My first kiss was nothing like I had expected it to be. Like all the teenage girls with dreams the size of Texas, I had also fantasised about my first kiss. In my dream, it had happened in front of a huge audience and I had a drop-dead-gorgeous guy at my disposal.

Ace's soft lips coaxing mine interrupted the flow of my ever-so-slightly depraved thoughts and I coloured deeply, my cheeks heating up.
At the very least, I was satisfied that the kiss although not in front of a cheering audience was still happening with a guy who was certainly drop-dead-gorgeous, if not even more.

It felt as if all my rationale had gone down the drain, and all I could feel was Ace's lips against mine—coaxing, teasing, exploring.

Normally, I would have been pissed at being kissed without permission—even if the one kissing me was as gorgeous as Ace—but that thought automatically took a backseat when I felt Ace bite down on my lip, earning a moan from me. My heart was thumping wildly in my chest and judging from Ace's frenzied movements, from his rapidly quickening breaths, I wasn't the only one feeling the heat.

Instinctively, I eased into him as he drew me closer, fingers shifting to rest under my chin to hold my face up for better access. It seemed as if his need to touch me, to hold me, to feel me under his fingers was as wild as the hunger with which he locked our lips together-again and again and again, barely stopping in between only to catch our breaths.

My head spun, my swollen lips throbbing from his kisses as I felt his hand slide around my waist, grazing the skin of my lower back ever so softly, but that touch...

It was enough to send me spiralling back to the harsh reality and suddenly the world that had been spinning around me came to a dizzying halt. Gasping, I pulled away from Ace's grip with a jerk.

What was I thinking? Kissing a guy I barely knew...my standards are clearly hitting the rock bottom.

I was too wary of looking in the eyes of Ace just yet, afraid of discovering regret and hatred in them.

And why in the world had he initiated the kiss? Was he crazy?

Cringing, I turned my face away from him abruptly and grimaced. I had no idea how to get out of the situation I was in.

The sharp scent of antiseptic liquid was spreading in the room and the couch was a mess. Sensing an escape, I ducked beside the couch trying to retrieve the broken pieces of the antiseptic bottle that were scattered on the floor.

"Don't do that."

"What?" I gazed up at him confused. Ace seemed to tower over me, his hair glinting and skin sparkling in the sunlight coming through the window. His lips were pulled in a straight line as he looked down at me, his eyes expressionless. I had to admit, for someone who had been kissing you not less than a minute ago, it was quite a feat.

Though, It certainly solved my problem. I so wasn't looking forward to facing rejection and a 'no reaction' face was much better than 'don't you ever come near me again, you sloppy inexperienced kisser!' face.

"Just go to your room, will you?" He rubbed his forehead wearily and then stepped forward to take my elbow. Lifting me up, he manually steered me towards the staircase in the far right corner of the room and gave me a slight push.

"Your room's second down the first corridor, to your left." He pulled his hands away suddenly, as if hesitant to maintain contact for long.

Nodding mutely, I began walking, my shoulders slumped and head hung low.

This was so not going well.

"Watch out for the seventh step," He called out and I turned around to find him staring back at me. His eyes widened but the the surprised look was gone as soon as it came and then, "It creaks." he told me before stomping away.

The minute I reached my room, I jumped onto the bed. It was warm and comfortable and the sheets clean-smelling like some lime detergent. It was exactly what I needed after a long day.

I still had gazillions of unanswered questions. Who was Aiden and why did he call Ace? And what in the world did he say to make Ace so pissed? Why were we on a run from the police like some sort of wanted criminals and why did we have to hide in Tempe of all places?

And the last but for now the least important, why did Ace-the irritably handsome, could-be delinquent kiss me?

And, Ace was going to have to answer all of them...because I had absolutely no intention of getting involved with a criminal—no matter how beautiful.

Daniel had been beautiful too and I certainly did not want to end up like my fifteen-year old self.

Vulnerable and unprotected.

Not in a thousand years.

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Okay well, the chapter was kinda short...too short actually but I had to end it here.

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