by Coco Cadence
“Having fun, unlike you,” he muses.
“Okay … I think I’ll go get a drink now,” the girl says. “See you in a minute.” She gives Chris some sort of flirty look before turning around and walking off. I’m almost tempted to go after her and start a major catfight, but that would make me a bitch. Actually, I already am for interrupting him.
I sigh, realizing what I’m doing. “Chris, sorry, but I’m worried about you. If you’re here dancing with some girl, then you could be photographed. You know how that goes. Next thing you know, there’s a story in the newspaper you really don’t want to read. Especially if they get their hands on her.”
“Oh, like you care,” he says, still dancing as if he doesn’t give a shit.
“I do,” I say, and I stand in front of him so he’ll look at me. “I mean it. I’m your PR agent. I don’t want you to get unwanted attention.”
He leans in. “Whatever attention I was getting, you scared away.”
“Well, excuse me, but I think protecting your reputation is more important right now, as it isn’t that great to begin with. Or do you want to be called a man-whore again? Because I can already see that headline in front of me again.”
He leans in to talk. “I think you’re just mad that I’m having fun with her,” he says with a smirk. “Coincidence that you’re here, don’t you think?”
“Me? What about you?” I say.
“Ah … a certain someone invited me to celebrate her birthday.”
With wide eyes, I turn to look at Alyssa who’s casually sitting at the bar, waving at me as if nothing happened. That bitch. She set me up. With my eyes, I send her a few death threats, but they only make her laugh.
“I’ll get her later …” I growl.
I only just now realize that Chris’s laugh is so husky. “You know, I don’t mind you two fighting … maybe in a bikini with a little mud.”
I smack his arm. “Chris!”
“What … you know I’m a dirty fucker.” He suddenly grabs my hand and twirls me in his arms. “C’mon … dance with me.”
“You’re here with another girl,” I say, as he grabs my waist and pulls me closer.
“So? One dance can’t hurt.”
“Still the same bastard, huh?” I scoff. “Always chasing after girls and then not giving a shit about how you hurt them.”
“That’s not true,” he says. “I care about you.”
“It doesn’t matter, Chris,” I say, averting my eyes.
He leans in and whispers into my ear, “It does matter. In fact, it matters so much that you’re upset because you think I don’t care about you.”
I can feel his hot breath on my skin, and for some reason, he has me under his spell. I can’t escape his grasp, even if I wanted to. And while we shuffle on the dance floor, his words create goosebumps all over my body.
“You’re jealous,” he whispers. “Jealous of her.”
I turn my head and frown at him. “No, I’m not.”
“Yes, you are. Stop denying it.” The smirk on his face is as undeniably hot as it is vexing.
“And? Even if I was, I wouldn't do anything with it.”
“You’re already doing it. You’re here, dancing with me, aren’t you?”
“That was your idea,” I say, as he wraps my arms around his neck.
“This isn’t about her, Em,” he says. “It’s about you and me.”
“Then why did you bring her here?” I look up at him, and for a second, the look in his eyes completely mesmerizes me.
“To make you jealous.”
His forehead rests on mine as we do a slow dance on the floor; his hands are all over my back, sliding down toward my ass. I can feel every slip of his finger, every vein in his arm pulsing, and every controlled movement of his muscles while he holds me and sways me across the dance floor. Sensually, he pulls me closer each time, our chests touching, sweat dripping down our backs.
He twists me in his arms, wrapping his arms around my body, slowly moving to the rhythm. My hands cover his as they rest on my belly, my ass grazing his pants, feeling him up. I’m getting lost in the music and this dance with him. I wonder what in the hell I’m doing, but the thought is whisked away by him swaying me. He spins me on my feet, pressing his body against mine. We exchange intense looks, but neither of us speaks a word.
Until the beat drops and he bends me over, his hand sliding down my neck, over my top, all the way down my belly button, and then he lifts me back up again, surprising me with a kiss.
