Sudden hardness

Ivery's POV.

I kissed his cheeks, which made him glanced at me baffled. “The paparazzi,” I whispered to him. He quickly understood the message, as he put his arms around my waist and returned the kiss. My breath hitched at his movement.

The camera flashed at our faces, capturing

the moment. The sound of camera shutters was relentless, clicking like an army of crickets. The flash of the paparazzi's cameras was blinding, and our feet seemed to pound the pavement like a drumbeat.

I felt the hot breath of the crowd on the back of my neck, and the warmth of Franco's arm around my waist. I smelled the scent of the city, the exhaust from the cars, and the sweet smell of food from a nearby cart.

We walked arm-in-arm, as we tried to push our way through the crowd of photographers, but they pressed in closer, snapping pictures at every turn. I stumbled on my heels, feeling off-balance and unsteady.

Franco's hand brushed against my waist, his breath hot against my neck. My heart quickened a