by Marie James
He nods his head at me, gratefulness peeking through the darkness clouding his eyes.
“That’s a perfect idea.”
Griffin offers Ivy’s hand to me as I step around the table.
“Are you sure?” Ivy presses her free hand to his chest, looking up in his eyes and I know if he asked her to leave right now, if he confessed that being here is just a little too much too soon, she’d grab her things and leave without saying goodbye to anyone.
“Of course.” He presses his lips to hers. “I just need a little fresh air.”
“Want me to come?”
“I want you to dance and have a good time. I’m fine,” he assures her.
I pull her in one way as Griffin heads to the front door, and her eyes stay on him until the crowd swallows him up.
“He’s okay,” I assure her. “Give him a minute.”
She’s no longer smiling, but she lets me drag her out to the center of the dance floor. We’re halfway through the song before she relaxes enough to allow a small smile on her lips. I dance with her, making sure to keep some distance between us. I’m not tempted to pull her closer or align my body with hers, which is a good thing because getting my ass kicked by my closest friend tonight isn’t on my to-do list.
“I think she made the right decision,” Ivy says, leaning in closer so I can hear her.
Turning my head, I watch my ex-girlfriend rail away on the drums. A wide smile spreads her pretty face, and it’s easy to tell she’s having the time of her life.
“I think you’re right,” I agree just as a flash of red hair catches my attention.
I swing Ivy around who squeals thinking I’ve changed dancing tactics as I follow Charli through the crowd. My breath catches in my lungs when I see a frowning Camryn being dragged by the hand behind her friend.
“Ok, that’s enough.” Ivy releases me the second Griffin walks up to us.
I hand over the man’s girl before walking in Camryn’s direction.
They’re right where I expected them to be since Charli’s in charge. Right in the middle of the dance floor, the redhead dances around her friend who’s only swaying her hips to the music.
“You can do better than that,” I say in her ear as my hands find her hips.
She looks surprised to see me when she looks over her shoulder, but then a small smile plays on her lips. She is fucking stunning in a slinky tank and skirt that is skating the line between amazing and too short. I love both prospects.
Resisting the urge to grope her, I keep my hands on her hips and redirect the sway of her hips until she’s flush against my front and moving in the most sinful way possible. I’m hard in seconds, but I keep my focus on her rather than the urge in my gut to press her closer to me so she knows exactly what she’s doing to me.
When the band fades from one song to the next, I turn her in my arms. Her teeth dig into her lower lip, and she seems ultra-focused on my chest, but her fingers tangle in the back of my shirt, and they show no signs of releasing me anytime soon.
This is a million times better than I imagined the night would go. At best, I thought she’d be courteous if I approached her. I never presumed she’d be in my arms, moving her hips in the perfect rhythm against mine.
“Here!”
Camryn smiles wide when Charli walks up with two highball glasses with golden liquid in them. As she takes one from her friend, Charli grins from me to her friend. When the first glass is drained, Cam takes the second glass and turns it up before Charli can argue. Rather than disappointment, I look at Charli and see her grinning. She winks at her friend before disappearing back in the direction of the bar.
The break in dancing must’ve given her time to get lost in her head because when I pull her against me this time, she’s stiff in my arms. I know the second the liquor seeps into her bloodstream because she reaches up, tangling her fingers in the hair at the nape of my neck and presses her body closer to mine.
Bending my knees a couple more inches, I sink lower in her hold. After tossing her long hair over her shoulder, I run my nose up the column of her neck, doing my best to resist the urge to lick the clean sweat from her skin. She smells otherworldly, a hint of flowers and something that is just distinctly her.
When her hand dips into the back pocket of my jeans so she can pull me closer, I’m finally believing in the power of miracles. When her head lifts and her lips glisten from the tip of her tongue, I press my luck and lower my mouth to hers. When she not only returns the kiss but grips my hair in her tiny palm and groans, I finally feel whole for the first time in my life.
It’s the realization that until this moment, something in my life was missing that makes me break the kiss and stare down at her like I’ve never seen her before in my life.
Chapter 16
Camryn
“What?” I ask when Samson just watches my face.
I know my makeup isn’t smeared. Charli assured me it would stay in place all night, which prompted me complaining earlier that I’d have to spend an hour washing my face when we got back home.
It’s like he’s taking in every single feature, memorizing each one. I should feel weird or at minimum subconscious of the way he’s looking at me. Maybe it’s the alcohol I threw back without blinking moments ago or the fact that I’m beginning to toss aside the strange feeling I’ve been getting from seeing him as someone other than the boy I used to babysit. I don’t know what it is that makes me blink up at him with the hope that he’s still interested in me.
“You’re absolutely beautiful.”
If I wasn’t already flushed from dancing with him for the last half hour, I’d worry about blushing in front of him. His words are perfect at this moment, and even though I know my hair has to be a mess from dancing and my skin is damp with sweat, I believe him. Not only do I trust his words, but I also feel them soul deep.
“And you’re—” My words die on my lips when a hand with black-painted, stiletto-shaped fingernails runs over his back and grips his shoulder.