Chapter 16
Emily
Chris King is kissing me right now, and I love every second of it. I shouldn’t, it’s so bad, but damn, he’s a great kisser. The way he smothers me, consumes me, and completely overwhelms me with just his lips. God, I can’t imagine what he’s capable of with his hands, his body … his mouth somewhere else, and his cock … Oh, fuck me. I shouldn’t be thinking about this, but I am.
As his tongue dips out to probe my mouth, my fingers scrunch up his shirt, desperate to get closer, and his hand moves to my ass to squeeze tight and pull me even closer. Nothing is close enough because all I can think about is kissing him, touching him, and feeling him the way I used to. Before everything became impossible … before we became family.
There were only us.
In these lights flashing all around, I lose myself to his touch, his wicked tongue licking my lips, his scorching hot kisses numbing me. The music blasts all around us, but my ears can’t even hear it. All I notice are the hot and salty kisses on my mouth, the quick, playful swipes around my tongue, and the sweat mixing with sizzling desire.
When he takes his lips from mine, I’m left bereft of something I didn’t know I had in the first place.
“Did it work?” he whispers against my lips.
“What?” I say, still delirious from his kiss.
He smiles against my skin. “Do you want me?”
Oh, god. Now I remember what he said. He just wanted to make me jealous. In the heat of the moment, I had completely forgotten about it.
“Wait,” I say, leaning back. “You were here with her just to make me jealous? Is that what this is all about?”
He cocks his head. The playful smile he gives me almost ignites my heart, if I didn’t feel like a backstabber.
“Basically … yeah,” he says, and then he laughs it off as if it’s no big deal.
“What? No, no, no.” I push him away. “I can’t do that. What about that girl? You can’t do that to her.” I make a face.
“Relax,” he says, keeping me close in his arms so I don’t run off. “She knew what she was getting herself into.”
“What do you mean?” I ask.
But before he can answer, she’s already appeared right in front of me. Chris rummages in his pocket and takes out a five-dollar bill, handing it to her.
“Thanks,” she says.
“No, thank you,” he says with a wink.
And then she saunters off.
Amazed, I blink a couple of times. “What the hell was that?”
“Nothing …” he muses.
“Did you just pay her?”
“I might have bribed her to go out with me …” He shrugs.
“Are you fucking serious?” I thought my jaw couldn’t drop further, but I was wrong.
“Em.” Chris grabs my shoulders and redirects my attention toward him. “I had a good reason.”
“That is some fucked-up shit, Chris,” I say, frowning at him.
“I know, but I did what I had to do to get your attention.”
“Well, you got it all right.” I roll my eyes. “But not in a good way.”
“I can make it good …” He grabs my waist and pulls me in again. “Real good.”
“Chris … I …”
“Stop. I know you liked that … the way I touched you …” His hand slides down to my ass, and I can’t say that I hate it, but I don’t love it, either. It just feels so wrong. “The way I kissed you.” So, so wron
g.
“You bribed a girl to dance with you so you could make me jealous.”
“I bribed a girl to make you jealous because I want you. And I’ll do pretty much anything to get what I want.” His fingers dig into my pants, and I think I can almost hear him growl.
“Even being a filthy piece of shit …” I mumble.
“Em, I’d roll around in shit then swim all the way across the fucking ocean, steal a bike to ride across the country, pilot a fucking plane, and then crash-land in your garden just to be with you.”
I try not to laugh, but I couldn’t hold it. Laughter bursts from my lungs, but I try to stop it as quickly as I can, because I shouldn’t be laughing right now. I should be mad, angry with myself for allowing him to seduce me again. Dammit.
When I regain my senses, I sigh and turn around, ready to walk out.
“Where are you going?” Chris asks, grabbing my arm.
“Back to my friend.”
“But we were having a good time together,” he says.
“Chris …” I jerk my arm free. “You know how I feel about it.”
