Assured (Soul Serenade #2)(5)

Cole has me on edge.

Tristan leans over in front of Lauren to ask Cole a question. This has Cole doing the same thing. He leans in to me, his chest against the bare skin of my arm. His arm, which used to be on the back of the chair, now rests on my shoulders, his scent once again surrounding me. Lauren is chatting with the guys, not a care in the world that Tristan is all up in her personal space. Normally, that would be me. That should be me, but Cole is . . . intense. He’s not a guy who is used to being told no. So really, I only have myself to blame.

He wants the chase.

Before I downed those three glasses of bubbly, I was sure that I didn’t want to be caught. Now . . . now I want another glass of champagne. Miraculously, the waitress once again appears and I grab two more glasses, making a mental note to tell Kacen he did good with the wait staff.

“Might want to slow down, babe,” Cole says, his hot breath against my cheek.

Nope. Definitely need more. “It’s a celebration,” I defend my sudden need for liquid courage.

I feel his eyes on me as I gulp yet another glass. He doesn’t try to stop me, but he does scoot a little closer.

I can’t help but thinking that I’m f*cked. And soon will be literally, as I reach for yet another glass. The three of them continue to chat—about what, I’m not sure; I can’t pay attention with the heat from his body seeping into mine. His hand resting on my bare shoulder.

Movement draws my attention, and I see it’s Lauren and Tristan getting up from the table. I see that Gavin and Cassidy are following them. “Where are they going?” Even I can hear the panic in my voice. It’s not like Cole’s going to throw me on the table and have his wicked way with me right here in the middle of the reception hall or anything.

Great! Now that’s what I’m thinking about.

Cole is still leaning in to me, and he brings his lips close to mine. “Dancing. You want to join them?”

“N-no.”

“It’s a slow one. I could pull you close, align that tight little body with mine.” He kisses the corner of my mouth before he trails his lips across my jaw, working his way to my ear. “This is good too. I can sit here and get you ready for me. Make you want me so bad that you’re the one dragging me away from the eyes of all these people.”

It takes a minute for my brain to catch up to the fact that we are indeed sitting at the front of the room, giving everyone a show. “Fine, let’s dance.” At least on the dance floor, we can blend in with everyone else. Sitting here is too much like we’re together, and we are most definitely not.

Cole grins. “After you, sweets.” He stands, offering me his hand.

Trouble. I’m in big trouble.





As I lead Stacy out on the dance floor for the second time, I have to reach out and steady her. I’m not surprised after the amount of champagne she just consumed in such a short span of time. Hopefully, we can work some of it out of her system on the dance floor.

We reach the crowd of dancers and I pull her to me; this time, she doesn’t resist. She clasps her hands behind my neck and lets me hold her close. I’m hard as steel, and when she whips her head up to look at me, those green eyes wide, I know she can feel me. Hands on her hips, I pull her as close as I can get her. Bending down, I whisper in her ear, “That’s all you, Stacy. I ache to be inside you.”

She whimpers, and I have to fight my grin. Fucking finally! Leaning in, she rests her head against my chest. Looking down, I watch as her eyes flutter closed, see the rapid rise and fall of her chest. She wants this just as badly as I do.

As the song changes from slow to sensual, I rock my hips against her, and it’s like that move alone caused some type of switch to go off. She lifts her head, flashes me a flirty grin, and mimics my movements. My cock takes notice to the point that it’s painful. Not willing to lose an opportunity to touch her, I take the lead as our bodies grind to the beat.

Push and pull.

Pain and pleasure.

I want her.

Again, the music changes, and I send a mental high five to the DJ. Stacy’s big eyes find mine. “I want to run my fingers through it.”

It takes me a minute to figure out what she’s talking about. My hair.

“What else do you want to do to me?”

She flashes me a sexy smile and opens her mouth, but the words never come because Logan and Kacen appear beside us. “Stacy, you mind running up to the room with me? I want to change these shoes, and if my husband goes with me, we might not make it back.” She giggles as Kacen kisses her neck.

She immediately removes her hands from around my neck and steps back. Reluctantly, I let her go.

Logan reaches for her hand, pulling her toward the exit. “We’ll be right back!” she yells over her shoulder.

“You’re drooling.” I elbow Kacen to get his attention. Luckily, his eyes followed his new bride so he didn’t notice that I ogled the lovely Stacy until they were out of sight.

Turning to look at me, he’s wearing a goofy-ass grin. “She’s mine.”

Such a simple statement, yet it means so much more. I can’t help but get sentimental. “I’m happy for you, man. You deserve this.”

“Thanks, C.” He turns back to stare at the door where the girls disappeared.

“Let’s get you a beer.” I clamp a hand down on his shoulder and turn us toward the bar.