Gian (Trassato Crime Family #1)(7)
“That’s good,” he murmured. He clamped his hands around my hips and scooted me closer to him. So close, I saw every inky spike of his eyelashes. He smelled of soap and a faint hint of spicy aftershave, and my eyes fluttered in response.
“Why’s that?”
“Because he’s watching us right now.”
Alarm shot down my spine. “Are you serious?” When I twisted to catch a glimpse of Kevin, Gian’s hand framed one side of my face, forcing all of my attention on him.
His thumb brushed over my bottom lip, and the air buzzed with tension. “Shh,” he whispered, bringing his lips within striking distance of mine. Butterflies exploded inside of my stomach. I begged my body to move away. It wouldn’t listen.
I sucked in a breath. “What are you doing?”
“This,” he answered, feathering his perfect lips across mine. “And this.” He tugged me flush against him. “Put your arms around me, and give your ex a good show,” he uttered against my lips.
I hesitated for a fraction of a second, then a rush of memories flooded my brain.
All the nights I had waited for Kevin and eaten dinner by myself.
How I put my life on hold to build a future with him.
The sounds echoing through his art studio when I caught him f*cking Ana.
The countless times I suspected Kevin of cheating and I looked the other way.
I couldn’t help wanting to hurt Kevin and show him I wasn’t some pathetic clinger without options. I curled my fingers around Gian’s neck and pulled him closer to me. His hand slid up my thigh, not far from the hem of my skirt.
“Is this good?” I whispered. His golden eyes held me hostage, and my pulse skyrocketed.
“Close.” His lips crashed against mine. They were smooth and firm, and he tasted like whiskey—sweet with a hint of caramel and vanilla. I opened my mouth and let him inside. His tongue stroked mine, deep and unrelenting, devouring me until sparks of desire fired in me. Within seconds, I didn’t care why he was kissing me. I wanted to wrap myself around him and lick every inch of his olive skin. My hand slid down to his chest and snuck between the buttons of his starched white shirt. My fingers toyed with the contours of his chest.
A moan rumbled from his mouth, and just like that, I was insanely turned on. Warm goose bumps showered my arms, and I buried one of my hands in his raven hair. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d been so needy for a man. I clung to this stranger like I needed him more than my next breath. Maybe I did. Maybe he’d help me forget. Maybe he was the key to starting over.
He leaned back, severing contact, his lips swollen and his pupils dilated. “Not here.”
“What?” I said, breathlessly unable to think clearly.
“Let’s go somewhere more private. Follow me.”
He threaded his fingers through mine, guiding us through the crowds of people. When we reached the rear of the bar, he pushed a door open marked No Admittance and led me down a darkened hallway. My heels clacked against the concrete floors, and my heart thrashed against my ribcage.
At the end of the hall, there were three doors. The one directly in front of us was closed. The one on the right had a lit exit sign above it, and the one on the left was open. He pulled me into the room with the open door and closed and locked it behind us.
“What is this place? Are we going to get in trouble?”
“No.” He backed me into the wall, fusing our bodies together again. “Nobody will bother us.” He swept my hair over my shoulder and buried his lips in the crook of my neck, tasting, biting, and sucking. God, he smelled good. Too bad I couldn’t relax. My muscles tensed, and my stomach knotted. What the hell was I doing? I didn’t know this guy. Carmela could be looking for me.
“Relax, Evangeline.” His hands slipped beneath the hem of my cropped top, watching me with his eyebrows raised expectantly. “You can stop this whenever you want. We’re just having a little fun, and I’d prefer it happened without an audience. Wouldn’t you?”
The idea of hooking up with a stranger in the back room of a bar scared me—though not enough to convince me to stop—and he was right. I wanted to have a little fun. I wanted to feel the excitement of touching and kissing someone new. I wanted to do something different. Be someone different.
Nodding, the air whooshed out of my lungs. “Okay.”
CHAPTER FOUR
Gian
The second she conceded, I snagged her clutch purse out of her hand and tossed it on the sofa to the right of us. If she were smart, she wouldn’t believe a word out of my mouth, and she’d stay far away from me. Unfortunately for her, I was too much of a bastard to send her away. One taste wasn’t close to enough.
With her pale, flawless skin and lithe dancer’s body, she wasn’t the type of woman who normally drew my attention. But marone, when she leaned over the bar to order a drink and her skirt lifted, flashing the sinful curves of the backs of her thighs, I had to talk to her. I’d never felt an affinity for a woman’s legs in my life. I was more of a breast man, but one look at her legs, and I became a convert.
Conflicted vibes radiated off her, and part of me knew I should leave her alone, especially after the story of her ex-fiancé. I didn’t want anything to do with a woman still pining after another guy, not even for one night. That changed the instant her ex looked at her like he owned her. I took what I wanted, what she needed, and I had every intention of taking this as far as she’d let me tonight.