I shrug, eyeing the cigarette between his fingers. I swear the birds above could hear the pounding of my heart, but I stay in character, liking the way she feels.
Powerful. Sexy. All things I forgot I could be.
He breaks, taking a long drag from his cigarette. And then one of his large, calloused hands lands gently on my jaw, guiding me closer. There’s a tenderness in the way he touches me, as if I could break with the slightest pressure.
The little game I decided to play shatters under his touch. Where did the acting end and this need for him begin? I want this, want him, more than I care to admit, with a hunger that excites and frightens me.
“Open up,” he says.
I close my eyes, my lips parting.
Dante’s nose brushes mine; my lips tingle at his proximity.
He’s going to kiss me.
He exhales, warmth caressing my lips, the smoke curling around us. It’s not a kiss, but he’s giving me exactly what I asked for. And I like it more than I should.
“Breathe in,” he whispers hoarsely.
I do as he says, inhaling bitter smoke, but it burns, and I break away coughing. “Heavens, that’s awful,” I gasp, eyes watering, even if I’m already craving more—of the smoke, of his touch, of the way everything feels real.
“Told you,” he teases, but his thumb tenderly brushes away a tear.
“You should quit, immediately.” I laugh.
He wets a finger with his lips and presses it against the ember without breaking our gaze. The sizzle slices through the quiet afternoon air, and my pulse races. It’s the hottest thing I’ve ever seen.
“I’ll think about it.”
Chapter 14
Dante
August 30th
Love Scene or Real Thing? Star’s Beach Escapades Raise Eyebrows
By Susan Martin
America’s sweetheart Reese Sinclair (29) is reportedly pursuing decorated Olympian Dante Hastings (26), the youngest scion to the Hastings athletic empire, causing tabloids to dramatically label this her “cougar era.”
The pair’s intimate beach encounter in Northern California during production ofRobyn Hoodhas fueled speculation. No stranger to headline-grabbing romances, Sinclair’s pattern of selecting spotlight-adjacent men continues, reminiscent of her notorious Teen Choice Awards kiss incident.
Meanwhile, Hastings is crafting his redemption arc. The fencing champion, whose shocking suspension earlier this year rocked the sports world, is now channeling his legendary intensity into Hollywood as both stunt coordinator and supporting actor in the Felix Langford-directed film.
As critics question Sinclair’s unexpected pivot to action films following her split from Jaxon Elio—some suggesting a mid-life crisis—Hastings appears to be successfully reinventing his public persona.
Brooklyn
DANTE HASTINGS!!!!!! Explain this article. Immediately.
Frankie
omgggggg our brothers in loveeeeee. finally sum1 2 take him off our hands lololol
Dante
It was a day at the beach. We’re friends.
