“The patronizing is really soothing the sting of it.”
Giving her my most sanctimonious expression, I nodded.“I know.”
“Hey guys.”Lola walked up to our table, her bulky coat wrapped around her shoulders.
We greeted her, and Alicia smiled, but I could feel her tensing.I knew it had more to do with the embarrassment of feeling jealous of someone else, than it had to do with Lola herself.
“Bet was supposed to come, but Melody got sick right as she was walking out the door.Is it cool if I hang out with you?”Lola asked.
“Of course.”Nora looked at the tables around us, then pointed.“There’s a chair over there.”
“Great, be right back.”Lola turned to grab the empty seat.
There was room for her at the end, but I had the excuse I’d been looking for.I hooked my fingers on the underside of Alicia’s seat and tugged, pulling her as close to me as I could.Her thigh relaxed against mine, and I had to drape my arm across the back of her chair.She flicked her eyes up to mine with a flash of desire and promise.
Nora and Hazel were distracted with getting Lola settled.
Not that Alicia and I went completely unnoticed.
Brooks’ eyebrow twitched, but he didn’t say anything.
“Now there’s plenty of room,” I whispered in Alicia’s ear.
“I like it better here, anyway.”Her fingers splayed across my leg, before resting on the inside of my thigh.And I wondered if it was too early to take her home.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Alicia
“You’regettinghandsy,MissIt’s-Fine-I-Can-Handle-A-Fifth-Drink.”Remi didn’t make any efforts to stop my hand drifting down from his chest to his stomach.He leaned lazily against the wall outside of a storage closet.I’d grabbed his arm, pulling him around the corner like an old vaudeville hook, pretending like this hidden hallway was privacy and not just the illusion of it.
“I’ll make a deal with you,” I offered.“I’ll keep my hands to myself if you start getting mouthy.”
“What exactly does that mean?”
I shooshed him as his laughter made his voice louder.
“Get that mouth on me, baby,” I said in mock sexiness.It was meant to be funny, but also I wanted him to take my words seriously.
“Here?”he asked, his voice pitched low.
I bunched the cotton of his shirt in my fist and went up on my tiptoes to scrape my teeth along his jaw.He gripped my hips.The sheer size and strength of his fingers had me wondering just how much we could get away with in the dark.A growl rumbled in his throat right next to my lips.
“Let’s get you home,” he said.
My back stiffened.Pulling away, I searched his eyes.“Would it be that bad for someone to see us?”
His thick, long eyebrows shot up wrinkles pressing into his forehead.His thumbs drew soothing circles on my pelvis.“No.Not for me.”
“Then kiss me.”
“I don’t know if this is what you actually want or if you’re just drunk.”
“I always want this,” I admitted.
He urged me forward until my stomach was pressed against the ridge of his growing erection.With slow intention, he lowered until his lips brushed mine.My eyes fluttered close.My heart fluttered into a million little pieces—tickling down my spine.His hand slipped to splay wide between my shoulder blades, deepening the kiss.It was a tender urgency.This call and respond.
Every little movement he made drew something out of me, something that longed to be seen in the way he saw me.To lean into the support within the circle of his arms.To whisper,I love you, against his soft full lips.
