A low, breathy chuckle vibrated in Ren's chest, the sound rumbling directly against Maki's cheek.
Slowly, his hands moved from where they rested over hers. He gently unlaced her fingers, turning around within the tight circle of her arms so they were finally face-to-face.
The second he looked at her, all of Maki's bold, demanding energy evaporated. A brilliant, burning heat rushed to her cheeks, painting her face crimson.
She immediately averted her gaze, stubbornly glaring at a spot on the hardwood floor just past his shoulder, completely unable to meet his dark eyes. She bit her lower lip, her chest rising and falling rapidly under the soft beige turtleneck.
Ren didn't say a word. He didn't need to.
He stepped directly into her space, his hands dropping to settle firmly on her waist. Before her combat-wired brain could even process the shift in his center of gravity, Ren walked her backward. It only took two steps before her lower back hit the edge of the kitchen counter with a soft bump.
Maki let out a startled squeak, her wide amber eyes finally snapping up to meet his—but Ren didn't give her a single second to overthink it.
He leaned down and captured her lips in a deep, decisive kiss that instantly silenced her.
Maki gasped against his mouth, her hands instinctively flying up to grab his shoulders to steady herself. Taking advantage of her parted lips, Ren seamlessly deepened the kiss. His tongue slid past her lips, meeting hers in a heated, desperate rhythm that made her head spin.
With his hands still gripping her waist, Ren smoothly lifted her up, sitting her directly onto the cool surface of the kitchen counter.
The new angle allowed him to step perfectly between her knees, pressing his chest firmly against hers, leaving absolutely zero space between them.
Maki's initial shock melted away into pure, intoxicating heat. She let out a soft, breathless moan that vibrated between them, her hands sliding from his shoulders up into his messy hair, her fingers curling tightly into the strands.
She kissed him back fiercely, their tongues syncing in a slow, heavy dance that completely erased the rest of the world.
The cool marble of the counter against her legs was a sharp contrast to the burning heat radiating from Ren's hands where they gripped her hips, anchoring her exactly where she had asked to be.
Maki finally broke the kiss, pulling back just a fraction of an inch to drag in a desperate, shaky breath.
A thin, glistening string of saliva connected their lips for a split second before parting, a testament to the sheer heat of the moment.
Her chest heaved against his, her amber eyes hazy, darkened, and completely stripped of their usual sharp edge.
Suddenly, a very specific, paranoid thought seemed to pierce through the intoxicating fog in her brain. Last night's disaster was still entirely too fresh in her mind.
Reluctantly untangling one hand from his messy hair, Maki reached into the pocket of her olive-green skirt.
She pulled out her smartphone, didn't even bother looking at the screen, and blindly pitched it over Ren's shoulder. It sailed through the air and landed squarely on the low green sofa with a muffled, satisfying thud.
She breathed, her voice raspy and absolute. "Not tonight."
Before Ren could even smile at the gesture, she brought her hand right back to the nape of his neck.
Shifting her weight on the cool marble, Maki pulled her knees forward and securely locked her legs around his waist, drawing him as close as physically possible.
Ren let out a low, appreciative hum, his hands naturally sliding down to grip the backs of her thighs to support her. He leaned in, pressing a hot, lingering kiss to the sharp line of her jaw.
"Good idea," he murmured, his breath ghosting over her skin. He tightened his grip, effortlessly lifting her entirely off the counter. "But if we're doing this, we're definitely not doing it in the kitchen."
Maki let out a quiet gasp as her center of gravity shifted, instinctively tightening her hold around his neck as he carried her toward the short hallway. She buried her burning face into the crook of his shoulder, completely overwhelmed by the sudden, sweeping momentum of it all.
"Just shut up and walk, idiot," she mumbled into his collarbone, though the stubborn words were betrayed by the way she practically melted into his hold.