As the gentle kiss broke, a last brush of his lips, whisper soft, struck a shower of sparks. They fluttered through me.
His hand at my waist, the puff of his breath against my cheek. I wanted to open my eyes and look at him, but was afraid I’d break this…connection.
And then he was back. His mouth settling over mine. I caught his lower lip, flicking my tongue against it. The pressure at my back pushed me closer and I craned my neck as I fit against him. My stomach simmered, tiny heated bubbles rising, pulling at something that had been cold and deep and still.
I smiled into his kiss even as an emptiness panged all the way through me, reverberating a strange feeling of loss. I opened my eyes as I pulled away.
"Thank you. That was—" I lost my voice when I met his gaze. Dark irises stared down at me, and everything in our world stopped.
"My turn."
His mouth came down hard over mine. His hands gripped my waist as he hauled me up onto the worktable. I clung to him, my skinon fire everywhere he touched. I bit into his lower lip as a different kind of heat took root, changed shape…and finally ignited.
I clutched and pawed, desperate to be closer. His mouth left mine to brand kisses into my neck. He pressed me backwards, and I pulled him with me, arching against the hard planes of his chest.
The bulge in his jeans pressed into the space between my hips. I whimpered as a dull ache beat feathery wings into that part of my body, thirsting for his attention.
I pulled at his belt. His calloused hands scraped, scratched, and scored my skin to life as it pricked into bundles of living nerves. My bra loose, my back against the table, he hovered over me. His tongue swept inside my mouth at the same time his fingers bit into my thigh. I wrapped my leg around his waist and was rewarded with a thrust.
I gasped as something like thinking and thoughts poked my brain. But then he kissed me again, stealing my breath and all I could feel and know and see was him.
His shirt began to peel off in my hands. And his voice was a husky rasp against my ear. "Your name?"
I whispered kisses into the crook of his neck, licking, lapping as I went. I trailed and mouthed a path to his jaw. Pulled at him, threading my fingers into his hair.
He stilled over me. Those deep blue eyes, his strong jaw, his dog tags dangling—free, now, from being tucked inside his shirt. I don’t know why, but I brought them to my lips. Then glanced at the name, his name: Maddox McBride. "Maddox?"
He growled in reply. But his eyes flicked away as a loud bang! sounded in the room. A feminine giggle rang out followed by the overly loud "shhhh" of someone shushing.
Maddox hardened into stone.
"Ash?" A pouting lilt, a woman’s voice.
My blood turned cold. I shut my eyes and held my breath.Oh God oh God oh God.
"The fuck, Drakes?" Maddox barked.
"Oh, hey, Mick. I was just—oh, honey let's let—ah, baby that feels so?—"
I clenched my eyes tighter as a wave of nausea brokeover me. Maddox pulled me upright, his thumb tracing hair over my ear. I couldn’t look at him. My heart hammered and the cold, empty pit returned. I hoped to God I could disappear.
"Ah gawd, babydoll, let’s go back to my…"
And all the whispered rumors from the past few months raced on repeat in my brain.
"You can’t expect someone like him to be with just one. Can you imagine?"
"Get ov-er yourself."
"Poor little deluded Bree."
"You ok?" Maddox’s deep voice broke through. He ducked his head, his arm kept me near.
I hid my face in his shoulder. "Let’s get out of here."
A soft grunt and he moved aside, allowing me to slide from the table. My shoes clacked against the concrete. I brushed my hands over my skirt.
"The fuck? Bree?" Ash’s voice stabbed daggers into my back. I didn't want to turn around. I tried to hide behind Maddox.
