Blaze by Kaitlyn Davis Read Free Book Online

that from?” Kira asked, still
keeping her eyes closed.
    “ Much Ado About Nothing ,” he told
her, “you’d like that one—it’s a comedy.”
    “Good, because after a while Hamlet made me want to gouge my eyes out,” Kira said with a laugh.
    “You might like King Lear , then,”
Tristan said sarcastically. Kira looked at him quizzically, her
eyes furrowed in confusion. “There’s a character who has his eyes
pulled out…” Kira continued to stare at him blankly. “Never mind,”
he said with a sigh, which did make Kira smirk.
    “You’re too worldly for me,” she teased.
    “Let me put my years of knowledge to better
use,” he laughed and spun Kira around to point out London’s
landmarks: Hyde Park, Buckingham Palace and more museums than Kira
could count. He explained to her that since the city was built so
long ago, many of the buildings were much lower than those in some
American cities, like her beloved New York. In the distance, a ring
of skyscrapers poked out of the skyline, looking unnatural against
the beautiful and historic stone buildings of the old city.
    Finally, they reached the peak of the Ferris
wheel and turned around to gaze at the other side of London.
Immediately, a gorgeous gothic-inspired building with pointed
spires caught her attention. Against the blue river, and with the
sun momentarily freed from the clouds, it seemed made of gold
rather than stone. Parliament, Kira realized, remembering the
photographs from her history textbook.
    “I recognize that from Peter Pan .”
She pointed at Big Ben.
    “You would,” he said wryly before going into
the history of the architecture. The building had apparently burned
down multiple times and was at one time used as a royal palace.
Kira listened politely, not really interested in the history but
loving how excited Tristan was to talk about it. Get him started on
history or art, and there was almost no way to make him stop. But,
Kira knew she was the same way with food and she loved that he was
so passionate about certain things.
    His eyes lit up the more he spoke and Kira
zoned out, blocking out his voice to instead study his features.
His lips were asymmetrically curved, causing one of his dimples to
emerge while the other stayed hidden in his cheek. Against pearly
skin, his dark lashes perfectly framed his eyes, currently icy with
his excitement. Higher up, his black hair was messy and fell
slightly over his smooth forehead. Kira ached to reach her hand out
and push the stray locks from his skin, but resisted.
    Instead she let her mind wander. Leaning
against him in this foreign city felt so familiar, almost like
home. The first time they met, he had been doing the same thing:
showing her around Charleston, pointing out the famous spots and
talking about the academic history. Still though, Kira felt darker
thoughts stirring behind his excited expression. Just like in
Charleston, none of the history he mentioned was personal. Kira had
opened him up so much, had freed him from his own guilt in so many
ways, but still he was somewhat guarded around her—almost as if he
worried that she would push him away if he told her everything.
    “Kira?”
    She blinked, finally realizing that he had
stopped talking and was staring at her knowingly.
    “I’m sorry!”
    “I did it again. You are so bored right
now,” Tristan smirked, daring her to lie.
    “Not bored, per se…” Kira trailed off,
avoiding the question. “It’s cute!”
    “You used to say I was mysterious and sexy…
now I get cute,” he said with mock sadness.
    “A very rugged and manly cute,” Kira said,
taking hold of his hand and pulling him closer.
    “You can’t distract me with a kiss. This is
very serious.”
    Kira nodded in agreement, but slid her arms
up his chest and around his neck before lifting on her tippy toes
to bring her face almost eye level to his.
    “I refuse to be seduced right now,” Tristan
said, looking away from her, “I’m supposed to be the one