His eyes search mine for a long moment, as if he’s expecting me to finish what I was going to say but ignoring the gorgeous girl who has now slid to his side with her luscious body against his arm is impossible.
He frowns when I take a step back from him, and the woman doesn’t miss a beat moving in even closer to him.
“Samson,” she purrs as her hand toys with the collar of his shirt.
Hearing the sexy tone of her voice makes me realize that the band has left the stage, and the jukebox has taken over. People are leaving the dance floor in droves to probably grab drinks, use the bathroom, and freshen up makeup.
Ignoring the woman practically hanging on him, Samson’s eyes still look at me expectantly.
“Camryn, this is Kennedy. She’s the drummer for ‘Beyond the Lies’.”
I give the girl a brief smile when I really want to claw her eyes out, and it’s the jealousy hitting me in the gut, which makes me take another step away from them.
I don’t offer my hand, and neither does she, but I pray she can’t tell I’m assessing her with the same challenge in my eyes as she has in hers.
“I really enjoyed the show tonight,” I offer out of courtesy.
Her stone-gray eyes leave me, and I feel instant relief, but when she flips her long, black hair over her shoulder, turning back to Samson, I can’t help but feel dismissed. The second she presses her well-endowed chest against Samson’s, I’ve had enough.
“I was hoping I’d see you tonight,” I hear her say, the innuendo clear in her voice as I walk away.
I’m making a beeline to the bar for another drink when a hand clasps my arm.
“They have history,” Griffin tells me the second I turn around to see who has a hold on me.
“It’s fine,” I lie.
“History,” Griffin repeats. “As in, in the past. You’re all he’s talked about the last couple of months. Don’t let that girl run you off.”
“Have a drink,” Ivy o
ffers from beside her boyfriend. She sweeps her arm to indicate the rows of shots on the table.
I’d rather walk away, but one quick look at the bar tells me staying to drink with them would be faster, so I pull up to the table and toss three shots back before anyone else says another word.
Gigi cheers when I lower the third glass to the table, too far gone to even feel the burn from the alcohol.
“Are you having fun?” Jasmine asks as she picks up a shot glass. “The energy is off the charts tonight. Jake’s should let live bands play here more often.”
I raise up another shot when she holds hers up for a toast. We clink glasses, and it’s easy to see Jasmine has already had a few as well because her face doesn’t tighten the slightest when she pulls the empty shot glass from her lips.
Chancing a look in the direction of the dance floor, I’m able to catch glances of Samson and the drummer as people mingle around them. His face is pulled tight as they speak, but he isn’t putting any effort into getting away from her. Disgusted in myself once again, I turn my attention back to the table loaded with liquor.
“Shot?” I offer to Ivy, but she just shakes her head. Griffin also refuses when I offer one in his direction.
“Are you not old enough to drink?” I ask Ivy, knowing that just because her twin is throwing them back doesn’t mean she’s legal.
“I don’t drink,” Ivy says as Griffin wraps his arm tighter around her waist.
I don’t push the issue. It’s an asshole thing to try to force people to drink when they don’t want to. As a woman in her late twenties, peer pressure like that isn’t my thing. It’s Charli’s thing, no doubt. At the thought of my friend, I look around the bar to try to locate her, but she’s nowhere to be found.
During my scan, I see Kennedy reach up and press her lips against Samson’s face. He gives her a tight smile before she walks away.
“I told him this was a bad idea,” Delilah says as her brother looks around before finding me near their table and begins to make his way over to me.
“What was a bad idea?”
“Nothing,” she mutters, pinching her brother’s arm the second he’s within reach of her fingers.
“Not now,” Samson growls at her without taking his eyes off mine. “Can we talk?”
I shake my head, surprised it isn’t pounding from the loud music. It seems the alcohol is doing exactly what it’s designed for because when he steps a few inches closer, I don’t feel the need to step back. In fact, I don’t feel much of anything. Every sound, every sight is muted, and I think that’s the best thing ever.
“I will explain everything about her if you let me,” he says, and I realize he’s invaded my space and his mouth is right next to my ear.
What I can’t ignore is the way his breath on my skin sets my body on fire. I should be mad. I should push him away and tell him thanks but no thanks, but my body has other things in mind, and it’s being ruled by the alcohol in my system.
“I’d rather dance.”
“Really?” He pulls his face back, eyes searching mine for a long moment before a slow smile spreads across his face. When I nod, he grips my hand. “Well, let’s go then.”
I feel a little stiff during our first song back on the dance floor, and my agitation multiplies when ‘Beyond the Lies’ takes the stage for their set, but by the third song, I’m just as close to him as I was before and the memory of that girl approaching us is fading from my memory.
If it wasn’t for Samson’s grip on my hips, forcing me to move right along with him and the liquid way he controls his body, I’d do nothing but stand here and watch him.
“I’m glad you came tonight.”
“Me too,” I confess with my face buried in his neck.
His strong hands release their hold on my hips and move along my back before settling right above the curve of my ass. One strong thigh has somehow managed to slide between mine, and I know I’m lost to him when I don’t even worry if I’m flashing my panties to everyone else on the dance floor. It’s as if we’re the only two people in existence.
