"The blonde. The brunette. They seemed very ... attentive." I try to hide the sneer that wants to form across my lips.
Something shifts in his expression. "Are you jealous, Joelle?"
"No. Don't flatter yourself."
"Liar." There he goes again, calling me that.
"I don't care what you do or who you do it with."
"Really?" He steps closer. My back hits the wall. "Because you looked like you wanted to murder those women with your eyes."
"You're imagining things."
"Am I?" He braces one hand on the wall beside my head. "Because I've been watching you all night. Watching you pretendnot to watch me. Watching you clench your jaw every time a woman got too close."
"Get over yourself. Your ego is out of control, Captain."
Those stormy eyes narrow on me. "You're playing with fire, Trouble." His other hand comes up to grip my chin, forcing me to look at him. "I've been watching every man in that club look at you in this dress. All night I've been wanting to break their fucking faces for daring to look at you."
I'm confused. He hasn't spoken to me. Hasn't even attempted to look at me since the gala. He's made sure Mike, Sarah, or David has looked after him if he's needed help.
"You've been keeping your distance."
"We both agreed." This is true. But at least I was trying to be civil, not ignore him completely.
His thumb traces my lower lip. I shiver. "I'm trying to be good here, Trouble. But I'm finding it so fucking hard. Especially seeing you dressed like pure sin." His hand slides up my leg, over my ass. His thumb slides across the side of my boob till he reaches my other cheek. "I've tried to stay away from you."
"I know." I pout. This is wrong, but I hate the pull this man has over me.
"It's been the longest week of my life trying to forget you," he confesses, his thumb caresses my face. My body turns liquid as I fall under his spell.
"My brothers are here ..." I remind him.
"I don't care." He leans in, his lips brushing my ear. "I tried to stay away. But seeing you now wearing this fucking dress. All I can think about is peeling it off you."
"Emmett ..." His name is a plea against my lips.
"Tell me to stop." His mouth moves along my jaw, barely touching. "Tell me you don't want this and I'll walk away."
I should say it. I should push him away, go back to the club, and pretend this never happened. Instead, I grab the front of hisshirt and pull his mouth to mine. The kiss is desperate. Hungry. All the tension of the past week explodes at once. His hands grip my hips. Lifting me so my back slides up the wall. I wrap my legs around his waist. He groans into my mouth, pressing me harder against the wall. I can feel him, hard and wanting against my center.
"Fuck," he breathes against my lips. "Joelle ..."
"Don't stop."
He kisses down my neck. Teeth scraping against my pulse point. I gasp. My fingers dig into his shoulders. A tiny hiss falls from his lips as he grinds against me, the friction making me see stars.
"I want you so bad," he growls against my skin. "You have no idea."
"I think I have some idea." I roll my hips against his. He hisses.
"Tease." He chuckles darkly.
"You started it." His hand slides up my thigh, pushing the dress higher.
I'm about to lose my mind when ...
"Jo? Are you here? Harper said you walked this way." Collette's voice echoes down the hallway.
