"And, having won thirty minutes of your time, I think I just gave you thirty minutes of reasons to run the other way as fast as you can." "I don't run away." He looked at me, startled, and what I saw in his eyes was so raw that my breath caught and all I could do was sit there, staring at him, that weird floating feeling trickling through my veins. "That wasn't what I meant to talk about," he said, his voice low. "I really wanted to impress you, Maya." "You did." I leaned forward and kissed him. His eyes widened, then his lips parted and he kissed me back, mouth warm and firm against mine and that floating feeling washed over me and through me, and it was so amazing that when it ended, I just stayed there, my face so close to his I could feel his breath, see those incredible amber eyes, and that was I could see, all I to see. We hung there, face-to-face, just staring, then he said, "Yes?" and I said, "Yes," and he kissed me again, and it was no awkward, hesitant, first-date kiss. It started at third date, deep and hungry, bodies colliding, and I'd like to say he started it but I honestly wasn't sure. This tiny voice in my head screamed "Slow down!" but it was so small and so faint that I could barely hear it and I didn't want to. All I felt was Rafe's mouth on mine, his arms around me, his body against me, and I didn't care about anything else. It was like jumping from a cliff, a terrifying, exhilarating, mind-blowing rush, and I didn't want it to end, didn't care where it led, only wanted to follow."