Just my name spoken in such a way that I was pretty sure he’d found an untapped erogenous zone.
“Cruz,” I said. I’d said his name so I could test how it sounded, but it came out more like a breathless plea.
And I wasn’t the only one who’d heard it.
Cruz’s eyes went impossibly dark and his mouth parted just a little. Then suddenly, his fingers were tightening around mine and he was turning away from me.
But not to walk away.
No, nothing like that.
To steal me away.
And I went willingly.
Hell, I would have likely kneed anyone in the privates if they’d tried to stop us.
Cruz’s strong fingers threaded through mine as we weaved through the crowd. It wasn’t until we broke free of the warm bodies that I realized where he was taking me.
And I wanted to scream my thanks to the heavens.
There was next to no foot traffic near the alcove he practically dragged me into. A huge potted plant covered in dancing orange and white lights hid our bodies from view as he pressed me backagainst the wall. His body was flush with mine and there was just no missing what the folds of his costume were able to hide.
Just like the folds of my costume hid mine.
I groaned when his hardness brushed mine and I automatically put my hands on his waist.
To stop him from pulling away?
To keep myself upright?
I wasn’t sure and I honestly didn’t care. I cared about absolutely nothing in that moment except getting his mouth on mine.
But he didn’t kiss me. Instead, his fingers came up to touch the bruise on my jaw, then the one on my cheek. It wasn’t until his thumb gently toyed with the marred flesh of my throat where my attacker had held me in his merciless grip that I let out an almost obscene whimper. Twenty-four hours ago, I’d been in this same position and I’d been scared out of my mind at what would happen when those beefy fingers wrapped around my throat. Now all I wanted was Cruz’s strong hand encircling that same spot.
It made no sense whatsoever.
“Please,” I whispered.
I had no clue what the hell was wrong with me, but I knew the thing that would fix it was in this man’s possession. He would know what to do. He would know what I needed.
I closed my eyes when his fingers gently closed around my throat. The pressure that he applied was only enough that I could feel it, not fear it.
And just like that, the anxiety slid from my body like a hot, heavy blanket I’d been carrying around my entire life and had been waiting until this very moment to shed.
It was insanity.
And I never wanted it to end.
But of course, it had to.
All dreams did.
Chapter 2
Cruz
I was barely keepingit together and I had no clue how I was managing it.
