Chase And Desires

Pete Hudson was stunned. Not in a soul shattering way, but in a way that had his mind wiped clean as a sheet at the touch of the soft lips pressed against his.

As a man already down the barrel of being thirty-one, there were a few things capable of making him confounded, and a random kiss from a stranger shouldn't be one of them, but yet it was.

Pete was bewildered by what was happening. He couldn't fully comprehend it, but he was definitely being kissed, and that, by someone he had no clue about.

His first instinct should be pushing her away and demanding answers for this brazen display of craziness, but there he was surprisingly taken by the feel of her lips against his.

Strawberries, mint...and more strawberries. He muttered in his head.

Those were what her lips tasted of. Strawberries and mints, and also something he couldn't quite place a finger on.

Was it peach? His mind mused.

There was no way to tell if these flavours were from the gloss on her lips or from whatever drink she had consumed, but he found himself wanting to explore for more... see what more lingered on her lips, but before he could savor it, her lips were gone.

Pete reeled back his senses. He lifted his gaze to her face, and there it was, dark brown eyes that matched the color of her hair. They glimmered with fear and shock as they peered back at him.

His eyes caught the blooming red blush of embarrassment crawling up her cheek, but her honey-brown hair were quick to fall to curtain them away.

He watched her lips tremble. "I...I—" She stuttered.

The guys knowingly whistled around him, but all he could hear was the muttering sounds her lips made, as his attention was solely focused on them.

"I... I'm sorry." She muttered with a note of urgency and dashed off in a sprint in the opposite direction of where she had come from.

Pete had his gaze following after her.

"What the hell was that?" Someone incredulously asked, as all eyes turned to Pete, who still had his gaze trailing after her disappearing silhouette.

He snapped back and glanced over to the hedges where he had first spotted her hiding with the girls, who were now dispersing with mischievous giggling and amused laughter.

He had prior seen them gesturing a command with their hands, one she had seemed reluctant and flustered to obey.

He had observed the frantic darting of her eyes, and their subtle scream for help, and he had wondered what it was all about.

But after seeing what had happened, he finally realized what it had all been about.

It was one of those games they played. One of those stupid games that showed how reckless and mischievous they could be.

The girls were undoubtedly impish in the real sense of the word. He knew this because, one amongst them was to be his cousin's bride by morning, and from what he knew of her and her clique of friends, he had expected trouble, but who knew this was the form it was going to take?

His eyes shifted back to the path she had followed, and his lips twitched.

He heard the flickering sound of a lighter beside him as well as the voice of its owner following after it, and he turned towards them.

"Are you not going after her?" Christopher questioned as he lit up the cigarette in his hand and raised his gaze to Pete, who was staring at him. "There was something there, you don't want to chase it?"

"Not everyone is like you, Christopher. I don't chase desire." Came Pete's loaded reply as he raised his glass for a sip.

Christopher effected a careless shrug and took a drag of his cigarette. "Maybe it's desire chasing you, Hudson. You don't want to miss out on it."

Miss out on it? Pete questioned in his head.

His gaze shifted to the path she had followed and he sighed again.

He was certain there was nothing to be missed, and nothing worth chasing.

He'd admit the sight of her had sparked some reaction in him like never before, but whatever it was, he wasn't going to pursue it.

Unless there were reasons to, and he doubted there'd be any.

...

Lina let out a gasp of air as she hastened back to the room which she shared with Sharon. She slammed the door shut, and leaned her back against it for support.

Her heart was in a frantic pace, as she panted so heavily.

What in the devil's name just happened?! She questioned herself.

Did she....Had she just kissed someone? Someone she didn't know?

Lina's hand rose to her lips and she gasped out in shock.

Sharon!

This was all Sharon's fault and doing!

She was the architect of this madness. She and her ingenious idea for being spontaneous.

Sharon had brought her there, involved her in such a game despite knowing her little to no interest in chasing the 'fun and frivolities' she desired for her.

Not that there wasn't a stealth longing for it in her heart, but Lina had discovered that although the occasional bit of frivolities and fun could provide a high, a steady diet of it could rip it of its magic.

And secondly, the time for chasing such needs wasn't something she had.

She was someone with responsibilities, and that high spot would cost her a price she wouldn't be willing to pay.

Lina held back the urge to punch herself in the gut.

She still couldn't believe that had actually happened. That she had kissed a random guy under the influence of people she didn't know.

Why in God's name had she allowed herself to be pressured into doing something so insane? She questioned herself.

She briefly squeezed her eyes to push away the memory, but the sight of his delineated lips and silvery-gray eyes flashed through her mind, and she zapped them open in a hurry.

She thinned her lips, and the faint sweet taste of his lips touched her tongue.

Whiskey, cream, and coffee? What was he having? Her mind wondered on its own accord.

Her palate has been well trained so she could even taste the small tinge of chocolate buried among the flavors on her lips.

Her mind buzzed to make sense of whatever he had been drinking, but she quickly put a lid on that attempt.

There was no need thinking about it, as it would only remind her of her foolishness — one she wanted to forget in a hurry, and she hoped she did.

She hoped she didn't see him again, because she had no idea how she'd be able to face him.

But what were the chances that she wouldn't bump into him again, especially when it seems they'd both be attending the same wedding tomorrow?

Zero?!

She groaned out in frustration.

"Lina, you're stupid! So stupid." She cussed out frustratedly.