“Well, now that you’ve finally figured it out…” she trails off, leaning in just a bit closer.
The real question is, can I keep my hands off her long enough to get us out of here?
I don’t waste another second. I pull her to a stand, my grip on her hand tighter than it probably should be, but hell if I can help it. I’m already addicted.
As we weave through the crowd, I catch the looks on Knox’s and Jules’s faces, wide-eyed, probably trying to piece together how the hell this escalated so quickly. But I don’t care. I don’t care about anything except the woman at my side.
We stop to say our goodbyes, but it’s all just noise. A blur ofnods and half smiles while my mind stays locked on the heat of her hand in mine and the way she leans into me ever so slightly.
I’ve known Bree for almost a year now, but every time I look at her, it’s like discovering her all over again. The beauty was obvious from the start. Anyone with eyes can see that. What got me above all else was the way she could make me laugh without even trying. The way she carried herself with this impossible mix of lightness and strength, like the world could throw whatever it wanted at her, and she’d still find a way to smile through it.
Right now, all I can think about is how I could love her fiercely, endlessly. Maybe I didn’t realize it at first, but I feel it now, burning deeper with every second I spend with her. And hell, if that doesn’t terrify me.
But I’m done holding back.
By the time we get to my place, the tension between us is a living, breathing thing. It makes it damn near impossible to think straight. I try to keep my hands to myself, but every time I glance at her, every time her fingers brush against my back in those slow, teasing patterns, I unravel a little bit more.
I fumble with the keys, cursing under my breath when they slip between my fingers. It’s pathetic, really, how just being near her turns me into a complete wreck. But then I look over, and she’s watching me with that knowing little smirk, like she enjoys seeing me struggle. Like she’s perfectly aware of the war raging inside me. It only makes me want her more.
I finally get the damn door open, and the second we step inside, the air shifts. We’ve crossed into a place where the rules are different and none of them involve keeping our hands to ourselves.
The heat between us roars back to life. I’ve got her pressed against the wall before I can think better of it, my hands alreadymoving and greedy to memorize every inch of her. Her body fits against mine too perfectly, like she was made for me.
Her lips hover just shy of mine, and that’s all it takes. The need crashes into me, messy and overwhelming. All I want is her. Just her.
Her skin’s warm under my fingertips, impossibly soft, and when she shivers? Fuck. That tiny reaction nearly unravels me.
I tilt my head, deepen the kiss, swallowing every soft sound she gives me like they’re fuel. My hands tangle in her hair, pulling her closer, like if I hold her tight enough, I’ll finally quiet the ache that’s been clawing at me since the moment we met.
I already know it still won’t be enough.
“God, I’ve wanted this for so long,” I murmur against her skin, my lips tracing a path down her neck, each kiss making it harder to hold on to what’s left of my restraint.
She angles her head, granting me more access. When a soft moan escapes her lips, it’s music to my ears. “Me, too,” she breathes, her fingers threading into my hair.
And I do. I need her in a way that borders on desperation, but she deserves more than just urgency, more than the heat threatening to consume us whole. So, with every ounce of control I have left, I pull back just enough to find her gaze. My fingers slip between hers as I tug her gently toward the stairs.
She follows me without hesitation, her fingers laced tightly with mine. As we reach the top, she halts, stopping me. Did I misread this? Am I rushing her?
I turn, searching her face, but there’s no uncertainty in her eyes. Just pure, unfiltered desire.
“Race you.” She blows a kiss in my direction, and then she’s gone, sprinting down the hall before I can even react.
For half a second, I’m rooted to the spot as I watch her takeoff like she didn’t just have me on the verge of completely unraveling.
Then it clicks.
“Oh, you’re in for it now, Sunshine,” I growl, taking off after her.
She’s fast. I’ll give her that. But I’ve got longer legs and a whole lot of motivation. She lets out a breathless laugh as I close the distance, her smile wide, eyes shining with pure, reckless delight.
I catch her just before she crashes into the bathroom. One arm wraps around her waist, and I spin her clean off her feet, hauling her against me. She lets out a breathless yelp that turns into a laugh, and then turns on her heel, looking up at me with flushed cheeks and bright, triumphant eyes.
“I had no idea where I was going,” she admits.
I can’t help the bark of laughter that rips from my lungs. “You, what?”
“I’ve never even beenin your house before!”