“Kiss me,” I beg as I lift my mouth to his once again.
He whispers my name as he brushes his lips against mine, but rather than kiss me, he steps back, his hands once again falling to my hips. I miss his thigh the second he pulls it away to stand to his full height.
“What’s wrong?” I take a step closer to remove the space he put between us, and his jaw ticks when I run my finger down his neck.
“I think it’s about time to leave.”
“I think that’s a perfect idea.” I dig my teeth into my bottom lip to keep from telling him he should’ve suggested it sooner than now. Pressing my lips against his jaw, I ask, “Your place or mine?”
I feel rather than hear the growl deep in his chest, but my smile turns to confusion when he grips my hand and pulls it away from his body.
“You’re testing the limits of my resolve, baby. I’m so close to doing what I want to do versus what I should do.”
It takes a long moment before what he says actually makes sense, but when it does, I don’t even try to hide the slow smile.
“What should you do right now?”
His grip loosens on my hand. “I should take you home, give you Advil and a bottle of water, and tuck you into bed.”
“And what do you want to do?”
His jaw ticks again, and just when I think he’s not going to answer, his blue eyes darken, the pupils doubling in size. “I want to take you home, fuck you half a dozen times, then climb into your bed with you and never leave.”
“I pick door number two.”
He growls and drags me off the dance floor.
Chapter 17
Samson
“Door number two,” I grumble as I drag Camryn back to our table. The woman is going to be the death of me. “Have you seen Charli?”
Griffin shakes his head, and Cannon is still missing in action.
“Is that the redhead?” Gigi asks, her words more of a slur than a part of the English language.
“Yeah,” I answer. “Have you seen her?”
“She was at the bar a little while ago,” Gigi responds before something across the room garners all of her attention.
Griffin leans in close. “I haven’t seen her, and Gigi hasn’t left the table all night, so take what she says with a grain of salt.
“She can find her own way home.”
I turn my attention back to Camryn. Damn, she’s hard to look at with her flushed cheeks and a knowing smile that is taunting me to no end.
“Are you sure?”
“She drove and rarely drinks when she does.” Camryn attempts a shrug, but it’s over-exaggerated, just another hint at how intoxicated she is. “She’s resourceful. She’ll be fine.”
“Okay,” I agree before turning back to the table. “I’m going to get Camryn home.”
At the mention of her name, the girl of my dreams presses closer to my side.
“Samson,” Griffin warns. “Maybe I should take her home.”
“No,” Camryn snaps. “I chose door number two.”
She pulls her hand from my stomach, wiggling two fingers in front of his face.
Ivy smiles at her silliness, but Griffin’s eyes glare at me. He doesn’t see the humor in the situation, and I know he’s concerned about me being alone with her. Hell, I’m concerned about the same damn thing.
“What’s door number two?” my friend asks, even though by the tone of his voice, he already has an idea.
“The hardest thing I’ll ever turn down in my life,” I mutter.
“I don’t mind giving her a ride,” he offers again.
“We’ll be fine,” I tell him with resolve.
“Be safe,” he grunts.
I nod before turning back to Camryn and leading her toward the front door of the bar.
The ride back to her place is absolute torture. She opts to sit beside me in the truck rather than in the passenger seat, and ev
en though she hasn’t blatantly reached down and gripped my dick, her fingers have nudged it a few times while she runs her hand up and down my thigh.
“Babe,” I warn, gripping her hand when she gets closer one time too many.
“Drive faster,” she begs.
I contemplate driving around for several hours until I know she’s sober enough to make honest decisions, but with the amount of alcohol she seems to have consumed, it would be daylight before she got there.
She laughs me off when we pull up to her apartment complex, and I offer to carry her up the stairs. Even intoxicated, she’s independent and refusing others to help her. I merely wanted to tuck her against me and bury my nose in her hair, but I think she made the right choice. Getting that close to her, knowing I have to walk away shortly, would be impossible.
She laughs when I have to help her find the right key to unlock her door, and I hate the silence that greets us when she swings it open wide. Her roommate isn’t here. I was hoping for the distraction because my cock is still pulsing in my jeans with need.
“Home sweet home,” she says, throwing her arms out as she enters.
I stand in the doorway, waving her keys for her to take and refusing to take a step inside.
“Cam, grab your keys, and lock the door behind me.”
“You’re not leaving,” she says with the most adorable frown on her beautiful face.
“I have to,” I tell her. “I’m helping my dads all day tomorrow.”
“And I have work,” she says as she grabs my hand and tugs me toward her.
God forgive me, but I let her pull me across the threshold. I hate being in this position. This very scene is why I avoided frat parties and bars where the girls get wasted and make bad decisions.
“We better get started.” She’s gleeful as she drags me behind her down a narrow hallway.
I can’t seem to pull my eyes from her ass as the little white skirt flirts with her upper thighs.
“Get started?” I know what she’s hinting at, but I’m doing my best at small talk.
“With door number two.”
