A moment later, warm hands were on my thighs, trailing up my body. Lips replaced his fingers as he moved, and my legs relaxed, parting. He moved between them with expertise, and his kisses fell onto my belly, then my breasts. I gasped as he pinched a nipple, sending delicious shivers through me. He found my lips again, and he added his tongue this time, eliciting a moan from me.
“Lumen, you’re fun.” He chuckled, pulling away. “Have you done anything like this before?” He trailed kisses down my body, and I shook my head furiously.
“No, never!”
“Good answer,” he growled, and suddenly, as his lips found my thighs again, my core began to ache.
“Wow, your chemistry is...” Neve muttered, then cleared her throat. “Are you ready to meet each other face-to-face?”
He moved away, and I sat back, biting my lip. What if he wasn’t what I pictured in my head? My hands went to my blindfold.
“It’s okay. Let’s count down. One, two, three.”
I untied my mask and my eyes darted to the figure in front of me. He was the hottest man I’d ever seen in my entire life. Time stopped as I memorized his face. Hair so dark, eyes so blue, face so chiseled, lips so... mine.
Is he as pleasantly surprised as I am?
“What do you think?” Neve asked.
Tobias grinned and lunged at me, running his tongue along my neck and pressing his lips to mine again. Neve erupted into laughter. “Yes! I knew you two would click!”
We finished the hot and steamy photo session, and I slid my robe back on, suddenly aware of how exposed I was. Tobias smiled from across the room.
“So, can I give you my number?” he asked.
Butterflies swirled in my belly. That gorgeous man wanted to talk to me again?
I nodded, then realized I didn’t have my phone in the room, so he wrote it on a slip of paper and I folded it up.
“I hope you call…” He hugged me politely, as if we hadn’t spent two hours making out. I nodded and hurried to get changed and return to my family. Mom and Dad were probably irritated they were stuck waiting for me. My sisters might not have informed them of their plans.
I was just finishing putting my shoes on when screams rang out from outside the studio. I grabbed my bag and flew out of the shop. People were screaming and running every which way.
“What’s going on?” I screamed over the others.
A woman paused to stare at me in horror.
“There’s someone with a knife. Four people are dead at least!”
And as she fled, the knowing dread of who those four were froze me to the floor.
Rule 2 - Lumen
FIND A GOOD HIDING SPOT.
One Year Later.
Pink. Purple. Yellow. White.
I stared at the Christmas lights flashing on my tree, mixed in with the silver and gold tinsel, and random ornaments. So bright, meant to bring holiday cheer, but all I felt was... melancholy.
Pink. Purple. Yellow. White.
I pulled my knees up, wrapping my arms around my legs. What was the point?
My doorbell rang[ZM5] , and I frowned. My heart twisted as anxiety rose. I slowed my breathing and reached for my tablet to check the camera. Relief flooded through me, as I saw Billy, the delivery man.
I dropped my feet to the floor and hurried to open the door and greet him.
