We stepped out together, and I led him toward the vending machine at the park we had passed earlier.
"Ta-da. Here we are."
Oliver stared at the machine, then back at me, an incredulous laugh escaping his lips. "A vending machine?"
"Hey, don't judge until you've tried the peach soda from this specific machine. It's life-changing."
He leaned one hand against the machine, trapping me slightly between his arm and the cold metal, his eyes sparkling with genuine amusement. "Life-changing, huh? Well, if you say so. But if it's not, you're definitely owing me that second date sooner than planned."
He leaned against it, crossing his arms and watching me with a look that was one part baffled and two parts utterly charmed. "Alright, gorgeous. I gotta admit, I did not see this coming."
"See? I'm full of surprises," I chuckled.
He threw his head back and let out a genuine laugh, the sound echoing in the quiet park. He shook his head, his eyes sparkling with amusement as he looked back at me.
"You definitely are. I'll give you that. So what's the magic trick? Is there an 'I want you' button I've been missing all my life?"
"Maybe? If you want it, you'll have to earn it."
He pushed off the machine and took a slow step toward me, his smirk growing wider. He stopped just in front of me, his gaze intense. "Oh, I have to earn it now, do I?"
He brought a hand up, gently tucking a stray strand of hair behind my ear, his fingers lingering on my skin. "I like that. So tell me, gorgeous... what exactly do I have to do? Because trust me, I'm a very fast learner. And I'm ready to work for it."
I smirked, brushing my fingers lightly across his chest. "You'll find out soon enough."
He chuckled, his hand resting at the small of my back. "Mysterious and in charge… I like that."
I led him to a quiet, secluded corner of the park, away from the main path. A single, old-fashioned lamppost cast a warm, golden glow over a wooden bench, creating an intimate little bubble just for the two of us. He followed me without a word, his hand a constant, warm presence on my back. When I finally stopped by the bench, he looked from the seat to me, an intrigued smile on his face.
"Alright. I'm guessing the drink wasn't the point. What's really on your mind, gorgeous?"
"You really want to know what's on my mind?"
He didn't answer right away. Instead, he took another step closer, closing the last bit of distance between us. His free hand came up to cup my other cheek, his thumbs gently stroking my skin. His gaze was intense, fixed on mine, his voice a low, serious murmur.
"More than anything. Tell me."
My heart was racing like crazy, but I acted like it was nothing.
"Sometimes… showing is better than words."
I leaned closer, letting my lips meet his.
The moment my lips touched his, he froze for a fraction of a second, a soft, surprised sound escaping his throat. It was not a kiss of resistance, but one of pure, unguarded shock. Then, as if a switch had been flipped, his entire body melted into the kiss. His eyes fluttered shut, and the hand on my cheek tightened its grip, tilting my head to deepen the kiss. His other arm wrapped fully around my waist, pulling me so tightly against him that there was no space left between us.
I slid my hand from his chest down to his back. I kissed him back softly, but he seemed hungry, craving more. After a while, I dropped my head and pulled away slowly.
"You kiss... like you've actually done this before," I teased, my voice a breathy whisper.
He slowly opened his eyes, his gaze dark and heavy with a mix of hunger and affection. "Clara, you're incredible. That's... that's definitely better than words."
He stared at me for a long moment, the smile on his face softening into something tender and almost amazed. He leaned in and captured my lips again, but this time the kiss was different. It was not hungry or demanding, but slow, deep, and full of all the feelings he had just admitted. It was a kiss that said everything words couldn't.
When he finally pulled back, his lips were slightly swollen and his eyes were dark with emotion. "So... I think we should stop wasting time. Don't you?"
He rested his forehead against mine, his breath ragged. A soft, disbelieving laugh escaped him.
"To be honest, Clara, I've had it bad for you for a while. Ever since I saw you on that sofa, I haven't been able to think about anyone else. But you're even more than I imagined. I'm completely hooked."
He tightened his grip on my waist, his eyes locking onto mine with a possessive heat. "You're not getting away from me now. I hope you're ready for that."
I looked up at him, my fingers tracing the line of his jaw. The adrenaline was still humming in my veins, and the last thing I wanted to do was say goodbye.
"I don't want the night to end yet. Not with you," I whispered, my gaze locked on his. "I want to stay with you."
A slow, dark smirk spread across Oliver's face, and he pulled me even closer. His eyes roamed my face, landing on my lips before meeting my gaze again.
"Good. Then..."
His hand slid from my waist down to the curve of my hip, his thumb pressing gently. "My place or yours, gorgeous? Or do you have another surprise planned for me right here?"
"Oh, Oliver..."
I grinned at him. "Of course your place. Unless you want my brother to murder you. He doesn't even know I'm with you right now."
He threw his head back with a short, loud laugh. The sound was rich and uninhibited in the quiet park.
"Yeah, okay. Point taken. As much as I like a challenge, I think I'll pass on facing down a pissed-off Jake tonight." He grinned, his eyes full of mischief as he leaned in to steal another quick, hard kiss. "My place it is. Let's go. I don't want to keep you waiting any longer."
I looped my arm through his as we started to walk. "Careful, you're stepping into my trap now."
He chuckled at that, a low, smooth sound. He brought my hand up to his lips, pressing a soft kiss to my knuckles. His eyes were full of a dangerous, exciting light.
"Is that right? Don't you mean I'm the one leading you into my trap? Or maybe... we're both about to get caught." He winked. "Either way, gorgeous, I'm more than willing to walk right into whatever you've got planned for me."
"Oh, you don't remember? I was the one who asked you to hang out first," I teased.
He pulled me a little closer, his voice dropping to a low, playful murmur. "Oh, I remember every single second, gorgeous. But just because you set the trap, doesn't mean you know what the wolf does once he's inside. And trust me..." He leaned in, his lips brushing my ear. "This wolf has been waiting a very long time to be caught by you."
"Grrrr... what a sly wolf!"
He chuckled, a deep, rumbling sound. He brought his mouth close to my ear again, his voice a low, teasing growl. "And hungry. Don't forget hungry."
He pulled back just enough to look at me, his eyes gleaming in the dim light. "Good thing we're almost home. I'm ready for my main course."
"Is anyone even home?" I asked as we reached his front door.
"Nope. My parents are in Europe until next week."
He pulled me inside the moment the door opened, and he didn't even bother with the lights. As soon as the door clicked shut behind us, plunging the entryway into near darkness, he was moving. He backed me against the door, his hands finding the wall on either side of my head, caging me in. His body pressed against mine, warm and solid.