This makes his brow twitch. I know he knows what I’m talking about. No matter how much time passes or how many times he tries to kiss me, it won’t change what happened … and that he ran away from what he did like a coward.
“Besides, it’s her birthday,” I say to break the ice. “Someone’s gotta keep her company.”
“Someone already is.” Chris points at Alyssa.
I notice she’s chatting with none other than the girl Chris was just dancing with. “How …”
But then Alyssa looks up and waves at me, and the girl next to her smiles.
“They know each other,” Chris says. “Alyssa actually invited her to her birthday as well.”
Chapter 17
Emily
“What?” My jaw drops, and I spin on my heels and tap on Chris’s chest. “She’s part of the setup? You knew that, didn’t you?”
“Your friend just wanted to give us a little nudge, that’s all.”
Angry as hell, I stomp toward Alyssa. “Seriously?”
“Sorry.” She laughs a bit. “But you have to admit, it helped.”
“So this was all a setup,” I repeat.
“Maybe … I mean, we’re friends, and I got a text from her saying she got approached by Chris before you even showed me that picture. So I invited both for my birthday celebration and look what happened …” She’s smiling like crazy, as if she’s the one responsible for getting Chris and me back together or something.
“How did you even get his number?” I ask.
“She gave it to me after texting him a bit. When she sent a picture of him, I couldn’t stop myself. I kind of asked her to play along while I set you two up …”
“You sneaky bitch …” I snap, shaking my head.
She shrugs. “This sneaky bitch just did you a favor.”
“Grr … I’ll get you,” I growl. “Somehow … you’re gonna get one hell of a payback.”
“Well, this is one birthday I won’t forget then.” She chuckles and sips her margarita. “You go have fun with Chris.”
“What? Why would I?”
She leans in. “Because you two obviously want each other.”
“But he’s a lying asshole,” I whisper back.
“Who cares? Just go along with it; maybe you’ll eventually like it.” She gives me a playful slap. “Let it go, let it go!” she sings, making me cringe.
“Okay, stop,” I say.
She dances a little to her own song. “I won’t stop singing unless you go and have fun.”
“But it’s your birthday,” I say, fighting the temptation to plug my own ears.
“Can’t hold it back anymore!” She keeps on singing.
“Okay, okay!” I say, as she twirls me around.
She pushes me straight into Chris, who’s right behind me. “Hey, beautiful.”
When my hand touches his chest by accident, my cheeks flush, and it makes me feel weird because I don’t normally get all hot and bothered by simply touching anyone, let alone Chris. Damn. It must’ve been the kiss.
“Wanna go somewhere else?” he says.
“No, we’re celebrating her birthday,” I say, clearing my throat.
“I’m fine,” Alyssa says with a smirk. “Like I said, go and have fun.”
“But,” I stammer, pleading her not to push me. I’m way too scared of where it’ll take me if I don’t hit the brakes right now.
“No buts,” Alyssa says. “I’ll be fine. I’ve got her, too.” She puts her arm around her friend’s shoulders and pulls her closer. “We’ll have plenty of fun together. Go on.”
“Yeah, Em. C’mon,” Chris says, grabbing my hand.
“Go with him,” Alyssa mouths at me, and I look back at her as Chris drags me through the crowd.
“Where are we going?” I ask him.
He glances at me over his shoulder. “Somewhere more private,” he says with a grin.
He pulls me out of the club and out to the street, and the cold makes me shiver quite a bit. Chris immediately takes off his jacket and wraps it around my shoulders. “Better?”
I nod, and he guides me toward the alley next to the club, where a bright red motorcycle stands at the ready.
“Is that yours?” I ask.
“Yeah,” he says as he gets on and leans back. “C’mon.”
“Oh, no.” I shake my head.
“What?” He frowns. “Afraid?”
“No, I’m not,” I lie, swallowing away my fear. “Don’t we have to wear special clothing for this?”
