Blake was silent for a long moment. “So you’re saying your dad was watching every time we went down on each other?”
“Blake!”
“Sorry. Sorry.” He buried his face in her hair. “I make jokes at the most inappropriate times.”
A smile tugged at her mouth. Farrah could always count on Blake to lighten things up. “It’s ok. I like your inappropriate jokes. Most of the time.”
“Wrong thing to say, babe. Now I’ll be unstoppable.”
“You’re the great Blake Ryan. Shouldn’t you already be unstoppable?”
His stomach rumbled with laughter. “You got me. But you didn’t answer my question. What were you thinking about earlier? You only go all quiet when you’re deep in thought.”
Farrah rolled over so she was face-to-face with Blake. He was so close she could count every eyelash and see the faint smattering of freckles across his nose. “I was thinking about how lucky I am to have met you.”
His eyes darkened to sapphires. “Luck had nothing to do with it.” He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “We’re here because we’re meant to be here.”
“Do you really believe that?” Farrah wanted to believe it. If they were meant to be here, then it was fate. Fate, as grand and omniscient as she was, wouldn’t bring two people together, then tear them apart.
Fate was the only thing that trumped time.
“I really do.”
Farrah let Blake’s faith sweep her away because, at the end of the day, that was all they had.
She kissed him, a long, slow kiss that built in heat and passion until she couldn’t take it any longer. Their bodies moved together, skin against skin, and she cried out for him, craving that final connection.
“Are you sure?” Blake panted. She could feel him against her stomach, hot and hard.
The ache intensified.
“Yes.” She was going to die if he didn’t do it. Die of fiery, exquisite torture. “I have condoms in my drawer. Just in case,” she said when she saw the look on his face.
That was good enough.
Farrah heard her drawer open and close, followed by the sound of tearing foil. Blake returned, holding and kissing and caressing her until she growled and raked her nails down his back in impatience.
Every inch of her was on fire, consumed by flames of desire. All she could think about was Blake being inside her.
Then finally, wondrously, he was. He entered her in one fluid stroke, sheathing himself to the hilt. Farrah arched into him with a gasp of pain and pleasure.
Blake stilled. “Are you ok?”
“Yes.” She gripped his arms. “Keep going.”
Farrah set her jaw as he moved again. Blake’s initial thrusts were slow, but he was so large it took her a while to adjust. Eventually, her muscles relaxed and the pain subsided, replaced with a sensation so great it robbed her of breath. He filled her completely until there was no space left for anything else. There was only Blake.
She moved her hips in rhythm with his and hissed when he rubbed his thumb over her swollen clit.
Farrah couldn’t believe she was doing it. Sex.
Except it was greater than sex. It was all-consuming. Mind, heart, body, soul. All of it laid bare for the boy in her arms.
The flames intensified, drowning her in their heart.
Blake groaned. His thrusts grew faster, harder. In response, she climbed higher and higher, desperate to reach the peak once more now that she knew she wasn’t going to be alone when she got there.
“Farrah.”
“Yes?” She wrapped her legs around him, urging him deeper until he hit a spot that caused her to gasp in pleasure.
“I love you.”
People say you shouldn’t trust a guy’s confession during sex. That the hormones muddle their brains and make them say things they don’t mean.
Maybe that was true for some guys, but Farrah didn’t care about other guys. She cared about Blake, and even if he hadn’t confessed earlier, even if he’d never uttered the word “love” aloud until now, she saw it in his eyes. A veil had lifted, allowing her to see all of him and all of her reflected in those blue depths. Every feeling, every decision, every choice—not just theirs but those of everyone who’d come before them. Thousands of years, millions of moving pieces that had to fit, if only for a second, so they could be where they were in that moment.
She saw it all.
And now that she’d walked amongst the stars, how could she not believe in fate? How could she not believe in love?
“I love you too.”
Blake’s smile could make the sun hide in shame.
To prove their words, they poured everything they had into each other, urging one another to go higher, faster.
Farrah crashed over the edge first; Blake followed soon after, their cries of ecstasy mingling until neither could form a word and they collapsed into each other’s arms.
Chapter Twenty-Two
The wind nipped at Blake’s cheeks, nose, and ears. Did he have ears anymore? He couldn’t tell. All sensation had left his body.
He deeply regretted his decision to stroll through Tianzifang one last time before the semester ended. The artsy enclave was one of Blake’s favorite spots in the city, and its labyrinth of alleyways, shops, galleries, and restaurants made it the perfect place to while away an evening…unless it was winter.
They should’ve gone to laser tag like Luke suggested. At least they would’ve been warm.
“Let’s go inside.” Farrah squeezed his hand. “You’re freezing.”
“I’m fine.” Blake’s breath steamed in the cold air.
“Told ya we should’ve done laser tag. Told ya you should’ve worn a hat.” Luke rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet. His own beanie sat snug on his head, that bastard. “I’m always right.”
“You didn’t tell me I should wear a hat.”
“Well, I would’ve had I known you weren’t going to.”
“What happened to spoiling the birthday boy?” Blake grumbled.
“You said you wanted something low-key. No presents, no party,” Courtney reminded him.
“Doesn’t mean I want you guys ganging up on me.”
“I’m on your side.” Farrah kissed his cheek. “Always.”
A surge of love flooded Blake’s veins and warmed his cold skin. He turned his head so he could give her a proper kiss.
Their friends groaned and made faux gagging noises.
“You guys are giving me a toothache,” Kris said. “First Court and Leo, then Liv and Sammy, and now you two. I’m the only sane one left in the group.”
She turned her attention to a rare Visa sign posted on a vendor’s stall. Even in a tourist-friendly marketplace like Tianzifang, cash reigned supreme. “Ooh. They accept Visa?” She tossed a navy-blue beanie at Blake, who caught it in mid-air. “Don’t say I never got you anything.”
“Uh, thanks.”
Kris swiped an armful of jewelry and handed her card to the vendor, who looked like he couldn’t believe his luck.
Normally, Kris wouldn’t touch fake silver with a ten-foot pole, but Blake suspected she was still trying to get back at her dad for marrying “The Red-Headed Monster,” as she called her soon-to-be stepmother.