“Just my throat, huh? Not anywhere else?” Aiden’s white teeth flash in a wolfish grin, his fingertips digging into my stomach before loosening.
I snort with a roll of my eyes. “You’d want me to kiss you somewhere else?”
Aiden’s dark chuckle is the only response I get as he opens the metal box in front of me, revealing a rolled joint tucked behind a clasp.
“Have you ever smoked?” He lifts the joint to his mouth.
“No.”
“It’ll help you relax.” He lights the end of the joint and puffs until the flame catches and skunky smoke fills his mouth, curling from between his lips and dancing between our faces. He turns his head, blowing the rest of the smoke away from my face.
“Why not?” I shrug and reach for the joint tucked between his fingers.
He tsks and holds his hand away. “I’ve got a better idea.”
He drags in a lungful of smoke, his eyes dipping to my lips. That one look from him is enough to make my skin buzz. Desire surges through my veins until I’m trembling.
Aiden pulls the joint away. With his other hand, he cups my jaw and angles my head as his mouth descends onto mine. At the first brush of his lips, my head lightens and I sway like I’m about to pass out.
I shouldn’t like him kissing me this much, yet here I am, flustered, and the damned butterflies are back.
Smoke curls between our mouths, escaping from him as he gently blows. I come back to my body enough to realize that he’s not actually kissing me.
His tap on my jaw knocks me out of my fuzzy head, and I part my lips for him to let the smoke in. He blows the rest past my lips, and I suck it into my lungs, scrunching my nose at the weird taste.
It tastes like it smells. Earthy and sour. It’s not the worst, but it’s not the best, either.
Aiden breaks away first and leans against the sofa’s cushions, his tongue swiping over his bottom lip, like he’s chasing the taste of me.
I jump at a woman’s screech that morphs into a laugh. I glance around the room, blinking to clear the remaining spell my brother put me under. I’d forgotten we were at a party, surrounded by people.
“Aren’t you supposed to follow your rules?” I peek at him over my shoulder.
He catches my jaw and pivots my face toward him, forcing me to meet his narrowed eyes. “Fuck the rules. The goal is to make everyone think I’m unavailable.” He nips the corner of my jaw. “Do you regret it?”
“No.” I flinch at how fast my reply comes. How desperate I sound and the way my voice is breathier.
I feel his lips curve into a pleased smile against my skin, his fingers skimming over my throat in barely there strokes. “Do you feel good that everyone saw?”
“Yes.” I swallow hard and bite my bottom lip, stifling a whimper as his fingers trail over my collarbone and inch their way to my right breast.
“What about now?” He cups my breast, his grip gentle as he tests the weight in his palm.
My eyes slam shut, and my body moves on its own, responding to his touch like it’s been waiting for this moment since last night. My back arches, pushing more of myself into his hand.
Aiden hums in approval, his fingers tightening on the mound and squeezing until I wince from the bite of pain. “Open your eyes, Nova.”
My eyelashes flutter, and I barely peel my eyes open, turning them to his face.
He bumps his nose against mine and kisses the corner of my mouth. “Goddamn, pretty girl. I’ll never get over how attractive it is when you listen to me like a good girl.” He kisses the other corner. “Look around the room and tell me what you see.”
My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. I can’t breathe. I can’t think. All I can hear is him admitting that he finds me attractive when I follow his directions, then calling me a good girl.
Aiden chuckles at my flustered silence, catches my chin with his hand, and turns my head toward the room. I blink away the pink haze in my mind and focus on what he wanted me to do.
“Do you see it?” he says.
My eyes widen when I finally notice what he’s talking about. While people are still partying and drinking, they cast curious looks our way. Some aren’t trying to hide their stares or smirks before turning to their friends.
