As the car came to a stop, the engine idling softly beneath us, Zander opened the door and stepped out first. The night air rushed in, cool against my overheated skin. He turned back toward me, a slow, confident smirk curving his lips as he stretched his hand forward, waiting.
I smiled before I could stop myself.
I placed my hand in his and stepped out of the car, my legs still slightly unsteady. The ground felt firmer than I expected, reality creeping in for just a second before his presence swallowed it whole.
The moment my feet touched the pavement, his arm wrapped securely around my waist. Without warning, he lifted me off the ground and carried me into his arms. The suddenness of it stole my breath, my hands instinctively clutching at his shoulders.
“What are you doing?” I asked,
