Total pages in book: 123
Estimated words: 114467 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 572(@200wpm)___ 458(@250wpm)___ 382(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 114467 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 572(@200wpm)___ 458(@250wpm)___ 382(@300wpm)
“I swear, one of these days, his head is going to combust,” Evan says and then turns to look at me. “Seriously, I already got asked by five guys if you were single.”
“Well, I’m single and ready to mingle,” I say, grabbing a glass of wine from a passing waiter. “I am going to get food. I’ll meet you at the table.”
I grab a plate of food and then go back and sit down with Evan and Zara. My parents, Matthew and Karrie, Max and Allison, and Viktor beside me now occupy the empty table. The night is filled with jokes and laughter and dancing, so much dancing I know my feet will kill tomorrow. It’s a basic night of dancing with the girls while the guys sit at the table looking on to make sure no one actually approaches us.
The waiters and waitresses pass out party favors, hats, beads, and headbands all with the blinking Happy New Year. “I’m going to go to the bathroom before the ball drops!” I shout over the music to Zara who dances with Alex. I walk out of the arena, fanning my face, and head down the semi empty hallway. Some people linger, but it’s no more than two or three.
After using the bathroom, I wash my hands and look in the mirror. My face is red from dancing, and my ponytail is moving to the right a little bit. I fix it and pull open the door, walking out with my head mostly down. When I look up, I see Viktor walking my way, his head down looking at his phone. He is wearing his caramel cashmere jacket, and it looks like he’s leaving. “Are you leaving?” I ask him, and he looks up in surprise to see me.
“Yeah, I was going to head out before the ball drops,” he says, looking around. “It was safer if I left.” His hand comes up, and his thumb is rubbing the bottom of his lip.
“Safer?” I ask him, and then we hear everyone counting down in the distance starting at ten.
“Safer,” he repeats the word, looking at me, and all I can see is him. Everything around us fades, and everything seems far in the distance. The sounds of people chanting five, four, three, two, one, and then …
“Happy New Year, Zoe,” he says, and I don’t know who goes for who first, but it ends with his hands on my cheeks, my hand holding his wrist, and his mouth crashing down on mine.
My eyes close as his tongue slips into my mouth, and then his one hand moves from my face to my waist, pulling me closer to him. The kiss is all tongue, it’s all soft, and it’s everything that I’ve thought it would be and more. It’s natural, it’s perfect, and it feels right. I move my head to one side, and he moves us around the corner to a dark hallway, our lips never parting. My heart beats so fast I think it’s going to come out of my chest. I want him closer. I want all of him.
“Zoe.” I hear Zara call my name, and he lets go of me. His hand falls from my face, and he steps away from me as if he just came out of his daze. As if he was in a trance. Both of our chests rising and falling. My arms just hanging by my sides. I just watch him, and he does the same. “Oh, shit.” I turn to look at Zara beside me. “I’m so sorry. I’ll just …” She points her thumb.
“No,” Viktor says, his eyes finally leaving mine as he looks down at his feet. “I was just heading out.” He heads down the hallway, and I follow his every single move. My lips still tingling from his kiss. “See you guys later,” he says and just walks away from me. I don’t say anything. I can’t say anything. I’m a little in shock. Okay, a lot in shock. The sound of the door slamming makes my eyes close and my heart break.
“I swear I didn’t mean to,” Zara says softly, coming closer to me.
I roll my lips together to try to keep his touch there. “It’s fine,” I tell her, and then I look at her.
“Zo,” she softly says my nickname.
“I need for you not to say anything right now, and I need to not talk, or I think I’m going to have a breakdown, and I’m not ready for it.” I look at her, and the tears already form. She grabs my hand and squeezes it.
“Let’s get you some water, yeah?” she says, and I let her lead me away from the spot where I just had the wildest kiss ever. It’s also where I had my most heartbreaking moment.