to suppress the urge to press my thighs together.

His eyes lift back to mine. “You look incredibly beautiful tonight.”

His words take me aback. And I resent how happy they make me feel.

I hate how he can lift me up and cut me down so easily.

“Yeah, but just not good enough for you.” I immediately want to smack myself in the face. I hate that I said those words and how pathetic and weak they make me sound.

“What?” He rears back, like I hit him.

“Nothing. Forget I said anything. I’m going now. Have a good night, Kas.”

I move past him, and he catches my arm, holding me at his side.

“You want me to forget the fact that you think you’re not good enough for me?”

“I never said I thought I wasn’t good enough for you.”

His brows crash together so hard that I’m surprised it doesn’t give him a headache. “You think I think that? That you’re not good enough for me?”

Looking away from him, I give a slight lift of my shoulder.

“That’s fucking bullshit.” His words are so vehement that my gaze swings back to his. “I’m not good enough for you, Daisy. You deserve a good man, a better man…and that’s not me.”

His words shock me to my core.

I stare into his black eyes—searching for what, I’m not sure—but I must find it because something breaks inside me.

I press my palm to his face. His eyes close against my touch.

“I don’t care,” I whisper. “I want you.”

A shudder runs through him. He tugs me into his side, sliding his arm around my back, holding me close to him. He presses his forehead to mine and exhales a shaky breath. “Fuck, baby.” His breath tickles and teases my lips.

I want to kiss him, but I also know what happened last time we did kiss.

His chin dips, bringing his mouth closer to mine.

Our mouths are millimeters apart. All I’d have to do is lean in, and our lips would be touching.

Is that what I want?

Sense tells me, No. But my body screams, Yes!

“I have to kiss you,” he breathes over my lips.

His other hand moves to my head, cradling it, as his body turns into mine.

And then he kisses me.

Soft and gentle at first. Featherlight kisses.

But then his tongue sweeps over my lower lip, and the spark between us ignites like a lit match on gasoline.

His fingers tangle into my hair while he continues to fuck my mouth with his tongue.

He tastes like beer and mints and something so uniquely him, and it turns me on like nothing before.

Breaking from my mouth, he drags his thumb down my lower lip, his eyes fixed on it. “All I’ve been able to think about for days is this gorgeous mouth.”

I shiver with need.

But then that small voice in the back of my head asks, So, why did you leave the other day? And why have you stayed away since?

But I don’t say the words because I don’t want to lose this moment. I want him to keep kissing me. I want him to keep making me feel the way he is. Like no one has ever made me feel before. Like he needs to kiss me more than he needs air.

He captures my lips with his again and sucks on my tongue. A bolt of lust shoots between my legs, making me pant and squirm.

In this moment, I want him like I’ve never wanted anyone before.

A scream of laughter breaks us apart. My head jerks to the side, and I see a group of giggling girls falling out of the ladies’ restroom.

My eyes come back to Kas. His eyes are glazed with lust, his lips swollen from my kiss.

Seeing him like this gives me a sense of satisfaction.

His lip lifts at the corner into the sexiest smile I’ve ever seen, and then he grabs my hand and yanks me into the disabled restroom. He pushes the door shut and locks it.

I hear the giggling girls pass by, and then it’s quiet. Only the thumping sound of the music from the club and our shallow breaths are heard.

Kas is staring at me. The look in his eyes almost undoes me.

No one has ever looked at me like he is right now.

Like I’m all he can see.

I lift a hand to his face, touching my thumb over the corner of his mouth.