Her breath caught audibly; her lips parted as she stared up at me. Her pupils dilated and her pulse hammered at the base of her throat, in the delicate spot I wanted to press my mouth against. She was so fucking gorgeous, and all I could think about was wrapping my hand around the back of her neck, feeling her skin against my palm, pulling her close enough to taste her, to claim her mouth until she forgot anyone else existed.
“We aren’t your concern,” she whispered, but her voice trembled and her eyes dropped to my lips, lingering there. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, and I could feel the heat of her body just inches from mine. Every instinct screamed at me to close the distance
Fuck restraint.
My hand shot to the back of her head, fingers threading roughly through her hair to cradle her skull as I pinned her against the wall with the full weight of my body.
I crushed my mouth to hers.
The kiss was everything—raw, desperate, claiming. The taste of her flooded my senses, better than anything I’d imagined. My other hand braced against the wall beside her head asI deepened the kiss, taking everything she gave me and demanding more.
Her body melted against mine, her nails dug into my chest through the fabric, and she arched into me as if she’d been waiting for this as long as I had.
When I finally pulled back, I looked at her. Her lips were swollen from my mouth, her eyes dark and dazed.
I wanted to stay. To kiss her again. To hold her and never let go.
Instead, I stepped back.
Let my hand fall from her hair.
Then I turned and walked out without a word.
Chapter Ten
Katrina
I stared at the door.
He walked out without a word, without looking back to see the damage he had done. One minute his face was filled with anger, the next he had me pressed against the wall, kissing my face off.
Then he just... left.
The door shut with a soft click that echoed in the room.
My lips were tender, swollen from his assault. His taste still on my tongue; his warmth still heating my body. The cruelty of it was that I wanted him to come back.
The bathroom stall creaked open, and a woman stepped out. Our eyes met, mine wide with panic from the knowledge of her overhearing what happened between Derek and me. Hers filled with admiration and what looked like envy. Her heels clicked as she walked to the sink to wash her hands.
The room was silent except for the sound of running water and my heart beating loudly in my ears. When she was done, she reached beside me for a paper towel and looked at me.
“That was—” She paused and shook her head as if she were looking for the right words. “A man like that doesn’t walk away from what he wants.”
“It’s not like that,” I assured her, still unable to move from the place he left me.
“Honey, it is absolutely like that. If you can’t see it, it’s because you aren’t looking. Hell, I couldn’t see the two of you,but I damn sure felt it. That sexual tension doesn’t come around every day. Grab on to it and don’t let go, because it will ruin you in all the best ways.”
She winked and spun around, walking out the door and leaving me alone again. I peered at the stalls, expecting someone else to step out, but this time I was truly alone.
I looked at my reflection in the mirror and groaned. There was a flush on my face, my lips still swollen and tender. I gently touched them with my fingertips, her words running through my head.
Was she right?
Did Derek want me?
I shook my head and turned on the faucet, splashing icy water on my heated skin. It didn’t matter what he wanted. I didn’t want him. I mean, I wanted him—desperately. More than I had ever wanted anyone, and it was both exhilarating and terrifying. For that reason alone, I had to stay away from him. I couldn’t trust myself to make the right decisions where men were involved.
I made my way back to the table, and Frankie studied me. Zero looked behind me, and I knew he was looking at where Derek sat with Jack and Sam.
