Chapter 42

She glared at me like I was some big bad bully as she fought through the coughing fit. That fierce little scowl only made me laugh, a deep rumble that flickered in my eyes. I crushed the cigarette butt and blew out the smoke, then leaned in again, tilting my head to cover her lips once more.
She tried to pull away, but my palm caught her waist, holding her firm. I whispered close to her ear, low and teasing, “I won’t let you choke this time.”
And then my kiss took over intense, heavy with the sharp scent of tobacco drowning her senses until her mind turned to a haze. She was adrift, caught in a cloud of confusion and heat.