Maybe it’s my stubbornness kicking in, because once I say I’m doing something I fully commit. Usually, though, it’s not something this unhinged or so unlike my usual self.
The closer I get I realize I’m not the only one confused by my odd behaviour. Jaxon and Hudson spot me first, watching with raised brows.
Jaxon nudges Hudson, mutters something to their small group, before nodding in my direction.
Fletcher’s head whips around, looking unsure whether he should brace for impact or for the best news of his life.
“Hey—” he starts, his eyes full of regret and it’s obvious he’s about to apologize. With how quickly I ran, I’m sure he thinks he owes me an apology, but that’s the last thing I want.
I cut him off. “Can I borrow you for a minute?”
His brows furrow as he glances between his teammates.
“He’s all yours,” Hudson beams, placing a hand on Fletcher's shoulders before pushing the man toward me.
Despite the warmth building in my center, the nerves are full-on kicking in but I refuse to back out. Instead, I flip on myheel and take off. A quick glance over my shoulder confirms he’s trailing after me.
I weave my way through the crowd and toward the hallway where the bathroom I’d just been hiding in is located. For a second, I consider ducking back in, perhaps regaining some of my sanity in the process, but instead I square my shoulders and keep going until I reach the end of the hallway.
I push my way past the heavy doors marked by a glowing red exit sign, as they shut behind us with a loud thud.
Warm, muggy spring air meets my skin, and there’s definitely no ignoring the lingering bite of fresh cigarette smoke. Sure, the ground is littered with empty beer bottles and there’s a giant dumpster only a few feet away making this a less-than-ideal location for a romantic rendezvous, but for what I’m planning it totally works. It’s quiet, and most importantly it’s private, and that’s all I need.
“Hollis—” Fletcher starts, but I lift my hand and cut him off for a second time.
I don’t give him a chance to continue as I step closer.
“Don’t say anything, just let me get this out,” I blurt, the words tumbling out before I can stop them. “I know you’ve convinced yourself that you want me, and that this,” I wave a hand between us, “would be fun and exciting. But I’m here to set the record straight. I’m not who you think I am. I’m boring, I’m uptight, and I’m definitely not the kind of girl who usually pulls guys into alleys.”
I stop, taking a brief pause and release a much-needed, very shaky breath. “Still, I’m starting to think the only way for me to convince you of that, is to prove it to you. I think it's time to show you that whatever fantasy you’ve built up in your head is just that—a fantasy. So let’s say we get this out of your system, yeah?”
For a beat, he only stares, his mouth slightly parted as he tries to process what the hell I'm saying, and I don’t blame him. Afterweeks of him chasing me and getting nothing in return, to now fully offering myself up, I’m sure this makes no sense at all.
“Hollis—” he attempts to speak, but before I lose the nerve, I grab a fistful of his shirt, rise onto my toes, and press my lips to his.
The kiss is clumsy, probably from the surprise of it all, but the awkwardness and the nerves melt away almost instantly as his hands find my waist.
Despite how good his lips feel against mine, I force myself back, even as my hand tightens its grip on his shirt, unsure how to fully let go.
His eyes are wide with shock, but it quickly fades into something hotter and much darker. There’s a hunger there, something that should scare me into running all over again. But instead, the ache I feel for him only intensifies.
Before I can second-guess it, his hand slides up my body, his palm warm against my neck, and once again he’s leaning down as his lips press into mine. The kiss is all consuming, almost like he’s claiming every inch that I’ve worked so tirelessly to take away.
All the awkwardness from before is gone, and this time our kiss is deep, certain, and more than a little dizzying. His mouth parts against mine, and something inside me snaps loose, letting my over-thinking brain know it’s no longer the one in charge.
Somewhere far back in the recesses of my mind I know this is a horrible idea, but all logic has officially left then building as my lips move against his. All that’s left is heat and the minty-sweet taste of his lips.
I’m no longer thinking; all I can do is react as my hand glides into his thick brown hair, my fingers curling and gripping like they’ve been waiting all their lives for this moment. His body presses closer, and suddenly my knees forget how to function.
Luckily, he’s got me, even as his kisses turn far more urgent. I match his intensity, giving him everything I have left as my fingers tighten their grip in his hair.
Somewhere in the blur of want and need something shifts between us. It’s small, but also unmistakable. Something that feels a little too close to falling, which is beyond terrifying, especially when falling for Mason Fletcher was the one thing I’d told myself I’d never do.
A group of giggling women barge through the heavy metal doors, as Fletch and I break apart.
I untangle myself from his embrace, despite his obvious attempt to tighten his grip and pull me back toward him.
“Oh, sorry,” one of the drunken women giggles, even if she looks anything but. “We didn’t interrupt anything did we?”
