“I wouldn’t use that word…” He said, trailing off. No, of course he wouldn’t, and she shouldn’t have said it in the first place. Way inappropriate. But there was this pulsing chemistry between them, and he wasn’t a liar, so if he was aware of it… His eyes told her all that and a little more, something dangerous and exciting, as he leaned in. “I didn’t like it, though.”
“Okay.” Liana swallowed hard. “I told him to go away.”
“I saw that. I didn’t like it for how I reacted, too. You can do whatever you want.”
She almost snapped a bitterthanksfor the all-clear, but she thought better of it. “You’re really good about that. Like…extra good.”
“About what?”
“You’re very careful not to judge me.”
“I think you’re just more aware of it because you face it every day from all corners.”
“You’re really looking to dodge this compliment, aren’t you?”
“Basic human courtesy shouldn’t garner a compliment.”
“It’s rare enough in my world that it does.”
“That’s fucked up.”
“Mmm.” But it was her reality.
She turned her attention back to the room. Her tour manager, who was married, had cozied up with a fan.
Not your problem, not your business. Get involved and he’ll brand you a busybody.God, no, she wasn’t going to say anything. But it was time to go. Infidelity was such a trigger for her.
She downed the rest of her drink and stood, waving at Jackie, who nodded but didn’t leave her spot on the wall.
Dean followed her out of the green room and she headed down the empty corridor. A security guard leaned against the wall next to the exit, reading something on his phone. Did she want to go back to the bus and go to bed?
Not yet.
She grabbed Dean’s hand and pulled him down a side hallway.
Chapter Fourteen
EITHER Liana had beento this arena before or she had an intuition for where to find a private room, but Dean couldn’t ask her because as soon as they were inside that private room, her mouth was on his and talking time was over.
She tasted like sweetness and secret need, and he couldn’t resist either. She’d fisted the front of his shirt and hauled him down to her level for the first hungry volley, but when his back thumped against the wall, he spread his legs, equalling out their height difference.
It was cute she thought she’d be in control for more than the first kiss.
“I couldn’t help myself,” she whispered as he tried to hold her still. She turned her head and nipped at his palm. The scrape of her teeth against his skin was hardly a deterrent—it sent a heads-up alert to his balls.
No heads-up. No sex. Just some kisses.
But jeez, she tasted good. And while he wanted to haul her hard against him and take her mouth, her neck, strip her out of that blouse and make her scream with his tongue on her nipples…if she wanted to be the one to kiss him, he could deal with that. Maybe.
“I know the feeling.”
“Oh thank God. I wasn’t sure.” He didn’t miss the relief in her voice. He didn’t like that doubt. He wanted to know more about where it came from—whatever bullshit mindfuck bit of history he didn’t know about yet.
He would, though. He’d find out every awful echo in her head and erase them for her.
“You needed this to know how much I wanted you?” He dragged a ragged breath into his lungs. “Let there be no doubt on that score. I want you so much it hurts.”
She pressed closer, running her hands over his body.
