She gave me a disapproving look. “You’ve been drinking.”
I brushed some hair back from her face. “Who said we need to drive anywhere?”
The meaning of my words clicked a second later. “Oh.”
“We can stay if you’d prefer.” I dropped my hand down to take hers. “We can dance some more. Whatever you want.”
She shook her head. “I want to…I mean…” She glanced at the Asian girl she’d been dancing with before, and the girl danced her way a few steps closer so Lumen didn’t have to shout. “I…I’m stepping out for a bit. With Alec. Um…”
The girl winked and then wiggled her fingers at Lumen, then looked at me, her eyes narrowing. She pointed a finger at me, then drew it across her neck, her threat perfectly clear without a single word being spoken.
I gave her a nod to let her know that I understood she’d cause severe pain if I hurt her friend. I squeezed Lumen’s hand as I turned my attention back to her. “Shall we?”
She nodded, her cheeks flaming bright enough to be seen even in the bar’s dim lighting. I put my hand at the small of her back and led her out of the pub. My heart was pounding, and not from the dancing.
Since I’d invested in the bar back when Duncan first opened it, my car was parked in one of the four employee parking spots behind the building. Thanks to a narrow alleyway leading from the bar to the driveway and a high brick wall around the parking lot, we’d have plenty of privacy.
“What kind of car is that?” Lumen asked as we approached my car.
“It’s a Maybach 62 Landaulet,” I said as I opened the closest back door. A unique design, the Landaulet had a power divider window that separated the front and back seats, similar to a limo. The divider was down right now because I’d driven the car today, and she was able to see that the front area was finished in black leather and the rear was white with gold-flecked black granite inserts.
I smiled at the astonished look on Lumen’s face. I hadn’t bought the car because I wanted to show off, but I had to admit that I was enjoying watching her react to it. “Have a seat.”
She slid inside, running her hands over everything. “I’ve never seen a car like this before.”
I climbed into the seat next to her. “Well, only eight were made, so that makes sense.”
That got a laugh out of her, which made me think she didn’t know I was serious. But that was fine with me. I liked looking at her dimples. And her eyes. And her mouth. And…fuck it. I just liked looking at her, period.
I leaned toward her and waited to see what she could do. When she reached for me, my pulse picked up again, and then her mouth touched mine, and I didn’t care about anything other than her. I resisted the urge to take over, letting her take the lead instead. Her lips parted slightly, and I followed her example, matching my movements to hers, nice and slow.
I loved the thrill of learning a new partner’s kissing style, but I’d never experienced anything like this before. Every other woman I’d been with had acted like they had something to prove. Writhing on me, shoving their hands down my pants, that sort of thing. Usually, I didn’t mind that. The faster we got down to it, the faster I could get off and disappear.
I didn’t want that here. I wanted to take my time with her. And I didn’t want to overanalyze why.
As she wrapped her arms around my neck, I threaded my fingers through her hair. It was as soft and silky as I’d imagined, and I wondered what it would look like spread out on my pillow. What it would feel like brushing across my thighs as her soft lips explored…
At last, I felt her tongue against mine. Just a hint of it at first, then a little more. She tasted like lemons. I cupped her cheek as I stroked her tongue with mine, slow and gentle so as not to scare her. I didn’t know anything about her background, but I could feel how cautious she was, and as much as I wanted her, I wanted her to feel safe with me. I caressed her cheek with my thumb, feeling for the dimple. As we kissed, she smiled, and I felt the shallow divot under my thumb. Perfect.
I couldn’t help pulling her body a little closer to mine though. I wanted more. I wanted all of her, and with an intensity that I’d never felt before. One of her hands gripped my forearm, and her breath quickened, the reaction enough to tempt my tenuous control. She was intoxicating, each kiss better than scotch.
I dropped a hand to her knee and felt her tense, but she didn’t pull away. Emboldened, I ran my hand up to mid-thigh. Her legs were irresistible, and I wished she would’ve been wearing a skirt. Her bottom lip trembled, and I captured it between my teeth, tugging for a moment before soothing it with a kiss. She moaned, and I shuddered. Damn, I could do this to her all night if she kept making that sound.
I moved my mouth to her neck as I slid my hand higher up her leg. Her pants may have looked like leather, but they felt more like leggings, a thinner material that let me feel the heat of her.
“Alec…” she whispered. She scrunched my shirt in her hands, pulling at it like she wanted it off.
I hummed in response, and my hand moved a little higher. When my thumb grazed near the crease of her thigh, she flinched hard enough to make me instinctively pull away, my head spinning.
She looked mortified, her face flushed. “I…I…I’m sorry.”
“What is it?” I asked, completely confused, but she was groping for the door handle. “Lumen, talk to me.”
She opened the door and swung her legs out. “I’m sorry!” she said again before slamming the door behind her.
I got out the other side and stood up, looking over my car, but she was already disappearing down the alley.
“Lumen!” I called her name even though I knew it wouldn’t do any good.
