“Yes, yes I’m fine. All good,” I yell back. “I’m just gonna go to the bathroom.” I point towards the back of the bar. Alex tips his head in understanding. Now it’s my turn to cut through the crowds, but in the opposite direction of the door. I’m third in line. I lean against the black wall and tip my head up to stare at the dusty ceiling pipes. The smile that’s been flitting over my face for much of the night is now unreachable. I twist the silver ring on my finger and take a deep breath.I want to go home.So dramatic! Maybe he had something important to do, like stop acrime… or maybe there’s a woman to run to. He could be taken for all I know. I put a hand up to my face as if that could push my emotions back into place.
“Get it together,” I mumble under my breath as it’s my turn to enter the bathroom. “We’ll just have to see.” That’s something I’ve been telling myself a lot lately when it comes to both my art and my life: “Let’s just see.”
While drying off my hands, I stare into the graffitied mirror and then point to my reflection “He doesn’t owe you anything,” I say to myself. My reflection nods back and I take one step out the door.
The girls’ line has cleared out. And instead, I just see Devlin across from me. In the dark hallway. All alone. He’s leaning against the wall, one foot up behind him, his arms crossed over his chest.
“You owe me a kiss, I believe.” He quirks a smile. My mouth drops open into a little “o.”
“I’m cashing in.” He reaches for my hand and pulls me a few feet further down the hallway and around the corner, out of sight of the rest of the bar.
“Where were you?” I force out. “I thought you’d left.” Devlin gently nudges me up against the wall, scanning my full body up and down like he’s memorizing it, once again. A deep rumble emanates from the back of his throat. He grasps both my hands and brings them up to either side of my head. The movement was so gentle, but now that the backs of my hands are on the wall, I realize he fully intends on using his strength to keep them there. I can feel a heat coiling between my legs. I like that he’s choosing to keep me here. I swallow when I realize this about myself and look down and to the side.
“Charlotte,” he says, his voice gruff. He brushes his stubble against my cheek briefly and pulls back. I meet his eyes—they’re disorienting but both absolutely beautiful. One is a light blue and the other a seafoam green. His gaze is piercing, and he no longer looks boyish to me. This is a man.
“May I?” He looks pointedly down at my lips and then back up to me. I nod, shaking like a leaf. My whole body is filled with a want I barely understand. I want his hands all over me, and in me. I want to roll around in this man’s aura and have him worship me in return. His attention is enough for my breasts to swell with need. I clamp my thighs tighter together. So, I nod again in response to his question. Because I do want it. I want him.
His lips come in soft at first, getting a feel for me, getting a taste as his tongue gently parts my lips. Our tongues explore each other slowly, sensually. I release a breathy moan and Devlin becomes a little less gentle. Now he’s kissing me more fervently, tugging on my bottom lip and then back to exploring the inside of my mouth. He presses the heat of his entire body up against me. I can feel the hard planes of his chest against my breasts. I want to run my hands up under his shirt, but he still has my wrists pinned to the wall. In fact, he’s started pushing them farther up the wall until they’re about fully extended. A rough hand cups my cheek and I realize he’s locked my two wrists together with one hand.
Suddenly, I’m achingly aware of the swollen front of him. It’s pressed against me right where my need is also strongest. My hips involuntarily buck off the wall and try to push into him. He chuckles and pulls back just an inch. “No, no, Charlotte, just a kiss, remember?” I make a guttural sound of disappointment and he chuckles again. “I’ll take that to mean you’re enjoying yourself.”
“I want more,” I whisper-whine. That’s the state I’ve devolved into. Arguing with a boy I just met that I’d like his dick to be closer to me, please. Preferably grinding up against me as a first step. With many more steps to follow.
Devlin laughs again. “I can see that.” He takes that moment to grip my jaw with his free hand and tilt it up ever so slightly. “I love the way your hair tumbles down your neck,” he says, mouth just below my jaw. He kisses the soft area where my jaw meetsmy throat and I sigh. He trails down the side of my neck with kisses until he’s at my collarbone. I want him to release my hands, because I want bothofhis handsto be roving all over me.
