Demand (Careless Whispers #2)(72)

“This doesn’t seem like your kind of place,” I say, leaning on the bar.

“Bars are gutters of information,” he says, leaning on the bar next to me, his arm pressed to mine. “And as a bonus, there are drunk people divulging it left and right.”

“Now it seems like your kind of place,” I say, and not for the first time, I think of his skill as a chameleon.

Two shots appear in front of us and Kayden stuffs euros into the ticket tray before lifting both of the glasses and facing me. “Bottoms up, sweetheart,” he says, offering me mine.

I accept it but don’t drink. “I’m pretty tipsy.”

His hand slides around my hip to my backside, easing me closer. “I’ll protect you.” But the way he says it is more like, I’ll give you ten orgasms. Motivated, I down the drink, grimacing at the taste.

He laughs and downs his shot, then sets our glasses on the bar. “Come on,” he says, leading me past the dance floor and through the crowd, our destination a set of stairs leading to the sky bridge. Again, he places me in front of him and holds on to my hips, and it’s a good thing he does. The steps are narrow and I really, really feel a buzz now. Once we’re at the bridge level, Kayden leads me down a hallway away from the bridge, and then to another set of stairs with a chain across them.

“Doesn’t the chain mean this area is closed?” I ask.

“I know the owner.” He lifts me over the chain, joins me, and we climb yet more stairs until we reach a closed area of the bar. “Our private party,” he says, snagging my fingers and leading me to the railing that wraps around the center room below.

“This is the best place to be in a bar,” Kayden says as we gaze down at the crowd. “Above the world.”

I face him. “You can’t get those drunken secrets up here.”

“From up here, you target those who have them and are drunk enough to talk about them.”

“You always have an angle,” I say, and suddenly my head spins and I sway. Kayden catches my waist and walks me backward several feet until I’m leaning against a big beam, his powerful legs holding me steady.

Then an American song starts playing. I can’t feel my face when I’m with you. But I love it. But I love it. I start laughing. “I really can’t feel my face, Kayden. But I like it. If I didn’t trust you, I couldn’t let myself be like this right now.”

“Because you know—”

“I know that you are all kinds of tattooed hotness, Kayden Wilkens. Hawk.”

His lips curve. “Is that you talking or the wine?”

“It’s called liquid courage.”

“You’re adorably drunk.”

I stroke his cheek, which feels much better than mine. “But you’re here, and you are The Hawk and I know I’m safe.”

“You are safe with me, Ella.”

“I am, but you’re dangerous to everyone else.”

His expression sobers. “Is that what you think of me?”

“Don’t go getting serious on a drunk person. I didn’t mean that negatively—you’re everyone’s protector.” I grab his T-shirt. “I meant that the bad guys are in trouble when they piss you off. And I meant it like you’re a badass, thus the ‘you’re sexy’ comment. Wait. Did I say that or think that? I’m saying it now. You’re sexy.”

He flattens his hand at the small of my back. “Badass?”

“Badass.”

“Do you know how badly I want to be inside you right now? Right here?” His hands go to my sides, traveling to my breasts, his thumbs stroking my nipples to hard peaks.

I grab his hands as my cheeks flush. “Too bad I wore jeans. You’ll have to behave.”

“Will I?” he asks, flicking my nipple.

I grab his wrists, firming my voice. “Stop, because yes, you do. I am not getting undressed in public.”

He reaches down and fingers the easily undone laces that line the front of my jeans. “I’ll settle for you having an orgasm until we get home.”

I reach for his hand. “I can’t have an orgasm in public, either,” I say, but my body betrays me, my sex clenched and wet.

“That sounds like a challenge—and this is barely public.” He pulls several of my laces loose. “I told Niccolo I couldn’t command you to orgasm. I want to try.”

“You can,” I assure him. “You can pretty much just look at me and I’m wet.”

“Are you telling me you’re wet now?”

“Very—so take me home and do something about it.”

His hand goes to my jaw and he drags my gaze to his.

“I never thought I’d use the word home again—let alone have a woman I want to use it with. I love you, Ella.”

“I love you too—” He slips his fingers beneath the laces and suddenly they’re intimately pressed to my sex. “That was unfair!”

“You’re not wearing panties,” he observes, slipping a finger inside me.

“Kayden—”

“And you are very, very wet.” His head lowers, lips at my ear. “I would kill to feel you around me right now.”

I pant, and my sex clenches around his fingers. “You’re about to embarrass me.”