Chapter 113 Kiss Me Like You Mean It
The final whistle for the second period blew just as Lenora stepped back into the tunnel entrance.
The crowd above thundered with applause, completely unaware that she had just stopped someone from turning her life into entertainment.
Kylen kept the two men in sight while arena security hurried over.
Lilibeth was still recording.
And for once, she looked thrilled.
“Smile for the camera,” she said sweetly as one of the men tried to hide his face.
Lenora handed the tablet to security.
“This contains unauthorized videos of students,” she said.
“Make sure nothing gets deleted.”
The guard’s expression changed immediately.
He nodded.
“We’ll take it from here.”
One of the men pointed at Lenora.
“You have no idea what you just interfered with.”
Lenora met his stare.
“Then it must’ve been important.”
Security led them away.
Kylen exhaled loudly.
“I can’t believe that worked.”
Lilibeth slipped her phone into her purse.
“I can. Our girl is terrifying.”
Lenora finally let herself breathe.
Her hands were shaking now that the adrenaline was fading.
Then she felt it.
A familiar presence.
Watching her.
She turned.
And there he was.
Standing at the tunnel entrance in full hockey gear.
Helmet off.
Hair damp.
Chest rising and falling from exertion.
Eyes locked on her.
Everything else faded.
The noise.
The people.
The questions.
Just him.
He crossed the distance between them without saying a word.
Lenora swallowed.
“You should be on the ice.”
He stopped inches away.
“Why were you down here?”
Kylen opened his mouth.
Lilibeth grabbed his arm.
“Nope,” she whispered. “We’re leaving.”
Kylen frowned.
“We are?”
“Yes. Right now.”
She dragged him away before he could protest.
And suddenly it was just the two of them.
Again.
Lenora looked up at him.
“They were going to release more videos.”
His jaw tightened.
“Did they touch you?”
“No.”
He exhaled.
A small, controlled breath.
But she heard it.
“I told you not to come.”
Lenora crossed her arms.
“And I told you I was coming anyway.”
His gaze sharpened.
“You could’ve gotten hurt.”
“So could you.”
That stopped him.
For a second, neither of them spoke.
The tension between them turned heavy and raw.
Lenora took a step closer.
“You were bleeding yesterday.”
He looked at her quietly.
“And all I could think about was what would’ve happened if it was worse.”
The words slipped out before she could stop them.
His expression changed.
Something softer.
Something deeper.
“Lenora.”
She shook her head.
“No. Don’t.”
“Don’t what?”
“Don’t look at me like that.”
He stepped closer.
Now there was barely any space between them.
“Then stop saying things like that.”
Lenora let out a shaky breath.
“I’m serious.”
“So am I.”
Silence.
Warm and electric.
The crowd above them erupted again, but it felt miles away.
His hand lifted to her waist.
Slowly.
Giving her time to move.
She didn’t.
His thumb brushed lightly against her side.
The touch sent a shiver through her.
“You scare me,” she whispered.
His forehead nearly touched hers.
“Good.”
Lenora blinked.
“That’s your answer?”
A faint smile touched his mouth.
“It means this matters.”
Her pulse jumped.
Everything about this felt dangerous.
Too public.
Too real.
Too impossible to ignore.
He lowered his voice.
“Tell me to stop.”
She looked at his mouth.
Then back into his eyes.
Every sensible thought in her head disappeared.
Instead, she whispered,
“Kiss me like you mean it.”
That was all he needed.
His mouth found hers in one decisive motion.
No hesitation.
No audience.
No pretending.
This kiss was nothing like the one in the cafeteria.
That one had been a distraction.
A spark.
A reckless decision.
This one was deliberate.
Slow at first, then deeper.
The kind of kiss that made her forget where she was.
Her hands gripped the front of his jersey.
He pulled her closer, careful but firm.
Like he had wanted to do this for a long time.
Lenora kissed him back just as hard.
All the fear.
All the frustration.
All the tension they’d been pretending not to feel.
It poured into that moment.
When they finally broke apart, both of them were breathing harder.
Foreheads resting together.
Neither spoke for several seconds.
Then he brushed his thumb across her waist again.
“You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that.”
Lenora smiled despite herself.
“You’ve kissed me twice now.”
He looked at her with that same intense expression.
“Only one of them counted.”
Her heart did a ridiculous little flip.
She tried to steady herself.
“This changes things.”
“It already changed.”
He was right.
And that was the terrifying part.
From farther down the tunnel, Lilibeth’s voice echoed dramatically.
“ARE YOU TWO DONE MAKING HISTORY?”
Lenora laughed and pulled back slightly.
He rested his forehead against hers one last time.
“We’re not finished talking.”
She touched the front of his jersey.
“No,” she said softly.
“We’re definitely not.”
The buzzer sounded, signaling the third period.
He stepped away reluctantly.
Eyes still on hers.
“Stay where I can see you.”
Lenora smiled.
“That sounds controlling.”
“It is.”
He put his helmet back on, then skated backward toward the ice.
Never looking away until the last second.
And for the first time in weeks, Lenora forgot about the rumors.
Forgot about the secrets.
Forgot about everyone watching.
Because right now, the only thing she could think about was the fact that she had finally kissed him back.
And there was no taking that back.