“Beckett, move, please. I just want to go to bed and forget everything about this day.”
I shake my head, towering over her. “No, this isn’t how this ends. I can’t let you go to bed hating me and believing I’d treat you like that. Hear me out.”
“You don’t know me; you owe me nothing. It was nice meeting you, have a great life, now move.” She attempts to push past me, but I step in front of her, preventing her from getting past me.
“No,” I say, my tone defiant.
She slumps her shoulders in defeat and stuffs the keycard back in her purse. “Okay, you have sixty seconds.”
“I’m sorry if I hurt you. I was paying the tab, and I wanted to tell you…” My words trail off, and I swallow hard.”
“What Beckett. You wanted to tell me what?” She huffs in frustration.
“That I want you,” I blurt out, feeling relieved and like I can breathe easier.
“Don’t lie to me, Beckett. It’s been a long day, and I don’t have time for your games anymore.”
“This isn’t a game, Noelle, I’m serious,” I say clearly and slowly, needing to stress my point.
“Beckett, come on. We flirted, you realized you didn’t want me. It’s fine. I’m a big girl. I can handle rejection. I just don’t like being made a fool of.”
“Noelle, I can’t explain it, but you’ve done something to me tonight, and I know you feel it too.” My hand glides around her waist and I gently press my body against hers, feeling the heat emanating off her.
She looks up at me and shakes her head, her teeth now worrying her bottom lip; something that’s driven me wild all day.
“Don’t do that,” I grumble.
“Don’t do what?”
“This.” I reach out and free her lip from her teeth, and her breathing hitches. I step closer and she takes a step away, causing her back to hit my hotel room door.
“All night, I’ve wondered what it would feel like to bite down on this lip.” I dust the pad of my thumb over her swollen bottom lip, and a small whimper escapes her. “I don’t know how you’ve done it, but you’ve got me rethinking everything, and I need more of you,” I say, leaning down to brush my nose with hers. “Tell me you feel the same way,” I plead softly.
She swallows hard. “We only have one night,” she whispers.
“I know.”
“That’s all I can give you,” she confirms, and hope sparks to life inside of me.
“Is that what you want, Noelle? One night with me?”
“No strings attached. Just one Christmas night,” she confirms, giving me the confidence to do this because there are no expectations past tonight.
I nod in agreement. “Tell me I can make you mine for one night. Say the words, angel, and I’m all yours.” This is insanity, it’s reckless and verging on dangerous, but I can’t stop. I want her in a way I have never wanted anyone.
“Make me yours,” she breathes out, and I don’t miss a beat. I crash my lips down on hers and when a soft moan escapes from her, I press my body into hers and let myself act on instinct instead of overthinking it, like I do with every part of my life. I don’t think about the age gap; I don’t think about how messy this could get. Instead, I hoist her up. She wraps her legs around me, and we make out like a pair of horny teenagers, her hands in my hair, tugging and pulling, deepening our kiss. I dig my fingers into the bare flesh on her thighs as her dress rides up. I need to get us out of this hall before I fuck her right here against the door and give level three of this hotel a show.
I clumsily reach into my back pocket for my keycard, never breaking our kiss and slap it against the keypad. I stumble through the open door into my hotel room. Noelle giggles against my lips. There is no finesse, we are just two people desperate for each other, and it feels good. I don’t think anyone has wanted me like this.
Noelle unwraps her legs, and I place her down. She wastes no time, pulling my shirt from the waistband of my pants, and as she does, I work my buttons. She practically tears the shirt away from my body and when it lands on the ground, she takes a moment to roam my naked torso.
“Well, shit, I knew you’d be built like a G.I. Joe doll when you said you were in the Marines, but damn, I think you might be the hottest man I’ve ever seen.”
I don’t know if it’s the champagne talking or if that’s really what she thinks, but I thank her by taking her face in my hands and tilting it, so she has to look at me. Before we do this, I need to know where her head is at.
“How drunk are you?’ I ask.
“Buzzed enough to have the courage to do this, but sober enough to know this is what I want.”
