Chapter 2

two

. . .

Adam

The chatter of the crowded ballroom fades into a dull hum as my eyes lock onto her across the room. She's a vision in red, her dress hugging every luscious curve. Auburn hair tumbles over her shoulders as she laughs, green eyes sparkling from behind her mask. I feel a jolt of electricity course through me.

Who is she?

I watch, transfixed, as she weaves through the crowd with effortless grace. The sway of her hips is hypnotic. I have to know her name.

Wait…is she making her way towards me?

The countdown begins. Anticipation crackles in the air. I start making my way towards her too, an invisible tether pulling me closer.

5...4...3...

It’s getting closer to midnight. With purposeful strides, she closes the distance. She grabs my lapel and crushes her mouth to mine as the room erupts in cheers.

And what in the actual fuck?

Her lips are soft and pliant, almost shy and hesitant, but I instantly take over, demanding entry into her mouth.

She doesn’t deny me. My tongue lips her lips, and then I slip inside the hot little cave of her mouth.

And fucking hell.

I'm consumed by her honeyed taste, the feel of her soft curves melting into my hard planes. I cup her face, angling deeper, devouring. She opens wider for me with a breathy moan. I plunder, dominate, claim her mouth as mine. Never has a kiss seared me to my core like this. I'm reborn in an instant.

I forget where we are. Forget everything but the taste of her, this sudden, overwhelming desire to make her mine .

A sudden shyness overtakes her and she pulls back, breathing heavily. Her luminous eyes are wide with a mix of shock and yearning. I reach for her, desperate to keep her close, but she slips from my grasp like quicksilver.

"Wait, I don't even know your?—"

I call out, but my words are lost in the cacophony of revelry. I lunge forward, desperate to catch her, to keep her from disappearing forever. My fingers brush against her wrist, and for a fleeting moment, I think I have her. But she's too quick, too elusive.

As she pulls away, I feel something cool and metallic beneath my fingertips. A delicate silver bracelet encircling her wrist. Without thinking, I close my hand around it, inadvertently snapping the clasp as she slips from my grasp.

She spins away, auburn curls bouncing as she darts through the throng of revelers and vanishes into the sea of masked faces, swallowed up by the pulsing crowd as if she were nothing more than a figment of my imagination. But the weight of the bracelet in my hand tells me otherwise.

I'm frozen, my body still thrumming from her touch. By the time I regain my senses, she's disappeared, swallowed by the sea of sequins and tuxedos.

I scan the crowd desperately, searching for a flash of auburn hair, a glimpse of that mesmerizing red dress. But she's nowhere to be seen. It's as if she's vanished into thin air, leaving me with nothing but a bracelet and a burning desire that threatens to consume me.

I stand there, stunned, my heart pounding against my ribcage as I stare at the spot where she disappeared. The ghost of her kiss still lingers on my lips, a searing brand that I know will haunt me until I find her again.

I look down at the bracelet, studying it intently as if it might somehow reveal her identity. It's a dainty thing, a thin silver chain adorned with a single charm—a delicate rose, the petals crafted from the palest pink enamel. It's clearly well-loved, the silver worn smooth in places from frequent wear.

I curl my fingers around it, my mind racing. Who is she? Why did she kiss me? The questions swirl in my mind, but the only thing I know for certain is that I have to find her. I have to see her again, to feel the warmth of her skin against mine, to taste the sweetness of her kiss once more.

I slip the bracelet into my pocket, the metal warm from my touch. It's a small comfort, a tangible reminder that she was real, that the connection between us wasn't just a figment of my imagination.

I hold onto her bracelet in my pocket like a talisman, gripping it tightly, a reminder of the kiss that changed everything, the kiss that set my soul on fire and left me desperate for more.

Frustration battles with wonder as I touch my still-tingling lips. Who is this mystery woman who's branded me with a single kiss? I clench my fists, determined. I will find her again. I will unravel her secrets and make her mine.

I scan the ballroom with predatory focus, searching for a telltale flash of auburn and curves. But she's vanished like Cinderella at midnight. I rake a hand through my hair and stride purposefully towards the door. I have connections. Resources. I will track her down, even if I have to scour the entire city. A Prescott never backs down from a challenge.

As I exit into the crisp night air, her scent still clings to me—sweet berries and temptation. I breathe deeply, committing it to memory. My blood hums with anticipation. I don't know her name. But I know she's mine. And I will stop at nothing to claim her.

Body. Heart. And soul.