She nods, but her teeth bite her lower lip. Knowing Leighton, she’s working through every bad scenario in her head. It must be hard because she’ll never really get the answers she wants.
“Anyway, let’s just concentrate on us tonight. We rarely get this.” She squeezes my hand.
“You look beautiful.” I lean in and kiss her bare shoulder.
She preens under my compliment. “And you look so handsome in your tuxedo. Just so you know.” She leans closer and says directly into my ear, “Later tonight, you’ll be in the armchair with your tie undone, suit coat open, and I’ll be on my knees between your legs.”
I reach for the back of her neck and pull her in, pressing my lips to hers. I don’t care about lipstick or the fucking driver. She drives me to the brink of insanity.
The driver clears his throat, then there’s a knock on the window. Guess we’ve arrived.
“You have lipstick.” She presses her thumb to my lips.
I really want to beg her again to just have this car turn back around. But she deserves a night out that doesn’t include the ice cream parlor or our recent obsession with the cookie place.
I climb out of the car and hold out my hand for her.
You’d think she was used to all this, the way she flawlessly lets me guide her out of the car. We walk into the venue hand in hand, and as we’re checking in, I spot some of the Chicago Falcons and Grizzlies in attendance.
This is about the last place I want to be, but we pose for pictures as Jagger wants us to, and we socialize, my arm around her the entire time. The only thing fake tonight is both of us acting as if this is where we want to spend our night.
After the meal, when the dancing starts, Leighton’s hand slides down to my ass while we’re talking to Rowan and Kyleigh Landry on their way out. All of the Falcons leave pretty soon after dinner, blaming it on babysitters and early mornings.
“We need a baby,” I grumble.
“Um… no, we don’t. There are already three kids we could use as an excuse to leave, but I think I promised you some coatroom time, no?” Leighton arches a perfectly shaped brow.
My gaze coasts down her body. “Lead the way.”
She inches up and kisses me. “Meet me in there in two minutes.”
“Be ready in one. I’m barely holding on here.” I button my tuxedo jacket closed so my semi isn’t obvious to everyone around us.
She giggles and walks away, out of the event space.
I’m about to follow when Jagger clasps his hand on my shoulder. “I’m proud of you. You two look like you’re about to tear each other’s clothes off.”
We were, or at least some heavy petting.
“Yeah, turns out we’re the real thing. And I’d like permission to leave this party now so I can spend the rest of my night in bed with Leighton.”
Jagger chuckles. “I knew it. I told Quinn you two would eventually find one another in the dark and pull off those blindfolds you’ve been wearing. Well, happy looks really good on you, man.”
“Thanks. I think so too.”
So much so that I have a word for it. If someone asked how I know I’m in love with Leighton, I wouldn’t be able to explain it, other than that she really sees me.
Jagger pats me on the back. “You’re dismissed. I’ll talk to you next week.”
I shake his hand, and he goes one way. I head the opposite direction toward the exit. The coatroom door is propped up, so I slip inside.
I love that Leighton thought of this. Maybe this will be our thing—sneaking off to fuck in small, enclosed spaces.
It’s pretty dark in here, and there aren’t a lot of coats since it’s summer. Maybe it’s not even open this time of year. I feel along the wall, grazing over a hand. It grabs mine and pulls me closer.
Damn, I love when she’s this bossy in the bedroom.
My hand slides along her waist, and I bend down to nuzzle her neck the way she loves, but instead of a neck, I hit what feels like a chest. And then I realize that the hand I’m holding is a lot bigger and more calloused than Leighton’s.
