The door slammed shut behind her.
Rain stayed frozen for a moment, hands resting on his thighs, breathing harder than he wanted to admit.
Her warmth still burned on his skin—the memory of her lips on his neck, the soft brush of her breath against his chest, the way her body had fit against his lap.
It was intoxicating. Too intoxicating.
"Damn it…" he exhaled, his voice low and rough.
She had touched him for seconds—
and yet he felt marked.
He leaned back against the couch, jaw clenched until it ached. Daisy's kisses hadn't been bold or practiced. They'd been hesitant, shy, almost innocent… and somehow that made them hit even harder. He could still feel the ghost of her mouth trailing down his skin. His pulse throbbed in places he refused to think about.
When she kissed him, his whole body had jolted, like fire had been lit under his nerves. One more second and he would have—
He shut his eyes.
"God… I can't get her out of my head," he muttered, breath uneven. "That feeling… her warmth… that softness… that burn…"
The truth hit harder than her fall ever had.
His phone vibrated sharply on the table.
Rain dragged in a breath and answered, forcing his voice steady.
"Yeah… job's done. The only thing left is Dane. He's back in City B… Hm. Okay. Call me when the plan's ready."
He hung up, but his heartbeat refused to slow.
No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't push her out of his mind.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Inside Daisy's apartment,
She pressed her back against the door and slid down until she was sitting on the floor.
Her heart was racing so violently it felt like it might burst through her ribs. Her lips were still tingling—actually tingling—from where they had touched his skin.
"Oh my god… oh my god… what did I just do…" she whispered, burying her face in her hands.
Her mind replayed everything in brutal clarity:
Falling into his lap.
Her face brushing his neck.
The warmth of his skin.
His breath catching.
His voice—low, strained—
"Ms. Daisy…"
Her stomach flipped so hard she curled her toes.
"I kissed him," she squeaked, slapping her hands over her burning cheeks. "I actually kissed him. Oh god… what was I thinking?!"
She jumped up and began pacing the room in frantic circles.
"He must think I'm crazy. Completely insane."
She dragged her hands through her hair.
Her legs still felt weak. Her fingers trembled as she remembered the way his hands had gripped her arms when he lifted her—firm, steady, almost gentle despite the tension in him.
And the way he said her name…
Heat rushed up her neck. She threw herself face-down onto the bed and groaned into the pillow.
"He smelled so good… and he was so warm… and that body—ugh! Why is he built like that? It's illegal."
She flipped onto her back, staring at the ceiling in panic.
"What if he never talks to me again? Or worse… what if he does? What am I supposed to do then? Look at him? Breathe next to him? Exist?"
Her heart thudded harder just thinking about it.
She pulled the blanket over her face and screamed silently.
"I'm doomed," she whispered dramatically.
"Completely doomed."