She cuts me off as she throws her arms around my neck, her lips mere inches from mine. “You big, stupid, man.”
Without hesitation I claim her mouth. I’m not gentle, not slow, and not standing on ceremony. I take like she’s mine, like she always has been, and always will be.
A hand plunges into her curls, gripping the back of her head and tipping her face higher so my tongue can delve into her mouth.
The tiny whimper that escapes her as she collapses into me, crushing the rose between us has fire igniting in my chest.
Her fingers twist into the lapels of my tux jacket, pulling me impossibly closer.
Need for her expounds through my body, a raging fire that will scorch everything in its path to get to her.
I drop my forehead to hers, cupping her jaw with one hand and placing the other against her lower back to hold her against me.
“Are you mad? I’d understand if you’re mad. If you want me to leave. If you—”
“Ethan. Shut up. I don’t know what’s happened to make you doubt yourself so much. Did you lie about anything we talked about in texts?”
I shake my head against hers, unwilling to break contact. “Of course not.”
“Then no, I’m not mad. I was confused for a moment. I don’t know why you didn’t tell me, but this is the best way things could have gone.” Pulling back, I take in her face. Cheeks flush, bottom lip between her teeth and her fingers are fidgety.
“What do you mean?”
Her gaze slides to the side and I stroke her cheek to bring her attention back to me. “I may have a crush on you. And maybe have had one. For…a while.”
I tip my face to the ceiling and huff out a gruff laugh. “We’re ridiculous. You know that? All this time, and had we just…talkedto each other.”
“We have now.”
“You’re damn fucking right we do.” I don’t waste a single second. I slam my mouth to hers again. Yes, some part of me is aware of all the people around us, the people watching us practically making out in the middle of the conference room. But I don’t give a damn.
Finally, after years, I’ve had a taste of Biannca. And now, I’m never letting go.
Chapter 7
Biannca
Ethan. I still can’t quite believe it. And while we wander through the library, his hand on my lower back, I keep glancing up at him, trying to make sure he’s real.
He doesn’t leave me side, doesn’t take his hand off me at any moment. He’ll put his drink on a table to shake a hand instead of taking his hand from me.
Every so often, he’ll trail his fingertips along my spine, making me shudder. The way he kissed me earlier has left a lingering tingle on my lips and a heavy need between my thighs. I’d take him tearing out of here right now if I thought we could get away with it.
We do our part, make small talk, smile, shine a light on the library and all we do here. Ethan’s, of course, charming.
The thing I can’t tell if I’m imagining or if it’s really happening, is that despite Ethan never losing focus on the conversation, he’s continually making me hot and bothered.
Aside from the trail of his finger on my back, he’ll lower his hand to rest on my ass. Not in a showy way, not in a way that would seem inappropriate, but definitely in a way he wants me to notice. One time he leans across me to shake a hand, his arm brushing against my chest when it absolutely didn’t have to.
Every time he does something like this I look at him and nothing has changed and I wonder if I’m imagining that there’s any semblance of meaning behind his actions.
Until he wraps his arm around my waist, his hand sliding to just above the apex of my thighs. When my breath catches and I glance at him, the bastard doesn’t stop talking or smiling at the potential donor, but he does shoot a wink at me.
And dear God my panties all but incinerate. I also nearly choke on the sip of my drink that I just took.
Spluttering and tapping my chest, I excuse myself. “So sorry, wrong pipe. I’ll be right back.”
Though he tries to keep me by his side, I’m able to extricate myself from Ethan’s hold. A chill runs through me at the sudden loss of heat against me. Still fighting the tickle in my throat, I opt to go to the staff bathroom. Not only do I have access, but it means I may not encounter anyone else while I get at a grip on myself.
