“Yes, and then I could stop pretending I’m not thinking about that kiss.”
“You take your employer status seriously.”
“I do.” Sloan nodded and reached for the almost empty glass. “Can’t have you going to HR for sexual harassment.” She giggled, and Matty grinned. It was sexy in a weird way—not seductive, just authentic.
“I could resign and then you could rehire me the following day.” Matty winked. “I haven’t signed anything yet. Technically, I’m just...helping out.”
“That’s a... You make a compelling argument.” Sloan looked away and watched the crowd dancing.
“Do you dance?”
“Ah, the old change of subject.” Matty laughed. “Yes, sometimes.”
“Go on then. Show me.”
Matty’s stomach somersaulted. She couldn’t tell if it was nerves or excitement when Sloan said things like that. Feeling brave, she leaned forward and said, “Take me home, and I’ll dance just foryou.”
Sloan stared at her, nostrils flaring, pupils darkening. Her head tilted just slightly, the smirk curving one side of her mouth, and the dimple in her cheek popping. The music changed up to something hot and sexy. People moved towards each other, grinding and dipping, as hands roamed bodies.
“No...I’m not ready to leave yet.” Sloan smirked at her. “But I want you to dance for me…here…now.”
Matty thought for a second, then slowly stood up and moved around the table. She held out a hand. “Notforyou,withyou.”
For a moment, Matty wasn’t sure if she’d pushed her luck too far, but Sloan took her hand and slid out from the booth. When they were face to face, Sloan let go of Matty’s hand and stepped in, one hand settling at Matty’s waist as if testing whether she’d pull away.
Sloan’s eyes flicked down to Matty’s mouth. A second later, her lips ghosted across, her nose nudging against Matty’s. “I like that you keep surprising me,” she said against Matty’s ear.
“Shouldn’t I be?”Matty breathed.
Matty’s eyes fluttered shut, her arms around Sloan’s neck, as she gave in to the music and the slow, deliberate touch of Sloan’s hand on her cheek. The fingers on her other hand traced lightly along Matty’s side, then settled at her hip, steadying rather than claiming.
The beat of the music didn’t seem to matter as they moved together, slow and close, every shift of Sloan’s body landing like a question Matty already knew the answer to.
It felt like hours and minutes all at once, time just gone, until soft lips pressed against hers in an echo of earlier in the evening, nudging until they parted, and Sloan’s tongue entered her mouth like it belonged there.
The kiss wasn't like before. It was everything Matty desired—heat, hunger, the dizzying thrill of being wanted back. It was too much. She pulled back, dropping her gaze before Sloan could read her face.
Sloan lightly touched two fingers to Matty’s chin, guiding her back. “Hey,” she said softly, “look at me.”
“Why?”
Sloan held her gaze. “Because I need to know whether taking you home is something I’ll regret.”
Chapter twenty-seven
Sloan continued to study Matty, and then she made a decision—slightly inebriated one, maybe—but she held her hand out like it was the most natural thing in the world.
“Come on,” she said. “We’re going.”
Matty blinked, still feeling the warmth of Sloan’s mouth on hers. Still hearing Sloan’s voice in her ear. “Going where?”
“My place.” Sloan’s smirk tried to form, but it wobbled at the edges. “Home.”
Matty’s gaze instinctively flicked towards the bar, towards the door, towards the world outside the bubble they’d made for themselves. “Your mum...”
“She’ll be asleep,” Sloan said. “And if she isn’t, she’ll survive seeing me bring someone home.”
Matty let out a huffed laugh, then sobered as reality pressed in.Gloria. Sloan’s bedroom. How close was it? How thin were the walls?
