Chapter 44: Chapter 44
The kiss wasn’t rushed, or forced. It was simply filled with a certainty that silenced the air around them.
When he pulled away, his lips barely an inch from hers, his breath was warm and slow when he parted his lips. "Go. Consider all the days you have left to spend here would be peaceful and stress free." he said gently.
Celeste blinked, breath caught, lips tingling.
She stepped back, her face a picture of stunned affection, but she didn’t turn yet. Her hand slid up to his chest and rested there for just a beat longer.
The whispers around them rose to a murmur. She could hear her name. The whole buzz with the media was becoming funny to her. She won’t let the opinion of people who don’t know her dictate her life.
He remained still, and composed. His arm dropped back to his side, as his fingers brushed her wrist before letting go.
He clenched his fist not wanting to let go.
Celeste inhaled deeply, then turned and walked toward the building. Every step away from him felt strange. It was as if she felt a pull in her chest, the heat of that kiss, the weight of his presence behind her, and everything. All she wanted was to be with him.
Dominic got back into the car without another glance around. The engine hummed again, low and powerful, and within seconds, the black Mercedes slipped back into traffic and disappeared.
Celeste fingers flexed absently at her side, missing the weight of his hand, and the warmth of his palm.
The whispers only grew louder the farther she walked. Students leaned against the rails, some wide-eyed, some already typing, some pretending not to look but clearly staring. Phones were out. Cameras up. A few mouths were hung slightly open in disbelief.
Dominic Cross had kissed her in public and in broad daylight. She never thought this day would come and she had melted into him like the air between them didn’t matter.
Kissing Dominic was her only to do list. This had grown more than she expected.
Celeste kept her chin up, unbothered.
If anything, there was a quiet dare in her walk now.
"Is that him?" someone whispered, not quietly enough.
"The CEO?"
"I thought they.... Isn’t she dating his nephew?"
"Wait, were those photos real? The ones online?"
"She’s literally glowing. I’d glow too if I had that man."
"God, did you see his arm? His hand? The way he kissed her? The hand placement, I’d die."
"I can’t believe he kissed her in front of everyone."
Celeste reached the glass doors and stopped for a moment. She just caught herself smiling meanwhile a day ago, she was depressed with the news.
They didn’t know what she knew.
They didn’t know how silent he had been last night, and how his mouth had made promises without a single word. They didn’t know how he’d drawn her into him slowly, like he had all the time in the world to worship her, not just touch her.
She stepped inside the building, and Amara immediately rushed up to her.
Amara smiled at her girl. "So Dominic was the reason why you ditched me yesterday?" she teased.
Celeste shrugged. "I left my phone in my apartment last night. I spent the night with him," she smiled.
Amara’s eyes widened. "Again?" Her voice held the perfect blend of shock and amusement. "Girl, what is going on with you two? That’s like the third time in two weeks!"
Celeste bit her bottom lip and lowered her voice, her eyes scanning the hallway filled with curious glances. Some students were still staring at the entrance where Dominic’s car had been minutes ago. "I don’t know what to call it, Amara. But... It feels good. It feels safe with him. I just want to stay there. Like, pause time and just... exist with him."
Amara looped her arm through Celeste’s as they started walking toward their lecture hall. "You’re not just blushing, Celeste. You’re glowing. Radiating. That kiss he gave you in front of everyone?" she paused, her eyes glowing with happiness. "I thought someone was going to faint from secondhand heat."
When the media attacked, she had thought Dominic would leave her friend to fend for herself. He was untouchable, yes but he might have seen the whole issue with her best friend as a bug, and decided to dump her.
She was beyond happy he stood with her girl. Unlike that bastard called Landon. Oh, wait! She haven’t even told Celeste about how his crazy ass came to harass her yesterday
Celeste covered her face with her hand, laughing shyly. "Stop, Amara. You’re making it worse."
"No, I mean it," Amara said. "The entire courtyard stopped breathing."
"It didn’t feel like a movie," Celeste murmured. "It felt... like a promise. Like something real."
"I’m happy for you, girl," Amara said, taking a strand of Celeste curls to play with.
’You say that like I haven’t been with him before," Celeste murmured.
"You say that like the whole country isn’t talking about you," Amara countered, nudging her with her elbow.
Celeste’s smile softened. "Let them talk. He told me this morning I was his... like it didn’t matter what anyone else thought."
Amara raised her brows, mock-swooning. "Okay, you might as well go ahead and marry him."
Celeste rolled her eyes, but her cheeks warmed. The weight of the morning kiss still clung to her lips. The way Dominic had looked at her, kissed her in front of everyone, and held her hand like he was declaring something to the world.
"You’re glowing," Amara repeated. "I mean, damn. Was it that good?"
Celeste gave her a knowing look. "It was different. Like I could feel everything he wasn’t saying with just his eyes. You should have seen him, Amara. He didn’t even flinch when people started whispering. He just... looked at me, like nothing else existed."
Amara hummed, linking her arm through Celeste’s. "Girl, I swear, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were falling in love with this man."
Celeste paused at the edge of the stairway. Her gaze lingered on the window that looked out over the campus parking lot. Though the car was gone, she could still feel his presence.
"Maybe I am," she whispered.
Amara blinked. "Okay. Wow. That’s serious?"
"You don’t understand," Celeste said. "He’s not perfect, but he never lies. He looks at me like I’m the only one he wants to protect, even from myself."
Amara stared at her friend for a moment, then slowly broke into a grin. "Well, let’s just say, if you two get married, I better be your maid of honor."
Celeste laughed, tugging Amara into a quick hug.
"Deal," she murmured.