The control he’s taking is both agony and bliss. I can feel the slickness pooling between my legs. His hand drops from my jaw and slides down the front of my chest to the center, between my breasts. I want him to move that hand either left or right, but instead he’s still, looking into my eyes, assessing. I crane my neck forward off the wall to see if he’s close enough to steal a kiss, but he doesn’t meet me halfway, and his arm still holds my wrists up and back.
The slight sting of that rejection has me blushing again.
“I think you enjoyed that, yes?” He looks at me with a knowing smile. “Now, I’m going to let you go, don’t come after me!” he jokes, both hands up to his shoulders, palms facing me.
I slowly lower my arms and cross them over my chest. “I wouldn’t,” I say with a crinkle between my eyebrows and a dash of impertinence. I’m just one complicated ball of emotions tonight. His eyes glitter as he takes in my shifted demeanor.
I clear my throat. “You didn’t answer me earlier.” I try to pull myself together.
“What?” he asks. Devlin frowns and scratches his cheek, his expression accentuating the fact that he actually looks a little disheveled now. And damnit does it add to his charm.
“You’d left?” I say, only partially sure. “I thought you’d left.” I cast my eyes down and wait to feel embarrassed in admitting I’d noticed his whereabouts.
“Oh”—he laughs—“I went outside a while ago to meet my assistant. I had to give him some instructions.” He pops his head into my line of sight. “I didn’t leave, Charlotte,” he says softly. I blink back. He throws up his hands. “I, well, like you.” I meet his gaze as he does his best to make his feelings clear. “The somewhat little I know of you, at least.” I take a deep breath through my nose with my lips drawn tight. “I wouldn’t have left without saying something to you.”
“I don’t know you very well either,” I mumble and look to the side.What is wrong with me?? Was I not just aching for him?
Devlin looms over me as I keep my gaze to the side. He leans down and breathes the following into my ear, “Well maybe we can change that, hmm?” He runs a free hand up the outside of my thigh, then brings it inward. My breath catches. He lets his hand lightly run up the center of me. I let out a stuttered sigh and fight the urge to widen my stance.
Instead, I shift my thighs, trying to get some relief for the swollen bits. He looks down between my legs and raises his eyebrows. I say nothing in response to that. He can't know I’m a puddle of need. I don’t trust him yet… but I do like him, and I do want him, so the odds are against me.
Devlin steps back and resumes with a normal speaking voice. Back to business. “I think we should collaborate. You volunteered and I accept. You’re beautiful and talented and smart and fun and kind, and a little untrusting, which I can’t blame you for. So I’ll keep proving myself to you. And you can always change your mind.” He cocks his head and makes a sweeping you’re-free-to-go gesture with his hand.
“Ok,” I say. That was a lot to take in. “I’ll think about it.”
Devlin’s smile reaches ear to ear. “That’s all I can ask for!” He flicks a look at the watch on his right hand. “And in that case, I better get to my new spot and start my process, I only have a few days you know.” He lands a wink. I roll my eyes in response.
I take a couple steps to round the corner when suddenly Devlin’s hand is on my upper arm, and he pulls me back to him. I bump into his chest unexpectedly and he drinks in a short kiss. I’m initially breathless, but then my instincts kick in and I kiss him right back, trying to take more than what I was able to moments ago. My enthusiasm even has Devlin backing up a step. He chuckles against me.
“Ok ok, I’m sorry.” His warm breath slides across my cheek. “I couldn’t help myself.”
I smile at that admission. My brief stint at imitating an icequeen is cracking. “Well, I can’t blame you for that,” I say up to him cheekily. There’s some of my flirtatious spark, I thought I’d lost her for a moment. I once again turn to leave, feeling I’ve gotten some sort of upper hand. But the hand he has banded on my upper arm pulls me back one more time.