“I prefer to ride them naked,” he says with a smirk. Even though I know it’s a joke, it’s still making me blush. I can actually picture him riding that thing naked, and it’s fucking sexy. Dammit.
I roll my eyes. “I’d rather not get the police on our ass.”
“It’s only a short ride. They won’t catch us.” He bites his lip provocatively. “Don’t worry; I’ll be the only one getting your ass.”
I try not to show my shock, but it’s hard. Goddamn him, he really knows how to push my buttons. “Fine, just a short ride then,” I say.
Tiptoeing toward him, I manage to sling my leg over the seat and sit down behind him, putting his coat on properly, too. Wrapping my arms around his waist makes my heart flutter a little, especially when I feel his abs tightening through his shirt. He’s holding his breath as my fingers entwine around his belly, and I take in a short gasp when he moves. God, I can feel every inch of his strong muscles here. This makes me feel like a teenager again.
“You ready?” he asks with a gruff voice.
He pulls the handle as I say, “I guess,” making me even more anxious.
I never liked the speed these things could handle. It makes me think we’re gonna crash.
“Nothing’s gonna happen, Em. You’re as safe as can be on this baby.” He pats his bike as if it’s his girlfriend.
“Safe?” I repeat, feeling squeamish.
He licks his lips and throws me a glance. “Well, I can’t promise you that you’ll be safe around me.”
Oh, dear lord.
He rides it out of the alley and onto the street. “Hold on tight; it’s gonna be a rough ride.”
Somehow, I feel like he isn’t just talking about the bike.
He pulls the handle and off we go, shooting through the streets like a rocket. I can’t believe how fast it’s going, and at first, I’m terrified. He swerves through traffic, cutting corners when he turns, causing me to cling to his body even more. I think that’s why he’s doing it.
When we’re out of town and on a road much less crowded, he slows down a little, letting me enjoy the slight nighttime breeze. I don’t know where we’re going or how long we’re going to ride, but I have to say that it feels kind of freeing. With the wind blowing in my hair and my hands holding Chris tight, it’s almost as if I’ve had a weight lifted off me.
We ride for miles o
n a completely abandoned road until the town is far out of reach. He turns right onto a dusty road that’s a dead-end loop. Behind the trees, he stops, and I wonder where we are.
“What is this place?” I mumble.
“This is where I used to train, way back when we were still young. I used to come here every day with my bike and drive around in circles, always trying to increase my speed.”
“Hmm … so this place means a lot to you then.”
“Sort of.” I can hear him smile. “I come here to feel at peace.”
“Oh …” I don’t even know what to say. This must be where he left his demons. Where he tried to focus on the future instead of the past. Always racing toward something good … something better.
I sigh, wondering whether it really goes that deep with him. Maybe I’ve underestimated his empathy and regret.
I step off the motorcycle and take a look around, but then he grabs my arm and twists me around, almost making me fall into his arms. “Don’t go anywhere.” He picks me up, making me squeal, and lifts me over the front of the bike, so I’m straddling him.
“What are you doing?”
He traps me in his arms, still holding the handles as he closes in on me. “Getting you closer to me …” he growls. “Better … but still not close enough.”
He’s so close that I can feel his breath on my skin, his lips curving up, tempting me to kiss him. But then he arches his back, lifts himself up and scoots back on the seat, giving me a little more room.
I don’t know what he wants or what he’s trying to do … I don’t even know what I want anymore. I hate being so confused.
Taking a breath, I lie back on the handlebars and stare up at the sky above. The stars are shining bright, some twinkling more than others are, and I can’t help but feel amazed at how beautiful everything really is. This spot, the world, the galaxy. It’s so quiet, with only crickets chirping here and there, and for a moment, I close my eyes and enjoy the silence.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?”
I open one eye to see Chris staring up at the sky. “Yeah … it’s amazing.”
“Makes me feel so tiny,” he says.
